boat; and
so well aimed was the stroke, that there was a tremendous swirl in the
water, the side near Jem resounded with a heavy blow from the fish's
tail, and the boathook seemed to be snatched out of the striker's hand
to go slowly sailing away oceanward.

"Look at that!" cried Jem. "Why, I must have driven it right into him.
How are we to get it back?"

"Watch it," said Don, excitedly. "It will come out and float directly."

Don's prophecy did not come to pass, for as they watched, they saw about
a foot of the boathook shaft stand sloping out of the water, and go here
and there in a curious manner.

"Let's row after it," suggested Don.

"Wouldn't be no good, Mas' Don; and we've got nothing to fight him with
but pistols. Let him be, and the thing will soon wriggle out."

Jem proved as far wrong as his companion, for, after a time, as they
watched and saw the end of the shaft bob here and there; it suddenly
disappeared about fifty yards away.

"Why, Mas' Don," said Jem, laughing, "it's like fishing; and after
biting ever so long, the float's gone right under water. Now's your
time. Strike!"

"And we've no line," said Don, who was beginning to get rid of his
nervous sensation.

"No, we haven't a line," said Jem. "Keep your eye on the place where he
went down; we mustn't lose that hitcher. Say, it won't do to try and
swim ashore. That's a shark, that is, and a big one, too. Did he hurt
you?"

"Not much. It was like a tremendous blow with somebody's fist. Look!"

"Told you so!" cried Jem. "Here he comes with a rush to give us back
the boathook."

"Or to attack the boat," said Don, as the end of the shaft suddenly
appeared away to their right; and then came rapidly nearer in a direct
line for where they were.

"Not he," said Jem sturdily. "Too stupid."

All the same, there was soon a peculiar rising in the water coming
direct for them, as the boathook seemed to plough through the sea, which
rapidly grew shallower. Onward it came, nearer and nearer, till Jem
gave a warning shout, and placed one foot on the side ready to plunge
overboard.

"Don't do that, Jem; it's certain death!" cried Don.

"Don't you stop, Mas' Don; that's certain death, too. Let's swim
ashore. Now, my lad, now, now. Don't stop a fellow; don't!"

Jem shouted these words excitedly, as Don clung to him and held him
back, gazing wildly all the time at the disturbed water, as the great
fish swiftly approached, till, ju