ng," said the man. "Your
skipper'll come to me to-morrow if he don't think you're drowned, or--I
say, did you feel anything of 'em?"

"Feel anything--of what?" said Don.

"Sharks, my lad. The shallow waters here swarm with them."

"Sharks!" cried Don and Jem in a breath.

"Yes. Didn't you know?"

"I'd forgotten all about the sharks, Jem," said Don.

"So had I, my lad, or I dursen't have swum for it as we did. Of course
I thought about 'em at first starting, but I forgot all about 'em
afterwards."

"Jem," said Don, shuddering; "what an escape!"

"Well, don't get making a fuss about it now it's all over, Mas' Don.
Here we are safe, but I must say you're the wussest swimmer I ever
met.--Here, what are they going to do?"

"Run ashore," said the Englishman, as there was a buzz of excitement
among the New Zealanders, many of whom stepped over into the shallow
water, and seized the sides of the boat, which was rapidly run up the
dark shore, where, amidst a low gobbling noise, the two wet passengers
were landed to stand shivering with cold.

"There you are," said the Englishman, "safe and sound."

"Well, who said we weren't?" grumbled Jem.

"Not you, squire," continued the Englishman. "There; I don't know
anything about you, and you'd better lie close till the ship's gone, for
they may come after you."

"Where shall we hide?" said Don eagerly.

"Oh, you leave it to Ngati; he'll find you a place where you can lie
snug."

"Ngati," said the owner of the name quickly, for he had been listening
intently, and trying to grasp what was said. "Ngati! My pakeha."

"Oh, I say: do leave off," cried Jem testily. "Pakeha again. Say, Mas'
Don, him and I's going to have a row before we've done."

The chief said something quickly to the Englishman, who nodded and then
turned to the fugitives.

"Ngati says he will take you where you can dry yourselves, and put on
warm things."

"He won't be up to any games, will he?" said Jem.

"No, no; you may trust him. You can't do better than go with him till
the search is over."

The Englishman turned to a tall young savage, and said some words to
him, with the result that the young man placed himself behind Don, and
began to carefully obliterate the footprints left by the fugitives upon
the sand.

Don noticed this and wondered, for in the darkness the footprints were
hardly perceptible; but he appreciated the act, though he felt no one
but a native would distinguish