he half-crown for the boys to see. But there was no eager
rush to the rail preparatory to leaping. They stood there grinning
sheepishly. She offered the coin to each one individually, and each,
as his turn came, rubbed his foot against his calf, shook his head,
and grinned. Then she tossed the half-crown overboard. With wistful,
regretful faces they watched its silver flight through the air, but not
one moved to follow it.

"'Don't do it with the sovereign,' Dennitson said to her in a low voice.

"She took no notice, but held up the gold coin before the eyes of the
boy of the swan dive.

"'Don't,' said Captain Bentley. 'I wouldn't throw a sick cat overside
with a shark around.'

"But she laughed, bent on her purpose, and continued to dazzle the boy.

"'Don't tempt him,' Dennitson urged. 'It is a fortune to him, and he
might go over after it.'

"'Wouldn't YOU?' she flared at him. 'If I threw it?'"

This last more softly.

Dennitson shook his head.

"'Your price is high,' she said. 'For how many sovereigns would you go?'

"'There are not enough coined to get me overside,' was his answer.

"She debated a moment, the boy forgotten in her tilt with Dennitson.

"'For me?' she said very softly.

"'To save your life--yes. But not otherwise.'

"She turned back to the boy. Again she held the coin before his eyes,
dazzling him with the vastness of its value. Then she made as to toss
it out, and, involuntarily, he made a half-movement toward the rail,
but was checked by sharp cries of reproof from his companions. There was
anger in their voices as well.

"'I know it is only fooling,' Dennitson said. 'Carry it as far as you
like, but for heaven's sake don't throw it.'

"Whether it was that strange wilfulness of hers, or whether she doubted
the boy could be persuaded, there is no telling. It was unexpected to
all of us. Out from the shade of the awning the coin flashed golden
in the blaze of sunshine and fell toward the sea in a glittering arch.
Before a hand could stay him, the boy was over the rail and curving
beautifully downward after the coin. Both were in the air at the same
time. It was a pretty sight. The sovereign cut the water sharply, and at
the very spot, almost at the same instant, with scarcely a splash, the
boy entered.

"From the quicker-eyed black boys watching, came an exclamation. We were
all at the railing. Don't tell me it is necessary for a shark to turn on
its back. That one did not. In the