r kind. It was
no matter of surprise, that he should feel uneasiness at their approach,
if not actual fear.

But there was no time left either for him to speculate as to the
probabilities of such an attack, or for his companion to question him
about them.

Scarcely had the last words parted from his lips, when the foremost of
the two sharks was seen to lash the water with its broad forked tail,--
and then coming on with a rush, it struck the raft with such a force as
almost to capsize it.

The other shark shot forward in a similar manner; but glancing a little
to one side, caught in its huge mouth the end of the dolphin-striker,
grinding off a large piece of the spar as if it had been cork-wood!

This it swallowed almost instantaneously; and then turning once more in
the water appeared intent upon renewing the attack.

Ben and the boy had dropped their hooks and lines,--the former
instinctively arming himself with the axe, while the latter seized upon
the spare handspike. Both stood ready to receive the second charge of
the enemy.

It was made almost on the instant. The shark that had just attacked was
the first to return; and coming on with the velocity of an arrow, it
sprang clear above the surface, projecting its hideous jaws over the
edge of the raft.

For a moment the frail structure was in danger of being either capsized
or swamped altogether, and then the fate of its occupants would
undoubtedly have been to become "food for sharks."

But it was not the intention of Ben Brace or his youthful comrade to
yield up their lives without striking a blow in self-defence, and that
given by the sailor at once disembarrassed him of his antagonist.

Throwing one arm around a mast, in order to steady himself, and raising
the light axe in the other, he struck outward and downward with all his
might. The blade of the axe, guided with an unswerving arm, fell right
upon the snout of the shark, just midway between its nostrils, cleaving
the cartilaginous flesh to the depth of several inches, and laying it
open to the bones.

There could not have been chosen a more vital part upon which to inflict
a wound; for, huge as is the white shark, and strong and vigorous as are
all animals of this ferocious family, a single blow upon the nose with a
handspike or even a billet of wood, if laid on with a heavy hand, will
suffice to put an end to their predatory courses.

And so was it with the shark struck by the axe of Ben B