Part 31 (1/2)
John was perhaps a hundred and fifty yards fro land and safety, but could he reach it? The great shark still circled around and around the unfortunate boy, evidently waiting for soive him an opportunity to strike John was determined that this should not happen, however, and he watched the shark just as closely as he himself atched First he swam on one side and then on the other, then on his back and then on his stomach Not for a second did he relax his watchfulness
”Look at Sao!” exclaimed Grant ”He's a ht, but I wish he would get there”
”There goes the shark,” cried Grant, and as he spoke the big fin could be seen to shoot with lightning-like rapidity in close to the spot where John was A great splashi+ng immediately followed and then the fin appeared once more some ten or twelve yards distant
”Whew! That was close,” gasped Grant, his lips ashen with terror
”He's getting desperate,” said Fred ”He knows that unless he can get John before he coone”
”Hurry, Sath ”Keep it up, John!”
he called ”You'll be all right in a minute!”
”He will not,” said Fred in a low voice ”He'll be gone in a minute”
”No he won't,” cried Grant ”Sam is almost there”
”Forty yards is a lot”
”Hurry, Saed Grant ”You must hurry!”
”Look!” cried Fred ”The sharkaway”
”Not 'away,'” Grant corrected ”He's just backing up a little”
Sure enough the shark moved out a little toward the ocean and the fin stood al what should be done next
Evidently the arrival of a second foe had puzzled him Sharks are not known especially for their bravery Rather they are scavengers that feed on the ocean's refuse, and they ry indeed to attack a e Grant and Fred were aware of this fact, but they feared that this particular shark was very hungry and that he did have John at a disadvantage
”Maybe he'll go away now that there are two of them,” said Fred hopefully
”Don't be too sure,” warned Grant
”He'll attack soon if he's going to, though”
”Yes, he'll have to The water gets pretty shallow in a little closer”
”Look at Sa John on ahead of him”
”John must be pretty tired now”
”I should think so”