s from poor Cox, who was
clinging to his log, and shouting to his messmate to make haste, looked
towards the dhow of which Rhymer was in chase. She had hoisted her
sail, and should the breeze continue, would very probably get away,
unless Rhymer, by killing or wounding some of her crew, could make the
others give in. He, it was pretty clear, was so eagerly engaged in
pursuing the chase, that he had not seen the dhow go down. The boat's
crew, however, must have perceived what had happened; and Ned thought it
strange that he did not at once return to try and save him and his two
men.

"Perhaps he fancies that we are all lost, and that there would be no use
in coming to look after us. If he catches the dhow, however, I hope
that he will send back the boat, on the chance of any of us having
escaped," thought Ned. He could see the sails of the corvette, and an
occasional shot told him that she was still firing at the slavers. She
was already almost hull down, and the catastrophe could not have been
discovered from her deck, while the eyes of the look-outs aloft were
probably fixed on the dhows still trying to escape. Still Ned did not
give up hopes of being rescued, but continued energetically treading
water, and speaking in as cheerful a tone as he could command to keep up
the spirits of the young Arab.

"Me understand, t'ankee, t'ankee," said the latter at last.

Still Stone could make but slow progress, and Ned began to fear that his
own strength might become exhausted before the canoe could reach him.
He was truly thankful when at last he saw that Stone had got hold of
Cox, and was dragging him on board. Just at that moment, however, to
his horror, he caught sight of a dark fin above the surface; that it was
that of a shark he knew too well. He must do his utmost to keep the
monster at a distance. He shouted, and splashed the water with his
disengaged hand.

"Be quick, be quick, Stone!" he cried. "Do you see that brute?"

"Aye, aye, sir, I see him; but he'll not come nigh you while you're
splashing about, and the canoe is too big a morsel for him to attack.
Now, Ben," he cried, turning to his messmate, "haul yourself on board
while I keep at the other end of the canoe, it is the safest plan."

But poor Cox was too much exhausted by his violent struggles to do as he
was advised, and at last Stone had to help him, at the risk of upsetting
the canoe or bringing her bow under the water. By lying flat along