ried Grant suddenly.

Sure enough another fin joined the first and one ahead of the other the
sharks cruised around the waters near the life-boat.

"Zowie!" exclaimed George. "I guess I'm glad I'm not in the water just
now."

"Same here," said Fred thankfully. "I wonder what they'd do to you."

"Well, I'm not curious enough to find out," said George grimly. "They
can't touch us here in the boat, anyway."

"That's true enough," said Grant. "I say we don't waste any more time
looking at them, either. Personally, I'd rather be ashore."

Once more the oars were dipped into the water and the voyage was
continued. The sharks also came along and their fins could be seen first
on one side of the boat and then on the other; sometimes they appeared
in front and sometimes astern. Relentlessly they followed, however, all
the way to the shore.

As the boat came nearer the land the boys got more of an idea of the
place they were approaching.

"I don't see any houses," remarked John.

"Nor I," agreed Fred. "It doesn't look as if there was a human being on
the island. It looks fertile enough, though."

"Well, we'll know all about it before long," said Grant. "Where shall we
land?"

"What's the matter with that little harbor straight ahead?" said Fred.

"All right," exclaimed Grant. "Steer us in there, Sam."

"No matter what kind of a place it is I'll certainly be glad to get on
shore again," said George eagerly. "I've had about all I want of boats
for a while."

"I agree with you, Pop," said Fred. "I've had enough, too."

"I wish we'd see a steamer," sighed John.

"I wish a steamer would see us," said Grant. "I think that would be more
to the point."

"We've simply got to be picked up soon," said John. "Our food won't last
a great many days longer."

"It's good for a week, anyway," said Fred. "Some one will surely find us
by that time. We can hoist a flag on top of that hill up there. A
passing steamer would be sure to see it."

"There may be people on the island for all we know," said Grant. "We
can't see it all from here and it must be at least a mile long."

"We'll know soon, anyway," exclaimed John. "Don't run us onto any rocks
on the way in, Sam."

"No, sah," grinned Sam. "Jes' leave dat to me."

The shore of the island was low and sandy. Wide white beaches ran down
to the water's edge, while a short distance back were many palms and
other trees of which the boys did not know the names. As Fred remarked