There aren't nothing but some bits o' stone and
seaweed."

"Nonsense!" cried Carey, impatiently. "You can see it, can't you,
doctor?"

"No, I see nothing," was the reply.

"Here, let me look again," cried Carey, and the doctor made way.

"Oh!" ejaculated the boy, in a disappointed tone; "it's gone!"

Bostock shook his head solemnly.

"You're a-getting better, young gen'leman," he said.

"Of course I am," said Carey; "but what do you mean?"

"You shouldn't, sir. There was a young chap once as kep' sheep, and
he'd got a larky sort o' sperrit, and every now and then he used to
begin running, and--"

"Yes, yes, I know," cried Carey, indignantly; "and cry `wolf! wolf!'
But do you think--"

"He's been gammoning on us, sir," said Bostock to the doctor.

"I haven't! I wouldn't play such a trick," cried Carey, indignantly.
"There was a great crocodile that looked five-and-twenty or thirty feet
long lying close to the water when I signed to you both to come. It
wasn't twenty feet away."

"Where 'bouts were it, then, sir?" growled the old fellow, only
half-convinced.

"Come and see," cried Carey, and he hurried round the rock, followed by
his companions; but there was apparently no sign of any reptile, till
the doctor pointed to a great groove in the soft dry sand.

"Yes, that's where he was," cried Carey. "Ah! and look here. You can
see the marks of his paws."

"I see," cried the doctor. "Yes, Carey, it must have been a monster."

"Pst! pst!" whispered Bostock, raising his gun, and pointing away to
their right.

"Don't fire," said the doctor, hurriedly; "those small shot cartridges
are of no use. See it, Carey?"

"No! Where?"

"Yonder, floating and looking this way. You can only see the monster's
eyes."

"Where--where? Ah, I see; those two knobs close together?"

"Yes; the brute must have taken alarm, and glided back into the river.
It is evidently watching us."

"Beg your pardon, Master Carey. I thought it was games. Well, sir,
it's a good job you see that chap. We know he harnts the place. Who
knows but what you might ha' took a fancy to bathe there some day?"

"I was thinking what a beautiful place it would be, because there'd be
no fear of sharks in such a shallow place."

"No sharks perhaps, sir, but they're innocent babies to a thing like
that. Why, he might have swept you in with his tail before you'd
undressed yourself. You and clothes and all."

"What are you going to do