eap of money. But just
now it's a question of life rather than money, and we'll have to let it
go."

"It does seem a pity," agreed Fred, as he glanced at the boat tossing
about helplessly, now wallowing in the trough and again rising to the
crest of a wave. "But perhaps it may keep afloat till the storm is over.
We'll cruise around and look for it to-morrow or next day."

Bill and Teddy were working vigorously, applying all their knowledge of
"first aid" to their unconscious passenger. For several minutes their
work seemed to be without result, but at last they heaved sighs of
relief as they saw a beating at the temples and a fluttering of the
eyelids. A moment later the stranger opened his eyes and looked vaguely
around him. He tried to speak, but no words came.

"Don't talk just now," Teddy admonished him. "You've been in a tight
pinch, but you're all right. Just relax and go to sleep if you want to.
We're on the job and we'll take care of you."

The eyes closed again, and the boys, seeing that the danger was past,
stopped their "pump-handle work," as Teddy called it, and set about
making the stranger's position more comfortable. They made a rough bed
for him with some blankets that they dragged from the tiny cabin and put
a coat beneath his head for a pillow.

"The longer he stays asleep, the better it will be for him," commented
Bill.

"It's lucky for him it isn't his last sleep," said Teddy. "It would have
been that, if it hadn't been for that brother of mine," he added with a
touch of pride.

"Fred surely is a plucky old scout and a quick thinker too," agreed
Bill. "He had his shoes off and was in the water before the rest of us
fairly realized what had happened."

"He can swim like a fish," said Teddy, "and with that rope in his hand,
I didn't fear but we could get him on board again. But my heart was in
my mouth when I thought of that shark."

"It was taking a big risk," declared Bill. "By the way, I don't see
anything more of that ugly fin. I guess he's given us the go-by for
to-day."

But even as he spoke, there was a rush in the water alongside, and they
caught a glimpse of a dark body at least sixteen feet in length, and saw
a wicked eye gleaming up at them. It was only for a second and again the
shark vanished. But his sudden appearance, at the very moment they were
talking of him, made the boys shudder.

"He's following us!" exclaimed Bill.

"That's what," said Teddy. "He knows we're in a s