hing the movements of the shark, which seemed to be
puzzled by its quarters, and was now showing its tail as it dived down
under a beam, now raising its head to glide over and disappear in the
depths of the ship's hold.

The men were not long in getting the line that had been used to tow the
vessel to its moorings, and a freely running noose was prepared and
tested by Rogers, who suddenly threw it over one of his messmates'
heads, gave it a snatch, and drew it taut. Taking it off, he lassoed
another in the same way.

"That's the tackle," he said, smiling. "Next thing is to get it round
the shark."

"Yes," said Roylance, "but it's something like the rats putting the bell
on the cat's neck. Who's to do it?"

"Oh, I'm a-going to do it, sir," said Rogers, shaking out the rope.
"Lay hold, messmates, and when I says `now!' have him out and over the
rocks here.--P'r'aps, sir, you'd like to have an axe to give him number
one?"

"How do you mean?"

"One on the tail, sir, to fetch it off; only look out, for he's pretty
handy with his tail."

"That's what some one said of the man who had his legs shot off,"
whispered Roylance, laughing, "that he was pretty handy with the wooden
ones."

"We're ready, sir," said Rogers, "when you likes to give the word."

"But about danger, my man?" said Syd, who half-wondered at himself, as
he hectored over the crew, and thought that he was a good deal like
Terry, who was contemptuously looking on.

"Theer's no danger, sir," said Rogers. "I don't know so much about
that," said Syd; "suppose you slipped and went down into the hold?"

"Well, in that case, sir," said Rogers, grimly, "Master Jack there would
have the best of it, and none of his mates to help. Wonder whether a
shark like that shovel-nosed beggar could eat a whole man at a meal?"

"Ugh!" ejaculated Syd, with a shudder. "It's too risky. Better give it
up." But the men looked chapfallen.

"But the brute will put a complete stop to our work," said Roylance, who
was watching the restless movements of the self-imprisoned shark.
"Don't stop them, Belton," he continued, in a low tone, "I want to see
that monster killed."

"For revenge?"

"If you like to call it so. It or one of its fellows made me pass such
moments of agony as I shall never forget."

"I shall never forget my horror either," said Syd, as he too looked
viciously at the savage creature, which just then rose out of the water
and glided over one of the