, one of them
suddenly appearing between him and the yacht, which was rapidly
approaching.

"That fellow will be frightened off or perhaps go under the vessel," he
thought, "but the other one is coming on pretty fast. I hope he won't get
to the yacht before me."

The people on the yacht saw the shark between them and Jack, and Dick
Percival seized a gun from the captain, aimed at the creature and fired,
doing no great damage, but causing the voracious monster to rush off to
one side, and out of his direct course.

Sharks have other fish to guide them, and without these they are helpless,
which was the case with this one, who, in his sudden change of course, got
away from his pilots, and had to be hunted up by them before he could get
his bearings on the boys in the water.

This created a diversion in Jack's favor, and he swam on sturdily,
splashing and kicking, and making a great disturbance to frighten away the
second shark, which was coming alarmingly close to him.

The yacht was coming on, however, and now they bore down toward him,
slackening speed a bit, one of the sailors throwing the boy a line.

Jack caught it with one hand, as it settled over his head, and said to the
boy on his back:

"Hang on, young fellow, and they'll haul us both up together. You are no
sort of weight, but just hang on."

Jesse W. did as he was told, and both boys were hauled on board the yacht,
Dick, Harry, Arthur, Billy Manners and half a dozen others pulling in
heartily on the line.

They were drawn on board just in time, for the baffled shark made one
terrific jump out of water as they reached the deck, the gangway having
been opened, and banged his nose against the plankshire, falling back into
the sea with a great splash.

Bucephalus was at the gangway, an axe in his hand, and as the shark gave
his jump he aimed a swinging blow at the monster, but failed to hit him.

"Go back dere, yo' sassy feller," he sputtered. "Ah jus' like to get one
good crack at yo' an' Ah rip yo' side open. Don' yo' perambulate dis yer
way again if yo' know what am salubrious fo' yo', yo'heah?"

Bucephalus was fond of using big words, but did not always use them in the
most appropriate manner, so that the boys were always kept guessing as to
what he was next going to say when excited.

The boys nearest the rail seized Jack and young Smith as they came on
deck, and bore them in triumph to the cabin.

"Bully for Jack Sheldon!" shouted Harry, and