to eat, for it was getting well on toward noon,
and the occupation would at least keep their minds busy.

Although some of the men flung them occasional black looks, the death of
the Kanaka and that fleeting vision of the giant shark had sobered
everyone tremendously. Not until the men had gathered in the
mess-saloon--for they were making free with the officers' quarters,
though they had touched nothing except the rifles and revolvers--and had
stowed away some of the tinned provisions and hot coffee that the boys
provided, did their spirits seem to rise. Jerry had been remarkably
silent, but he thawed out over the coffee.

"Well, what next?" queried the one-eyed Birch, leaning back in his chair
and lighting one of Captain Hollinger's cigars, as did the rest. "Now
we're rid o' the Kanakas, mates, and the ship's ours, what next, I
asks?"

"Jerry's the cap'n now," grinned Dailey. "How about it, Shark Smith?"

"I'm a-goin' down after that there Pirate Shark," announced Jerry, his
mouth grim and set. He seemed to enjoy the consternation of the others
hugely. "Now look ye here, mates. We've lost that dynamite. The only way
to get at the treasure is to kill that there shark. He's mine, an' I'm
a-goin' to kill him, mates. Bob, lad, you'll lend old Jerry that 'ere
kris, won't you?"

The old man's lack of fear, or rather his stubborn determination to kill
the Pirate Shark, was amazing. There was something about the
gentle-faced old quartermaster, in spite of his plotting and his
villainy, which attracted the boys--perhaps it was merely because he
professed to like them. That he really cared nothing about them, except
as hostages, they knew very well; he was caring for them in order to
save his own skin.

However, Jerry soon proved that his brains were working as fast and as
surely as ever. He listened to the protestations and arguments of the
others unmoved, and at last brought down his fist with decision, until
the dishes rattled in their skids.

"Mates, and you, lads, look ye here. That shark, I says, has had one
good meal to-day, ain't that so? Well, he's a wise un, he is. He'll know
that no more divers'll come down after he's gobbled one, so he won't
hang around waitin'. He'll mebbe go off to take a stroll, like.

"All I want, mates, is to get inside that there wreck, with that kris in
my hand. Then if he comes at me, why, he can't get at me, d'ye see! So
long as a man's got his back to a wall, wi' solid bottom unde