of his vision, a gigantic shape came
faintly into view. It stirred, and grew more distinct. Motionless he
peered down upon it, striving to make out what it was. His sea lore,
more abundant than exact, did not inform him as to whether or not the
shark had any enemies to fear; but his imagination, always finding free
play in the mysteries of the deep sea, was hospitably ready for any
marvel. With fantastic expectancy he watched the sinister form of the
strange creature, as it slowly, and stealthily floated upward.

Presently he recognized it, having caught glimpse of its like once
before in a deep lagoon of the Ladrones. It was not altogether
dissimilar to the great shark basking above it, but slenderer in build,
and with a pair of curious lateral fins outspread like broad, blunt
wings. The most conspicuous difference was in its head, which was broad
and blunt like the fins, and armed with a kind of two-edged saw, perhaps
eight inches in width, projecting from its snout to a length of about
four feet. The tip of the saw looked as if it had been chopped off
square. Down both edges ran a series of keen, raking teeth. It was the
mysterious and dreadful sawfish, perpetrator of fabulous horrors.

[Illustration: "DIRECTLY BENEATH THE SHARK THE STRANGER CAME."]

Mahoney was afraid to move a muscle, lest he should arouse the shark and
put it on its guard. The eyes of the stranger stared up with a dead
coldness at the bulk of the sleeping monster on the surface. More
rapidly now, but still almost without movement of fin or tail, the
ominous form rose through the transparent flood, till Mahoney could
fairly count the teeth on its awkward-looking but hideous weapon.
Directly beneath the shark the stranger came, till at last there was no
more than the space of a few feet between the two giant shapes. And
still the shark slumbered. Mahoney held his breath. Then the sawfish
rolled over on its side, turning one edge of the saw toward the surface.
For an instant it hung so, poised and still. Then the fins and flukes
heaved together, the long bulk shot forward and upward, and the living
saw cut straight across the belly of the shark, deeply and cleanly,
under the urge of that tremendous thrust.

Mahoney cried out, shuddering at the horrible and unexpected sight. The
shark was completely disembowelled. With a gigantic convulsion it sprang
almost clear of the water, which was instantly dyed with blood. Mahoney
now looked for a battle of