secure. Even if he could have swum across the channel, the monster
Paul had seen would have taken good care that he should never have
reached the shore. The knowledge of this, as well as their own safety,
made them exert themselves to the utmost. Already more than one sea had
dashed over the rock, and Reuben had to grasp it tightly to prevent
himself from being washed off. A huge foaming billow was seen rolling
in. It must sweep over the reef, and perhaps come thundering down on
the raft.

The boys had just lowered their sail, and were paddling in. Reuben saw
the roller coming. Making a sign to them to paddle back, he sprang into
the water and struck out towards them. On came the billow--roaring,
foaming. The rock was hidden from view by a mass of spray as the wave
curled over it.

"Oh, he has gone! he has gone!" cried Paul, as, looking back, he could
nowhere see his friend.

It was but for a moment. He had been concealed by the swelling water.
Again he appeared.

"Your hand! your hand!" cried Reuben.

Paul stretched out his hand with terror at heart, for at that moment he
saw the dark fin of a shark on the surface of the water. He seized
Reuben's hand, and dragged with all his might. The wave rushed on,
dashing over the raft, and almost sweeping O'Grady and Paul from off it;
but they held on, and it served the purpose of lifting Reuben on to it
at the moment that a pair of ravenous jaws appeared opening in an
attempt to seize him. The same sea, lifting the raft, drove it rapidly
towards the shore--and another following, the boys paddling at the same
time, sent it high up on the beach; but even then the receding waters
would have carried it off, had not the negro and old Croxton rushed
towards them, the former planting his crutches against it, and the
latter grasping it tightly. Even thus they could not hold it long, but
they gave time to the boys and Reuben to spring on shore, and then it
was carried off, and soon shattered to pieces.

The black now made signs to all the party to accompany him to his hut,
which, as may be supposed, they gladly did.

"Faith, Mr Charcoal is better than he looks," observed O'Grady, as he
bade them enter.

The inside offered a strong contrast to the outside. There was a large
table and chairs, and several bed-places, with coverlids to the beds of
rich damask, and there were numerous chests and articles of ships'
furniture in corners and ranged along the wall. The