The Lakewood Boys in the South Sea Islands by L.P. Wyman

"My, but that water looks mighty inviting."

The Valkyrie was at anchor just outside a small cove of a small island not more than a couple of miles in circumference and nearly round in shape. It was late in the afternoon and the boat had limped to its present position some hours before with a badly cracked cylinder head. MacDonald, the engineer, had expressed the opinion that it would take the better part of two days to complete repairs.

It was scorching hot and only Bob and Jack were on deck, all the others except those working on the engine being below in their bunks where it was a bit cooler.

"It does look good," Jack agreed.

"How about a swim?"

"You said it."

Being dressed only in trowsers and shirt it was only a matter of seconds before they were in the water and for half an hour they swam and dived.

"Guess I've had enough," Jack declared as he rose the surface, after a deep dive and shook the water from his face.

"I'll be in in a minute," Bob, who was floating idly a few yards away, told him.

Jack mounted the rope ladder and, after donning his clothes, went to his cabin for a book. As he returned to the deck he looked out over the water and a sight met his eyes which seemed, for an instant, to freeze the blood in his veins. Bob was swimming slowly toward the boat and was some two hundred feet away, while farther out, a black triangular object was cutting through the water. For a second the boy was spellbound then, galvanized into action, he shouted:

"Sharks, Bob, sharks!"

Bob heard the cry and, without waiting to look behind him struck out with all his speed for the boat. When first seen the fin of the shark was not coming directly toward Bob but was moving nearly at right angles to the direction in which he was swimming. Jack prayed that the big fish had not seen him, but, as soon as he had uttered the warning, he rushed for his cabin and returned a moment later with his favorite Winchester in his hands. Eagerly he looked out and saw that Bob had covered fully half the distance to the boat, but, to his horror, he also saw that the shark had sighted him and was now coming straight for him. In fact the ominous fin was only a matter of fifty feet from the swimmer and was rapidly cutting down the distance between them.

"He'll never make it," he gasped as he raised the rifle.

Bob, now fully aware of his danger, was plowing through the water, making the best speed of which he was capable, but it seemed to the frightened boy on the boat, that he was stationary, compared with the swiftness with which the fin was cutting through the water.

"Oh, God, send this bullet straight," he breathed as he aimed just a bit in front of the fin and pulled the trigger.

For an instant, after firing the shot, he dared not look, then, realizing that there might be time for another shot, he raised his eyes.

"Thank God," he gasped as he saw the huge body of the shark floating on the water and Bob almost at the foot of the ladder.

In another moment the two boys were in each other's arms.

"Oh, Bob," Jack sighed, the tears running down his face. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"And you would have if it hadn't been for that wonderful shot."