And the strangers who were looking on turned and said to one another:
“Who is he? See how much they think of him!”
Wallace Random, a handsome young fellow of nineteen, who had been on hand to receive his sister, as he was near the beach when she went into the water, hastened to Frank.
“Mr. Merriwell,” he said, earnestly, as he grasped Frank’s hand, “I am proud to know you. Your friend has saved my sister’s life in the same noble manner. You are both heroes.”
The girls had come to the beach in carriages, and Inza was soon placed in one, bundled about with a wrap and whirled away.
Frank looked for Inza as soon as he could escape from the ones who were offering their praise and congratulations, but he was told she had gone with Miss Random.
“I shall see her to-night,” he said. “There is a dance at the hotel, and she has promised to give me the first waltz.”
He made haste to escape to his room at the hotel, whither he was followed by the boys, where Toots rubbed him down and they all talked over the adventure and rescue.
Frank confessed that he was on the verge of giving out when the boat reached them, and he had just strength enough to dive and escape the shark, that had seemed to snap at Inza’s feet as she was pulled out of the water.
“I don’t think I could have held out a minute more,” he said; “and I should have gone down again immediately if Bruce and Ephraim had not grabbed me when I came up after diving under the boat. I used my last bit of strength to get to the surface that time.”