“It’s a seal!” yelled Jerry, who caught a passing glimpse of a big brown body just under the water. “Hand me a gun and I’ll shoot it!”
By this time Bob had grasped the cork ring, and the professor, who had hold of the rope, was pulling the boy aboard. Ned reached a rifle from the locker and passed it to Jerry, who had shut off the power so he would not have to steer the boat.
“Can you see it?” cried Ned.
“He’s coming at us again,” replied Jerry.
“Shoot it in the head!” called the professor, not desisting from his work of rescuing Bob.
“You take a gun, Ned!” shouted Jerry. “I may miss!”
Ned secured another weapon, and hurried to the bow to stand beside his chum. Both boys could see where the creature was by reason of the disturbance in the water.
“I see its head!” spoke Ned in a whisper. “It’s just like a seal.”
He took as careful aim as he could, as also did Jerry. The two rifles were discharged together, and as the bullets struck the water they sent up little jets of spray. Then followed a great commotion, and the river in that vicinity was churned to foam.