“Shark him big coward,” said Anai’s friend, who had remained behind with the boys. Directly Anai landed he turned and waved and then set off at a sharp run along the beach. Before they expected him he was back again with a canoe, and thus an adventure which might have had disastrous consequences ended safely. But it was a long time before the boys ever forgot it.
The next morning Jack and Billy were leaning over the rail of the Sea Gypsy, chatting and watching the sharks that swum around the ship eagerly watching for scraps from the galley. The coal was nearly all unloaded from the small, rusty tramp that had brought it, and all hands were looking forward to a resumption of the journey.
In the meantime, Mr. Jukes had been investigating ashore and learned, from some natives, that the “Tear of the Sea” had actually been bought by his brother, and that just after the purchase, the Centurion had sailed away. Not long after, ‘Bully’ Broom’s ship arrived, and the sea rover was informed of the sale. He was furious as it appeared that, in accordance with his usual practice, he intended to raid the village and take possession of the wonderful pearl by force. Mr. Jerushah Jukes’ arrival ahead of him had, of course, frustrated this plan. According to the best information he could get, the millionaire learned that “Bully” had at once put to sea in pursuit of the Centurion. The finding of the empty derelict left little doubt that he had attacked the schooner and imprisoned, or worse, perhaps killed, all those on board her.
This, in its way, was well enough, but it left the fate of the party still a mystery, and their whereabouts unknown, for “Bully” had half a dozen retreats scattered through the South Seas where he might have taken them, for even Captain Sparhawk did not believe that the ruffian would have dared to kill them.
CHAPTER XIV.—BATTLING MAN-EATING SHARKS.
“Like a chance to catch one uv them bastes, Mishther Riddy?” asked Tim Muldoon, the Irish quarter-master of the Sea Gypsy, who paused near where the boys were standing watching a mighty commotion in the water made by two great tiger sharks fighting desperately over a piece of spoiled pork that had been thrown overboard.
“What would we do with it when we had it?” asked Jack with a smile.
“Shure there’s a certain part of the cratirs that makes illigint ateing. Meself and several other la-ads in ther crew wouldn’t have iny objictions at all, at all to a bit of shar-ark steak if so be y’u’d loike to hook one.”
“What do you say, Billy?” asked Jack.