Jerry, to keep up the spirits of his companions, led off with a song, when Tim and Pat followed him; and thus they continued until Tom piped to dinner. They indeed seemed much happier than when doing nothing. As soon as dinner was over they again took to the oars, and pulled on steadily until dark; but no land was seen, nor was a sail in sight. Indeed, so limited was their horizon, that they were likely to pass low islands without observing them. The night was as calm as the day; but, as the men required sleep, Tom kept only two oars going. When the sun rose the next morning it shone on the same polished surface as on the previous day.
“Not an air in the heavens,” said Jerry, in answer to Tom’s inquiries, as he rose from his sleeping-place in the stern sheets; “and, to my mind, there won’t be.”
“We must have patience,” said Tom, preparing to take a morning bath by jumping overboard.
“Be careful, sir, and look out for sharks,” observed Jerry. “I would not, if I were you, go far from the boat.”
“I will follow your advice. Keep the oars splashing, and that will frighten them off, if any are near,” said Tom.
Plunging in, the midshipmen swam round and round the boat several times. Billy jumped overboard, but being of opinion that he was likely to prove a tempting morsel to Jack Shark, very quickly begged Jerry to help him on board again. The midshipmen having dressed themselves, the men imitated their example. They were splashing about round the beat, when Pat shouted out—
“Bear a hand; get on board, mates. I caught sight of the fin of a big fellow not twenty fathoms off; he’ll be after trying the taste of our legs, if we don’t look sharp.”
The midshipmen stood ready to help in the men, for they also had seen the ominous black fin. Jerry, who had an especial dread of sharks, quickly threw himself over the gunwale, with the assistance of Tom, while Desmond and Billy helped up Tim. Pat, who was farthest out, caught hold of the bobstay and was hoisting himself on board by the jibboom, when a cry of dismay escaped him.
“He nearly had me, the baste; for I felt his jaws touch my foot.”
That this was not imagination was proved by the blood running from Pat’s heel, where the lips, though fortunately not the teeth of the monster, had struck him. A second later, and Pat’s foot would have been off to a certainty. The shark was directly afterwards seen swimming alongside the boat and casting a malicious leer at those on board.