The National tribune., 1883-02-08
OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
Swimming for Life---An Adventure
with Sharks.
by DaUid Ker.l
" No sign Of a sail yet, Jim"

/ w sly IL Vi Il Stli NtJ III
mary, one, Jack. | guess orr times come
Jim Hackett had indeed some cause for say
ing SO, and he said it in detected tone, which
was rare indeed with him. TO be atoat on a
boundicss sea without knowing where one is,
! or having any means of finding out, is an awk-
ward matter at best; but to be afoat in the
middle of the Pacific without food or water III
an open boat, under sCOrChing sun, with not
a sail in sight, might well make the bravest
man despair.
Slowly and YEARLY the two worn-out men
sole survivors of the fearful disaster which had
| destroyed their vessel and all their shipmates)
rose to their feet and strained their blood-shot
eyes over the bright, mersilcss sea.
Not sail anywheres,' repeated Hackctt,
despOndently; and we can't catch one o them
fish that's a-froliclln' around the boat Oy hun
drcds. God help us !"
$50 he will, my boy, never fear. Dye re-
member how, when we two were at school
together in the old Bay State, our old teacher
used TO be always spinning yarn about some
captain who (when his ship was aground and
likely to go to pieces any minute, after he'd
given his orders and done all he could, said his
prayers and lay down to sleep; and the Ad-
miral, when he heard Of ii, said he was the
bravest man he'd ever known? Now, jim, let's
just say our prayers, and then have a nap; for
| reckon we've done all we can, and the rests
in better hands than ours"
No ear but Gods heard the short. simple
prayer which the doomed men uttered, in their
EXTREMIST need, from the midst Of the dcsolatG
sea. a very few minutes later both were sound
asleep under the scanty shelter which the rIg
of sail could give against the life-destrJyiug
heat of the sun.
They scpt for some time, but at length the
increasing GOODNESS of the evening air after the
Scorching heat OF the day began 10 have its
natural effect upon the two seepers. They
pl.
their eyes, and then sat up and looked around
them.
The sun was beginning to sink but every
thing was still as light as MONDAY, and a fresh
breeze had sprang up, ruttling the smooth sur
face into countless rippIes.
',im," cried Jack, suddenly in tone of
great excitement, your eyes are bettcr'n
mine: look out there to the nOrWeSt, and see
if you make out anything
- guess do" cried his companion, ioyfuly
" Hold on minute til! l make sure. Yes, it is,
sure enOugh-its a SGI!'
With clinched teeth and strainng eyes the
two Castaways stood watching the distant
specl on which hung their only chance of life
All at once kind OF spasm shook their rugged
faces as 1t became terribly evident that the
course which she was steering would not bring
her anywhere near their boat.
They tried to signal with the remnant of
their sail, but it was neither large enough nor
high enough to be seen at such distance.
They made frantic efforts TO shout, but the
feeble Cry which their parched throats could
utter would not have been heard fifty yards of.
Suddenly, just when all hope seemed gone,
the wind shifted, aud the vessel was seen to
alter her course.
The castaways raised a faint hurrah but in
another moment Jim's keen eye perceived that
although this new tack would bring the ship
much nearer to them than before she would
still pass at considerable distance from them,
and might very easily miss seeing them alto
gether.
There's only one way now, mate said he,
firmly, and I'm a-gOing to try il, for its neck
or nothing with us now. God bless you my
boy!"
4 loud splash followed the words, and jim
Hacllett, looking up with n start, saw his COM
rade's round black head already several yards
away from the boat But he saw something
else, which startled him even more, and that
was huge black object, which rose suddenly
through the smooth, bright water, and darted
swiftly and silently in pursuit of his uncon-
sciOUS COmrade
Look out, jack" shouted he, with all the
power of his falling voice. here's a shark. B."
Scarcely had he spoken when a second shark
appeared, and the daring swimmer found him
self beset on both sides at once. His only
chance was to make as much stir and splashing
III the water as possible, thus keeping the cCW-
ardly sea-pirates at bay; but the effort ex-
hausted even more rapidly his tast-lailing
strength. What a terribly long way OF the
vessel seemed and supposng she were to alter
her course again, where would he be? Instinct
lively he glanced back toward the boat The
boat was g0He!
Gone, as if it had never been-hidden be-
hind the long smooth swells that rose high
above his head every moment! There was no
return for him now, for he knew not even
which direction to take; and on he went, strug-
Cling for life with limbs that grew weaker at
every stroke, while the cruel eyes and gaping
jaws on either side drew closer and closer
hungering for their pray.
"Sam," said keen-eyed sailor to his chum
glancng over the vessels port quarter, "ain't
that mighty like man, somehow"
"A mani" echoed the passing Captain, bring
ing his telescope to his eye. Thunder so it
is! Put her head about, smart, and stand by
10 lower the boat"
The help came none too soon, for Jack was so
spent that he could only gasp out, " My mate
yonder-boat." But it was quite enough
Half an hour later Jim Hacllett was safe on
board likewise; and the two rescued men lived
to tell their children and grandchildren the
story of their adventure in the Pacitic.-Har-
per'S Young People.