, 1889-01-22

eight had gone over b side. Their
shouts and laughter and the fear that 1
was losing half tho fun hastened my
movements, as throwing my clothing
into my bunk I ran out and clambered
into the forechnins for n dive.
As paused a moment TO take breath
and cool my porspirfng body slightly be-
fore going in, / looked down upon the
merry scene of which / had been the
chief instigator.
Below me, ~clinging with one hand to
some ropes ends thrown over to them,
and actively scattering water upon each
other, were two of the less experienced
swimmers. Further on oward the bow
were three or four others more expert,
who were wing with one another In
feats and FRANKS; diving under each
other, catching hold of feet and pulling
some other down, and ducking one an
other
Away out, some hundred yards or
more, Billy Option was leisurely swim
ming about, rolling over and over por-
Poise fashion, floating md enjoying him
ready to dive he called to me to join him
him and sec how handsome the ship
looked from the distance.
Stay where rot are, Billy, n see II
/ ant fetch you before / RISE | cried,
raising my hands above my head for the
plunge.
IAN right. cried Billy, treading water;
81 sh'n't move. Come ahead"
Overheard | went, several of the look
ers on expressing their doubts as to any
one's ability to swim so far under water,
and watching my q the while. A
cheer greeted my appearance at the sur
face where ! arose beyond him. Crying
TO me that he could beat that, Billy
struck out for the ship to prove his words.
He o gained the chains and jokingly
calling TO mo that he believed / had
doubled the distance by going farther
out, took In his breath and shot over
boaru like an arrow. So cleanly did he
enter the water that the slightest possible
ripple ruffled the surface OF the deep as
1t closed over him. / waited with watch
full eyes for his temperance. Iexpected
to see him rise between me n theShip,
for the distance was so great that 1t had
taxed my own powers, and / thought i
had him beaten.
Even as / was thinking this a cheer
from the forecastle warned me that he
had come up, and turning my head 1 be-
held him some five or six yards beyond
me, a CHEEKY smile upon his face and his
head cooked on one side as II TO say:
BEAT that, my boyr"
Withouta word l struck out TO the
vessel again, not a little vexed at being
outdone, and determined to go 30 far
outside him next time as to deter him II
possible from trying again to beat me.
Reaching the ship l clambered up tho
side and took my place In the upper
chains ready for tho plunge. The cap
tain and mate being doubtless as hard
pushed for amusement rs we poor fell
lows forward, were leaning over the
quarter rail and watching our sport with
interest.
60 1t, Gusl' cried John Butler, rs he
climbed out of tho water to get n better
view. BEAT him this time so ho won't
want to try ngnin." Then, MS he sur
veyed the distance Mt which Billy lay, he
added: My stars, but that's a long dfvel
eh, BritonT' turning to the old sailor
who had warned us against going into
tho water.
Yes" returned he, "a deal too long.
III John Shark was to como along now,
what chance would Billy have to get on
board2 The old man must be loony to
let you youngsters go into the water In
such a sharks paradise as this. If ! had
my way I'd masthead the whole bilin'
of you"
"Go 1t, you old growl, you'll" retorted
John. II suppose you never had n swim
In your life, and now you're too old.
You've got the rheumatism yourself, and
don't want to soc anybody else enjoy
themselves. Talk about sharks when
you're where they are. We haven't seen
one since we got among the islands, and
I'm blest If l think there are any here
abouts."
Standing there in the chains, with one
hand upon the sheer pole already to let
go and plunge, l heard Briton's remark
and Johns reply. Something In the old
fellows name struck me more than
the former warning had. and as l lis
tened to Johns answer i could not help
feeling that the older sailor had all the
reTson on his side. The swimmers had
begun to ONE on board and dress. 1
almost made up my mind to stay on
Billy.
But they were all watching me, and
whispered, "Pskawi Don't show the
white feather nowl There are no sharks
about. 1t won't take three minutes to
get outside where Billy Is and swim back
to the ship. Then you needn't go In
again"
Still l hesitated, while my shipmates
waited to see what l would do.
Never mind" thought 1; "let 'em
walt I'll stay on board the ship"
turned to call Billy in. Before /
could speak, he sang out to me, Come.
Gus, I'm tired of waitingl II you're
going TO give 1t up, say so, and I'll come
out. Two been In long enough"
That settled 1t. "Give 1t up? Neverr'
thought l, the whole current of my feel
ing at h tone of his banter, and, suit
ing the action to the thought, l made
ready to dive. ! drew in my breath and
gathered for the plunge. In another
moment l should have been overheard.
l was in tho very act of springing, when
the startling cry Of "a shark n shark"
came from the forecastle.
Come out of the water, alll Come
out, Billyi Hurry, there's no time to
losel" cried half q score Of voices. Most
of the few men still in tho water were
close beside tho vessel. They crowded
to tho ladder, and scrambled up it In
great haste and excitement
For me the cry came Just In time. i
grasped a shroud and saved myself from
going overheard, though / had already
gained such Roadway hat my body
swung clear of the side before l could
regain my footing In the chains.
Once secure, l looked down for my
shipmates, too anxious for their safety
to think at that moment of tho peril ]
had been in myself. The last swimmer,