The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-04-09

splashing into the water, whether he
would or no, and a moment later he was
out among the ocean swells.
And everything was forgotten save the
pleasures of the moment.
Suddenly the young swimmer drew a
long breath, shifted The breeze again,
then his face blanched. A faint odor of
watermelon seemed to him to float on the
waves. With a sudden energy he turned
toward shore and swan for it with all his
might. At every stoke the peculiar odor
seemed to grow, until at last the panic
stricken boy felt sure that a monster
shark was swimming at his side ready to
turn upon its back and seize him in his
jaws.
but his arms and legs were too weak. 1t
was as much as he could do to guide him
self toward the bank.
| When he was almost upon the sand
with great effort he turned to look over
his shoulder. 1t was as he thought. He
caught sight of a knife-hke fin cutting the
water not many yards behind.
Exerting every muscle for final strug-
gle he reached for the shore, and with a
supreme effort he clambered out of the
water. A sharp snap and a commotion
in the breakers not foot distant told
him he had escaped none too soon.
Still painting, Frank stood up on the
smooth, hard sea sand. The monster
shark was swimming back and forth. 1t
never for an instant took its narrow little
eyes from the naked figure of its post
poned supper. Frank shuddered and
smiled as he thought how he would cheat
| his sharkship by simply wading out to
his boat.
But that smile soon changed to an ex-
preston of horror, for scarcely had be
taken step down into the shallow water
on the other side of the bank, when an
old log of driftwood suddenly acquired
motion and cut through the water toward
him. 'sAlligators, gasped the poor
boy, as his knees smote together, and
quickly running back he stood once more
on the sand bank. But the scaly monster
came on; as Frank edged away, the whole
long brown length of hideous scales
slowly followed until it dragged itself
completely out of the water and Waddled
forward upon the sand.
| Frank had had sufficient experience in
hunting alIigators with Firewater to know
that he could keep out of its way on s'dry
land,'' but the tide was rising. and
! though it meant only difference OF two
feet, even that would submerge the little
island at least twelve inches-and then il
would be only question Of shark OF
alligator.
Twice the horny reptile dragged itself
after the naked boy up aud down the little
strip of sand, which was even now begin
ming to grow smaller.
Once great sweep of the armored tail
almost touched his body. If it had struck
him he would have sailed through the air
and landed in the jaws of the patient
shark.
An hour passed, and now the alligator
seemed content to lie still and follow mis-
victim with his wicket little eyes; nor
was the patience of the shark exhausted
and as the island grew smaller and smaller
| they both drew nearer and nearer.
/ In vain the poor little northerner called
tor help There was no one in sight. As
he looked for the last time he thought he
saw small speck on the water of the
| lagoon, but the setting sun blinded his
/ eyes and he dared not hope. He moved q
| foot nearer the watching alligator, away
from the waiting shark; tears trickled
| down his cheeks.
Suddenly the heavy scaly monster