The scene that ensued was one that lingered long in the recollection of
those who saw it. Uttering loud yells, the two native boys bore down on
the shark that had poor Billy in tow.
Each taking a side they dashed upon it with fury. As they gained its
flanks their arms flashed up and the next instant their great iron-wood
knives were buried hilt-deep in the tough skin. The watchers saw the
great shark give an upward leap and the water was dyed crimson.
“They reached his vitals. Hurrah for them,” cried Captain Sparhawk.
“Bear down on Billy, lads. I reckon the shark is done for.”
They were none too soon. After being disentangled from the rope that had
caused all the trouble, Billy was hauled into the boat just in the nick
of time. The rope had grazed and chafed his legs cruelly, but except for
the great amount of water in his lungs he had suffered no other injury.
But no sooner had this been done than another necessity arose. The brave
Anai and his companion were surrounded by a school of sharks attracted
by the blood of the creature the two young Kanakas had despatched. So
far, by splashing furiously, and screeching at the top of their voices,
the native youths had succeeded in keeping the monsters at bay, but it
was doubtful for how long they could do so.
“To the rescue, lads,” cried Captain Sparhawk, replacing the cartridge
he had discharged. “Give way with a will. I wouldn’t wish to see either
of those brave lads harmed.”
In a few seconds they were in the midst of the school of sharks that had
assembled as if by magic, ravenous for the flesh of their dead brother.
The captain’s pistol spat lead right and left, and at that short range
the effect of the bullets was deadly. In a few minutes five of the sea
monsters were dead. But far from being scared off the rest fell
furiously upon these, making upward rushes, exposing their huge mouths
with their triple rows of needle-like teeth.
Leaving them to their cannibal feast, Anai and his companion were hauled
on board and at Muldoon’s special request the body of the brute that had
almost caused Billy’s death was taken in tow.
“I’ll make you byes some handsome watch-charms out of his teeth fer
remimbrancers,” he promised.
“As if we needed anything to remind us of it,” shuddered Jack.
“Just think, if it hadn’t been for Anai here and Bolabola I’d have been
past saving by now,” cried Billy, warmly ringing their hands.
“You may well say that, lad,” agreed the captain. “They saved you from
visiting Davy Jones, without a doubt.”
“We your friends. Must save you even if it cost our lives,” said Anai,
looking embarrassed.
“Shure an’ thot’s more than many a white man wud say,” approved Muldoon
warmly. “Byes, give us yer flippers. Ye may hav’ black skins, but be
jabers yer hearts is pure gold entoirely.”
The canoe was taken in tow and the whole party returned to the yacht,
where they received more congratulations from the others on board who
had watched the whole affair spell-bound with alarm and then with
admiration at the Kanaka boys’ brave act. The decks rang with cheers as
they came on board, Captain Sparhawk and Jack supporting Billy, who was
still white and shaky.
Mr. Jukes’ enthusiasm for Anai and Bolabola knew no bounds. The
millionaire wanted them to accept a handful of gold pieces each. But the
lads shook their heads. Gold was of little use to them. But other
presents which were showered upon them they accepted gladly. There was
almost a canoe-full of them, ranging from gaudy neckties to a broken
concertina, the latter being presented by Muldoon. It could emit, upon
coaxing, a few wheezy notes, and the brown boys appeared to prize it
quite above any of their other gifts.
In the meantime, on the foredeck, to which the body of the great shark
had been hoisted by slings, the members of the crew, who understood such
operations, assisted by Muldoon, were cutting up the monster. From time
to time they flung useless bits of offal over the side. A scramble from
such of the sharks as had disposed of the dead bodies of their
companions instantly ensued. Sharks are the most rapacious of any
creatures on land or sea, and their appetites appeared to have been
slacked in no important particular by their cannibal meal.
“Bad luck to yez,” exclaimed Muldoon, shaking his fist at them after one
of these rushes, for every sailor hates a shark. “There’s many a thrue
lad gone to his long rickonin’ through yez or yez mates. Bad cess to all
uv yez, says Tim Muldoon.”
An interested group, among whom were Jack and Billy, watched the
proceedings from the bridge. Mr. Jukes was no less interested than the
rest. He attentively watched the sharks as they fought. Perhaps their
feverish rapacity reminded him of certain “big business” operations at
home in the States where great corporations have been not unknown to
gobble up their small competitors as hungrily as any tiger shark.
“Hullo, they seem to have found something interesting,” said Jack, as a
murmur arose among the butchers who suddenly crowded round Muldoon,
chief of the dissectors.
“It’s a bottle,” cried Billy Raynor.
“Look here what I found in the hongry divil’s stomach,” exclaimed
Muldoon, holding up his find. “Be jabers, he must hav’ a digestion a
dispiptic millionaire would invy to ——”
He stopped short, covered with confusion, as he suddenly recalled that
Mr. Jukes suffered from the very complaint he had mentioned.
“Bring that bottle here, Muldoon,” ordered Captain Sparhawk, in order to
save what threatened to be an awkward situation, for Mr. Jukes had
turned as red as a turkey-cock and the boys had had to turn away to hide
their smiles.
The quartermaster hastened aft with the bottle. It was encrusted with
deposits apparently caused by the acids of the shark’s stomach. But when
Captain Sparhawk held it to the light, he could see that contained
within it was some object.
“There’s something inside it,” he said.
“By jove, perhaps a letter from some shipwrecked sailors,” exclaimed Mr.
Jukes.
“Such messages are often frauds, sir,” observed the captain. “If it
should prove to be such, I’d be wary about replying to it.”
“Well, let’s have a look at it, whatever it is,” said Mr. Jukes. “This
is really interesting.”
They all crowded about, even the Kanakas, as the captain smashed the
bottle on the rail. A rolled-up paper dropped on the deck. Jack, at
whose feet it had fallen, picked it up. He opened it and saw that it was
scribbled on with pencil.
“It seems ——,” he began, when a sudden exclamation from Mr. Jukes
checked his further utterance.
“Let me look at that paper,” commanded the millionaire, who, they now
noticed, was breathing quickly and whose eyes shone with feverish
excitement.
Jack handed it over, while they all regarded the millionaire’s agitation
curiously. With hands that shook, the financier scanned the letter and
then made an electrifying announcement in a voice that was tense and
self-controlled, but yet betrayed the excitement under which he labored
as he spoke.
“Gentlemen, the age of miracles has not passed,” he said. “When Ready
first opened the paper, I thought I recognized a peculiar handwriting. I
was not wrong. This message was written by my brother!”