Part 20 (1/2)

”No one of them knows but that he et even whenever they have the chance,” chimed in Lester

”The minute they see any of the beasts near the shi+p, they trail a hook over the stern in the hope of catching hi as a shark is in sight some one on board is doo the shark out of business”

”It's a great thing to feel a good deck beneath your feet, when a shark heaves in sight,” reer than the _Ariel_, we're reasonably safe But think of what it must be like to be on an open raft on the ocean with a crowd of these hungry pirates swi the to upset it,” added Teddy

”It reed Lester ”But there are soround--if one can call water ground”

”It must take a lot of nerve,” declared Teddy ”I don't want to take their job away from them”

”Of course it takes a lot of nerve,” was the answer ”It takes a heap of skill too No one could do it, if he couldn't swim just about as well as the shark himself

”Dad has told me of what he has seen with his own eyes A native of some of the South Sea Islands, when he learns fro around, will take his knife between his teeth, slip into the water and swi for hiether The native knohen the shark is co by the fin that shows above the surface, and when the shark gets close the native dives under

”Of course you know that the shark has to turn over on his back in order to bite The second it takes to do this has saved the life of ives the diver his chance

”The instant the shark turns over, the native plunges his knife into its stomach He knows just where to aim, and that one stroke usually does the business If not, he tries it again until the shark is killed But everything has to be timed to a second The least little slip, and it's all up with the native”

”I should think there'd so a school of sharks instead of a single one,” commented Bill ”What would the native do in that case?”

”That does happen sometimes, but it doesn't worry the South Sea Islander much,” explained Lester ”He can usually keep the sharks off by shouting and splashi+ng Then, too, if he kills one of them the others are attracted by the blood of their comrade, and they tear him to pieces, while the native swims back home”

”Nice lot of cannibals those sharks are, to prey upon each other,” said Teddy

”Just like a pack of wolves,” agreed Lester ”Let one of them be wounded, and the others tear hi

”Dad says that sometimes the native won't even take a knife, but will just carry with him a stick of hard wood, sharpened at both ends When the shark turns over to nab him, the native thrusts the stick crosswise between the open jaws They close down on it, the points sink in so far that the shark can't shut its mouth, and the water flows in and chokes it to death”

”Seehed Fred

”Think of thrusting your aro straight up and down----?”

”There'd be a one-arri up this way, and we've been so busy chinning that we hadn't noticed it What do you make her out to be, Bill?”

”She hasn't any sail,” pronounced Bill after a brief scrutiny ”Here, hand lasses”

”It's astraight for us”