Adrift in the Wilds | Page 7

alarm?"
"Sound asleep in my berth; I had no time even to put on my clothes; but,
thank God, if I can escape in any way."
"Stick to us, and help shove this craft, and I'm in hopes we'll fetch up
somewhere by morning."
CHAPTER V.
LAND.
Under the united propulsion of three men and a large Newfoundland
dog, the small raft moved shoreward with no insignificant speed. It was
found amply sufficient to preserve them all from drowning had none
known how to swim, provided they managed the matter prudently.
There is so little difference in the quantity of water and the human body,
that a slight effort, if properly made, will keep it afloat. The trouble
with new beginners is that when they first go beyond their depth their
blind struggles tend to carry them downward more than upward.
"This is rather pleasant," remarked Mr. Yard. "There is little doubt, I
think, of reaching land. There is only one thing that makes the shivers
run over me."
"What is that?"

"The thought of sharks!"
"Ugh! Why did you spake of them?" asked Tim, with a strong
expression of disgust. "I've been thinking of 'em ever since I've been in
the water, but I didn't want to skeer the boys."
"They never once entered my head," said Howard.
"Nor mine either," added Elwood. "Are they in this part of the ocean?"
"You will find them in almost every part of the sea, I was going to say.
They abound off the coast of California."
"But it is night, and they will not be apt to see!"
"This fire and the numbers of drowning people will draw hundreds of
the finny inhabitants toward us. You know a fire at night is sure to
attract fish."
"You seem determined to frighten us," said Howard, "but I shall
continue to think that God who has so mercifully saved us intends to
save us to the end."
"Perhaps so, too, but it does no harm to understand all the dangers to
which we are subject."
"I believe with Howard," said Elwood. "I ain't afraid of sharks, but for
all that, they are ugly creatures. They swim under you and the first
thing you know clip goes one of your legs off, just the same as a pair of
snuffers would clip off a piece of wick."
"They are the hyenas of the sea," said Howard, "although I believe
some kinds are stupid and harmless. I think I have heard them called
that by somebody, I don't remember who. They will snap up anything
that is thrown to them."
"Wouldn't it make their eyes water to come this way then? Jis' to think
of their saaing four pair of legs dancing over their hids, not to spake of
the dog that could come in by way of dessart."

"O Tim! keep still, it is too dreadful!"
"Worrah! it wasn't meself that introduced the subject, but as yez have
got started, I've no objection to continue the same."
"Let us try and talk about something more pleasant----"
"A shark! a shark!" suddenly screamed Elwood, springing half his
length out of the water in his excitement.
"Where?" demanded Mr. Yard, while the others were speechless with
terror.
"He has hold of my leg! O, save me, for he is pulling me under!"
There was danger for a moment that all would go to the bottom, but Mr.
Yard displayed a remarkable coolness that saved them all.
"It is not a shark," said he, "or he would have had your leg off before
this."
"What is it then? What can it be?"
"It is a drowning man that has caught your foot as he was going down.
You must kick him off or he will drown you. Has he one foot or both?"
"My left ankle is grasped by something."
"That is good; if he had hold of both feet it would be bad for you. Use
your free foot and force his grasp loose."
Elwood did so with such vigor that he soon had the inexpressible relief
of announcing that the drag weight was loosed and his limbs were free
again.
"That is terrible," said he, as they resumed their progress. "Just to think
of being seized in that way by some poor fellow who, I don't suppose,
really knew what he was doing."

"How came he there?" asked Howard.
"You see, we ain't far from where the steamer sunk, and there may be
more near us. This man has gone down just as we were passing by him,
and in his blind struggles has caught your ankle."
"If a drowning man will catch at a straw, wouldn't he be after catching
at a leg?" inquired Tim.
"It seems natural that he should do so; but we are in