How Sammy Went to Coral-Land | Page 5

a distance before he realized that the occasion for hurry was
now over, and then he rose gracefully to the surface and looked about
him. Overhead stretched the blue sky speckled with fleecy, white
clouds, and off in the distance a long line of white sand showed the
shore line, against which the incoming tide sent its undulating billows.
Near the shore circled a flock of sea-gulls, and far away, where sea and
sky seemed to meet, the white sails of a ship gleamed in the sun. In
every other direction, as far as the eye could reach, stretched the blue
waters of the ocean.
Presently a large fish sprang from the waves, his silvery scales
sparkling in the sun, then fell back with a gentle splash. This recalled
Sammy to himself, and diving hastily below, he swam slowly about
looking at his surroundings with a good deal of curiosity.
It was a strange world on which he gazed. Water was everywhere,
above, below, and on all sides, and strange weeds and vegetables grew
up from hidden rocks. A graceful jelly-fish floated past, expanding and
contracting its umbrella-shaped body, and waving about its long arms
or tentacles. Queer fish of all shapes and sizes swam about, the larger
ones eying the stranger curiously, the smaller keeping at a respectful
distance.
But Sammy had a very friendly feeling towards them all, and was just
about to speak to a near-by fish, whose appearance seemed to indicate
that he might belong to the Salmon family, when suddenly there was a
general hurrying out of the way on all sides. Many of the fish dived
quickly below to hide in some convenient spot, and the more rapid
swimmers took to their fins with great haste.
Turning quickly to see the cause of the commotion, Sammy discovered
a large, and very hungry-looking shark just behind him. The creature

had a hideous mouth, with several rows of sharp teeth, and while not
dangerous to man, this Dog-Fish, or Blue Shark, has a great liking for
young and tender fish.
This fact our hero instantly divined, and sped away as fast as his fins
could carry him, Mr. Shark in hot pursuit. Sammy had the advantage of
being some distance from his enemy when discovered, but sharks are
extremely swift swimmers, and for a time it seemed as if poor Sammy's
fate was sealed. No matter how hard he swam the monster slowly
gained on him. No race with his playfellows in the stream at home was
ever so exciting as this. All the famous swimming qualities of his
family were put to the test now, as he darted like an arrow through the
water, the cruel shark close behind.
But presently Sammy began to tire. In another moment all would have
been over, had he not spied far below him, partly hidden by seaweed, a
ledge of large rocks. His instinct told him that under one of those he
might find a hiding place. Down he darted, as quick as a flash, and in
another instant just as the shark turned on his side and opened his huge
jaws, Sammy lay safe, but quivering, in a friendly hollow under the
sheltering rocks.
Mr. Shark, disappointed at losing his dinner, swam around and around
the ledge vainly trying to find some way of squeezing his big body in
among the crevices of the rocks, but at length abandoned the attempt as
hopeless, and departed in a very bad humor to look for another victim.
It was some time before Sammy recovered enough from his fright to
look about him, but presently his ever-present curiosity overcame other
feelings, and he began to examine his new quarters with much interest.
He was in a tiny cave, whose hard bottom was covered with sand and
mud deposited by the constant washing of the tide. From the walls and
ceiling hung curious weeds, and a few brightly colored shells lay in
little holes and crevices formed in the rock.
While thus employed in viewing his surroundings Sammy discovered a
crab partly hidden in the mud on the floor of the cave. It was a very

strange-looking creature, for while the fore part of it had legs and claws
like an ordinary crab, the rear part was concealed in the shell of a large
sea-snail.
[Illustration: HERMIT CRAB.]
As Sammy gazed the crab slowly crept out from the mud, still keeping
a watchful eye on the intruder.
"Fine day," said Sammy, pleasantly.
"Charming," replied the Crab.
"Water's a little cool, though," said Sammy.
"It's very comfortable in here," said the Crab, "and the tide is very
favorable this morning; it brought me in some fine fat snails for
breakfast. By the way, have you had breakfast?" And as he spoke he
again retreated