was dumped into the bay with a loud splash. It floated very well, with the flooring a good ten inches above the surface of the water, and as the raft was nearly twenty feet long by ten wide, it was capable of carrying considerable weight.
"That's better than a boat," said Dick. "We can pile a good deal more stuff on it."
"Let us get on and paddle to where we left the others," said Tom. "They will be anxious to learn the news."
Captain Blossom was willing, and they took with them a variety of provisions and also some extra clothing and some firearms. Then the raft was moved to where the boys had left part of their own clothing when they had started to swim the channel.
The coming of the big raft and its passengers to the shore where the cabin was located was greeted with shouts of joy from Sam and the three girls.
"Hurrah for the captain of the Golden Wave!" cried Sam, swinging his cap in the air. "We are very glad to see you safe and sound."
"And I am glad to see you," answered Captain Blossom, as he leaped ashore and grasped one and another by the hand. "Last night I was thinking I would be a lonely castaway; now I find I shall have plenty of company." "We have brought along some provisions," put in Tom. "And in honor of this reunion, and also in honor of the fact that the Golden Wave has not been sunk, I move we invite the girls to get us up a regular feast. I think all hands deserve it."
"Second the motion!" cried Sam.
"All right, we'll cook you anything you want," said Nellie. "That is, if you will supply the things."
"I will," answered Tom. Then he scratched his head. "Well, by gracious!"
"What's the trouble, Tom?" asked Grace. "Did you forget to bring along some sugar?"
"Worse than that. I brought along all sorts of good things to eat, and not a single knife, fork, spoon, or dish outside of some cooking utensils."
"Oh, dear!" burst out Dora. "It will be a sorry feast if we haven't anything to eat from!"
"I'll go back for the dishes," replied Tom promptly. "Sam, do you want to visit the wreck? We can go and come by the time the things are cooked."
"To be sure I'll go," said Sam; and in a few minutes more the two boys were off on the clumsy raft.
CHAPTER XVI
SAM AND THE SHARK
"The Golden Wave looks like an old friend," said Sam as they paddled across the smooth waters of the bay.
"Her coming here is the finest thing that could have happened," answered his brother. "I didn't want to say anything before, but if she hadn't come what would we have done for clothing and for eating? We couldn't live on fish all the time, and one can do mighty little hunting without a gun."
"We would have had to set traps, Tom, and dig pitfalls for larger game. But I admit it would have been hard work, and I fancy a suit of goatskins, like Robinson Crusoe wore, wouldn't be half as comfortable as a suit of clothes such as I am wearing."
"If we could only float the schooner and sail away to some nearby port."
"There is no port within three hundred miles of us, so the captain says."
Soon the boys were halfway across the bay, But moving the big raft was a laborious task, and they were glad enough to sit down and rest for a few minutes.
"There is no use of our hurrying," said Tom. "Our time is our own in this out-of-the-way place, and as we have next to nothing to do we want to make what little work there is last us."
"Like a lazy man working by the day," laughed Sam. "I'm afraid I can't work that way. When I have something to do I'm not content until it is done."
"Are you hot, Sam? Here is something to cool you off."
As Tom spoke he playfully scooped up a handful of water and threw it at his brother.
Soon the two boys were having lots of sport, throwing handfuls of the salty water at each other. Then Sam made a motion as if he was going to push Tom overboard with his paddle.
"Hi! none of that!" cried Tom. "I don't mind a wetting by retail, but I don't want it by wholesale."
He continued to throw water at Sam and the youngest Rover tried to dodge. The raft began to rock, and of a sudden Sam lost his balance and went into the bay with a splash.
Tom set up a laugh, for it was a comical sight, and it had been Sam's own fault that he went overboard. But then Tom's laughter came to an end as he saw the form of a shark moving swiftly toward the spot.
"A shark! a shark!" he screamed. "Sam, get on board, quick! A shark is after you!"
Sam had gone far down beneath the surface and he did not reappear at once. Then he came up spluttering.
"Gosh! I didn't want a bath! Tom, you —— "
"Hurry and get aboard, Sam! A shark is after you!"
Sam was about ten feet from the raft, and running to the spot nearest to him, Tom held out the end of his paddle.
"A shark?" gasped the youngest Rover.
"Yes! yes! Catch the end of the paddle!"
Sam made a frantic effort to do so. In the meantime the shark came closer and Tom could see his enormous mouth and sharp teeth clearly. His blood turned to ice in his veins.
Sam made a clutch at the paddle, missed it, and disappeared once more from sight. The shark rushed to the spot and turned in dismay, and driven to desperation, Tom hit the monster over the head with the paddle. Then the shark disappeared also.
The next few seconds were full of agony for poor Tom. He gazed in all directions for Sam, and for th$ shark, but neither one nor the other was to be seen.
"He must have caught Sam under the water!" he muttered. "Oh, Sam, what an awful death to die!"
A slight noise at the upper end of the raft disturbed him. He turned swiftly, to see a wet hand glide over the woodwork. He made a leap and clutched the hand, and then Sam's head appeared. He gave a frantic yank, and both lay on the flooring of the raft. Sam was saved.
"The shark!" gasped Tom, when he could speak. "Did it it bite you?"
"No, but it grazed my shoulder," answered Sam. "If I had not dived down, I would have lost an arm at the very least."
When they felt able they looked around, but the shark had disappeared.
"That settles it," said Tom. "We must be careful and keep out of this water in the future. If we want to bathe, we will have to build a pool."
During the remainder of the trip to the wreck both were careful not to run the slightest chance of falling overboard.
"Not such a very lovely place to live in, after all," said Tom.
