"Well, John owes his life to Sam all right. He surely would have been killed if he had been left out there alone."

"Not a doubt of it. I don't see how Sam managed it."

"We'll find out in a minute. John must be about exhausted too; Sam is helping him in."

"Want any help, you two?" called Fred to the two swimmers who were rapidly approaching the sh.o.r.e.

"No, thanks," said John in reply. "Sam will get us in."

Grant and Fred leaned far out over the water and extended their hands to the two swimmers who were only a few feet distant now. A moment later and they had drawn John up on the sh.o.r.e, where he lay panting, his strength practically all used up. When they turned to a.s.sist Sam, however, they found their negro friend clambering up without the least bit of trouble.

"What's the matter with your shoulder, Sam?" exclaimed Grant in alarm.

The skin seemed to be all torn away and the blood was flowing freely from Sam's right shoulder. Just what had happened, it was impossible to say.

CHAPTER XX

TALKING IT OVER

"Dat," said Sam, referring to Grant's question concerning his shoulder, "am wheah Ah come in too clost contack wif dat sha'k."

"Did he bite you?" exclaimed Fred.

"No, indeed. He jes' nachully done rub up again' me, dat's all."

"But just rubbing against you wouldn't tear you up like that," protested Fred.

"Am dat so? Ah don't reckon yo' all evah seen a sha'k at front han' ef yo' say dat. Have yo' evah felt a sha'k's skin?"

"No, I haven't. Is it rough?"

"Have you evah felt san' paper?"

"Lots of times. Is it as rough as that?"

"Lawdy," exclaimed Sam. "In compahson wif a sha'k's skin Ah tell yo' dat san' paper am lak velvet."

"I should say it was rough, then," laughed Fred. "Doesn't that hurt?"

"It must," Grant broke in, "and it ought to be attended to at once."

"Dat's nothin'," said Sam carelessly. "She'll be all right soon."

"I know," Grant protested, "but just look at it bleed."

"All de bettah. When she bleed lak dat dey's no chance ob poison."

"But it ought to be stopped now. Come up by the spring where there's cold water and let me bathe it for you."

"Go ahead, Sam," urged John, looking up and speaking for the first time since he had been brought ash.o.r.e.

"That's right," agreed Fred. "I'll stay here with John."

"No one need stay with me," said John. "I'm getting my wind back now and as soon as I get a little strength I'll be as good as ever."

"What made you swim so far out anyway?" demanded Fred.

"I don't know. I guess I was crazy."

"You were worse than that," exclaimed Fred. "You were a fool."

"Don't tell me that; I know it myself now. We always do when it's too late."

"Well, I can tell you one thing," said Grant warmly. "You wouldn't be here now if it hadn't been for Sam."

"Right you are," John agreed. "I certainly owe my life to you, Sam."

"Ah guess mebbe Ah will bafe mah shouldah," said Sam, much embarra.s.sed and ill at ease from all the compliments that were being given him.

"We'll all go with you," said John. "I'm all right now."

"And we'll make Sam tell us how he did it," added Fred eagerly.

"That's right, Sam," exclaimed Grant. "Tell us all about it."

"Well," began Sam slowly, "Ah doan' know jes' what dey is to tell. Ah jes' took dis heah knife wot yo' all done make so much fun ob, an' Ah jes' stick ol' mistah sha'k plum' in de belly wid it. Dat's all dey was to it."

"But, Sam," Fred protested, "how did you get close enough to him? Did he attack you?"

"Ah reckon as how he did do dat," said Sam. "He jes' came a swimmin'

right at me and natchully dey was only one thing foh me to do."

"Naturally," laughed Grant, "but tell us how you happened to get a good chance at him and not be bitten."

"When Ah seen dat sha'k a comin' at me," continued Sam, "Ah knowed dat he meant business. Ah took mah knife in mah right han' an' Ah jes' sunk a tweeny bit below de sufface ob de watah. He seen me an' he come right foh me too. Ah waited foh him to turn belly up 'cause Ah knowed dat what he 'bliged to do befoh he able to use dem razah teeth ob his'n. Sho'

nuff jes' befoh he reach me, ovah he go and den was mah chance. Ah sho'

did let 'im have it an' Ah guess he ain' gwine bothah no more peoples."

"You must have been under water a long time," remarked Grant.

"Not so berry long," said Sam. "Dat ol' sha'k didn't waste no time about what he doin' an' yo' bet Ah didn't neither."

"I guess not," laughed Grant. "When did he hit your shoulder?"