218 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



were dumfounded for a moment in finding that 

 Tom was gone ; then, seeing him standing as 

 straight as an arrow on the pile, they raised 

 a shout. 



" You'll have to swim for it," called Dick, 

 taking the tiller. " Turn about is fair play." 



Tom was somewhat disconcerted at the turn 

 his joke had taken, as the fort was a quarter of 

 a mile away and deep water nearly half the dis- 

 tance. He called for them to come back, but 

 they laughingly held on their course, leaving 

 him monarch of all he surveyed. Finally, see- 

 ing that they intended to make him swim for 

 it, he began to take off his clothes a difficult 

 operation while standing on a platform about 

 eight by ten inches. He had divested himself 

 of his shirt and trousers, and was about to fasten 

 them upon his head preparatory to lowering 

 himself into the water, when a shout from the 

 Hosetta caused him to stop. Looking up, he saw 

 that the boat had gone about and was now coin- 

 ing back. 



" Hold on ! " shouted Harry, who was stand- 

 ing in the bow ; " look at that ! " 



