220 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



Tom looked in the direction indicated, and 

 saw, not one hundred feet away, between him 

 and the fort, several large fins slowly cutting the 

 water. 



"See what you were going to swim into," 

 said the doctor, as they came up, pointing to the 

 sharks that, re-enforced by several others, were 

 now playing around on the top of the water. 



" Well, I'm glad I didn't start," replied Tom 

 as he jumped aboard, "though," he added, "I 

 don't believe they would have touched me." 



" /wouldn't risk 'em," said Long John ; " this 

 might be just the time." 



" Suppose we get the eggs ashore and catch 

 one for the moat this afternoon," suggested Dick ; 



/ GO / 



" we've talked about it so long." 



" Good ! " responded Tom. " But can we haul 

 him in ? " he asked Long John. 



" Yes," the latter replied. " I looked at it this 

 morning, and it's high tide this afternoon, so you 

 can easily run one over that is, if he don't haul 

 you over first," he added. 



" Well, we'll try it. Give way, boys ! " cried 

 Tom, and the boat shot ahead and was quickly 



