112 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



"I'll hurry you!" replied Dick, picking 

 himself up and darting after his companion. 

 Although Tom had a good start, Dick was 

 steadily gaining, when Tom suddenly turned, 

 and, running up to the middle of the key, 

 doubled on his pursuer. Harry and the doctor 

 cheered and encouraged the racers, but all at 

 once they saw Tom give a lunge and disappear, 

 and Dick, who was now directly behind, came 

 to a stop just in time to save himself from fol- 

 lowing suit. As Harry and the doctor reached 

 the spot, Tom was picking himself up at the 

 bottom of a large hollow into which he had 

 fallen. 



" "Well, that ia the worst scare I've had yet ! " 

 he said, rubbing his legs. " What is it, any 

 way?" 



" I think I see some bones there," said his 

 father. " Give me your hand, and I will see 

 what it is" ; and, steadying himself, he was low- 

 ered into the hole. 



" This must have been a grave once," he said, 

 a moment later, " for here is a part of a man's 

 skull." 



