220 ALOXG 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 } T ou 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." 



" / \vt mldn'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 ; 

 " we've talked about it so Ions'." 



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

 him in i " 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 



