The Pirate Shark

ly occupied with getting everything running smoothly aboard ship, during his watches

e more than four hours of work each morning. Bob usually stuck close to the wireless house at this time, and in fact the boys made it a sort of headquarters during the day. It

y was full of odd ways and tales which delighted both boys, though it was seldom that he would open up to them. He seemed to tak

old men, though they moved about spryly enough. Dailey was wrinkled and leathery, Birch had only one very black and sparkling ey

, as they left the wireless house and went forward to the

eer enjoyment of the blue sky and bluer

wheel in the little house behind them. He smiled, as w

Dailey, here, used to be on a ship wi' me, once." He

back to the wireless house and flung themselves

as, lad. They're

g with us?" shot out

es, though, aye, and tiger sharks! Think of the mystery of the sea, lads-wave after wave, with the fish down below a

d Bob eagerl

he seemed to hesitate, then turned to

er hear tell o' t

tone of the old man's voice gave hi

ightedly, scenting a y

in the very place we're going t

ing up quickly. "And us

y, gazing out at th

ny Sea. But old Jerry Smith, he's the only one that knows. He's the only white man, lads. The Chinks know, and the Malays know, but they wo

art glanced at Bob, and caught a significant w

"Is there a shark by that name? What k

nly changed into a swift vehemence that was amazing. But it vanished instantl

ig, an' a man-killer. He come up first at Thursday Island, years ago, an' caught half a dozen Jap pearlers. Then he showed up in the Flores Sea, an' for a year the fishers didn't dare visit the pearl

le face. The boys were leaning forward eagerly,

place we're goin' t

wrinkled face-a look of swift suspicion, that va

othing? I likes you fine, but I don't want news lea

instantly. "We'll keep

long time ago there was only Portugees an' Dutch in the Chiny sea, an' they

it last night-that time back about 1600 when the Dutc

' sunk. Some o' the men got away, but she's there still-right where we're goin', lads, in Kuala Be

nd treasure stories were all absurd. "If there'

know the wreck is down there, eight fathom down, lads. The Dutch has been there, the Japs, the Chinks-but they didn't get the gold, lads! 'Cause why? The Pirate Shark is there, keepin' watch. The

of him all through the south seas. When the big black fin cut the water, not even a Jap would go down. Fish tell no tales, lads, fish tell no tales! Man after man he ate, Malay an

e ago you said that lots o' people know the wreck is there, but ju

, rising slowl

he river dug her out and she drifted, drifted, down with the fish. Fish tell no tales, lads-fish tell no tales! Now she's wedged up among the rocks, eight

used the two together.

e flaked." And he shuffled away, muttering still of "

and fantastic as the yarn sounded, something about the old quartermaster

it's true, Holl

subject. "O' course it isn't true, because if he knew about that place and the gol

Pirate Shark's really there, and them Kanakas get to diving, we're goin' to see something! Some idea, though! A big shark cruising around the pearling beds, killing men, and

, startled, a

erry's goin' after that

pression. "By juniper! Mart, do you s'pose he's after the gold? L

mised we wouldn't say anything to your dad or the mate, remember?

then the one-eyed seaman en

said in his ever-respectful way, "and

the note. "Just a moment! Did yo

. The old seaman whirled about, his one black eye blazing weirdly a

u Sea. Why, sir, I've heard summat o' that there fish; they say he's a monster shark with a black fin, that he'

d Bob carelessly, and Birch touched his forelock aga

"Birch knows more'n he said. That explanation of his don't go down with me, not

ds, 'cause that's where he'd most likely meet up with divers. If he's a man-eater, he'd do that. The story s

ted for an answer. "We can't go to your dad with this, and anyway, Bob, there ain't much behind it. Here-I'll tell you! Mebbe that shark is th

omethin' queer about it, though. Jerry said that Dailey-the leathery old scoundrel-had sailed with him before; then th

ck look, as he adju

er than they do Peters. Peters got mad yesterday an' knocked

ing chicken by any means. They hang together, that's all. And remember, Jerry was th

ard. "TTY-that's the Tenyo Maru. She's just out o' San Francisco, so she can rela

ireless and steam power; the whole tale was doubtless one of those strange and utterly improbable yarns that some intoxicated sailor cooks up and other sailors improve upon and embellish. At least