"Why
can't we swim from one to the next and get around that way?"
"We can try it, lad. But we want to be careful. There may be sharks
around in these parts."
"Oh, don't let the sharks eat you up!" cried Grace.
"We'll keep our eyes open, never fear," said Dick.
A vote was taken, and it was decided that Sam should remain with the
girls, to protect them in case of unexpected danger, while Tom, Dick,
and old Jerry should make their way as best they could to the wreck.
The old sailor and the two boys were soon off. They tramped down the
beach a short distance and then reached a coral reef leading to the
next island. Here the water was not over a foot and a half deep, and
as clear as crystal, so the passage to Island No. 2, as Tom named
it, was comparatively easy.
The second island crossed they followed the shore around until they
came opposite to the island upon which the wreck rested. Here there
was a channel sixty or eighty feet wide and of unknown depth, the
channel through which the wreck had most likely entered the bay. The
water here was by no means smooth and Captain Jerry shook his head
doubtfully.
"It won't be no easy swim," he said. "Reckon as how I'll try it first."
"I can get over easily enough," said Dick, and threw off part of his
clothing and his shoes. He was soon in the water and striking out
boldly, and the others followed.
Short as was the distance, the swim was as hard as any of them looked
for, and when they reached the other side of the channel all were
out of breath and had to rest for a moment.
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