The Island Bride — page 34: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a8 CAST AWAY. “VVhat are you a-going to do?” cried Squint. “ You can’s hope to fright that monster with a weapon sich as that!” he adde', as the youug man drew a well-sharpened sheath-knife from his belt. “Ay, ay,” answered Weldon. “I can at least keep the creature away from the girl until you come up. If I perish n the attempt it matters not, provided she be saved.” So saying he leaped about five feet from the raft, and gasisted by tle current, swam rapidly toward the reef. The sliark was so far ahead of him, however, that in spite of his utmost exertions it was within a few feet of the unconscious girl, while he was yet several fathoms distant. “It'll réach her before he does!’ groaned the parson; “there’s no help for it. God have mercy on the poor maiden !” “Ay, ay,” exclaimed Squint, in sorrowful accents. “ She’s gone! She’s lost! No human power can save the poor lass now! The creatur’ is within a few feet of her, and he'll go unde: directly to snap at her!” As ae spoke, Harmon suddenly stopped swimming, while the water in his immediate vicinity became discolored with blood. Trust and Squint uttered a simultaneous cry of horror, be- lieving that a second shark had seized the young man. A moment after they discovered their mistake, for, as he lifted his arm to motion them on, they saw, a little below the elbow, a slight gash, which it was evident he had purposely inflicted with his knife, in the hope that the monster ahead might scent bleod and thus be turned from its present course. His heart almost failed him, however, and he fairly groaned with anguish in seeing the creature move steadily on. Soon * was not more than a foot from the girl; but just as he was xpecting to see it dive to clutch. its intended victim, the: monster became nearly stationary. for a moment, and then turned slowly round and darted toward the young sailor. Squint gave three cheers; the parson offered up thanks to God; while the young man, with a joyful cry, struck out for the raft, which was now within a few fathoms of him. He was soon upon the platform of spars; a few moments later the shark sprung nearly its full length out of the water along: pide of the raft. connicloooks.comn f