The Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave Part 42

"You've certainly got a great,--" George began sarcastically, when a cry from Grant suddenly interrupted him. Grant had gained somewhat on the remainder of the band and was down near the sh.o.r.e when he called.

"What's the matter with him?" exclaimed John in a puzzled manner. "What does he see and what's he running after?"

"Let's go find out," cried Fred eagerly.

"Come on everybody! Hurry up!" called Grant, stopping for a moment and turning around. Down along the coast he ran, pa.s.sing the ledge where they usually went swimming and continuing his course towards a small crescent-shaped beach only a short distance away.

"I'm not going to miss anything," exclaimed George, and he also commenced to run, followed closely by his three companions.

In a few moments they saw the cause of Grant's excitement. When they reached the spot where they usually bathed they spied him standing on the sh.o.r.e gazing at an object which lay at his feet.

"Look at that," exclaimed George, increasing his speed.

"What a monster," echoed Fred.

The remaining distance between them and the object of their attention was covered in a remarkably short time by the three boys and their negro companion. Every one was eager to be the first on the spot.

"What do you think of that for a shark?" demanded Grant when the others had come to the place where he was standing.

"That's not a shark, that's a gunboat," exclaimed George grimly. "Where did it come from?"

"It washed ash.o.r.e."

"Is it dead?"

"No," jeered Fred. "It isn't dead, Pop. It just crawled up on sh.o.r.e for a little nap."

"You think you're smart," retorted George. "I just asked for information."

"And I gave it to you, didn't I?"

"Stop your fighting, you two," exclaimed John. "Give some one else a chance."

"How did it get here?" said George curiously. "What killed it?"

"Come around this side and I'll show you," said Grant.

All the others went with George and with the giant shark lying on its side, its white belly towards the waves, Grant pointed out the cause of its death.

"There it is," he said quietly. A great gaping wound showed squarely in the center of the shark's belly. It must have been nearly a foot in length.

"Whew!" whistled George. "Who did that?"

"Sam did it," said John. "Isn't that right, Sam?"

"Ah reckon it am."

"Is this the shark that was after you, String?" exclaimed George.

"That's the one."

"And Sam killed him," said George unable to fully understand it all. "I don't see how he did it. Why, this shark must be twenty feet long."

"Yes," cried Grant, "and when somebody told you it was eighteen feet long you laughed. You said it was the biggest fish story you'd ever heard."

"I take it back," said George simply.

"How do you suppose he got here?" exclaimed John, who was examining with personal interest the mouth of the giant fish. Row after row of great white teeth, sharp as knives, were seen in the huge jaw. John shuddered as he remembered how nearly he had come to losing his life to those wicked weapons.

"It simply was washed up here by the waves," said Grant. "It was thrashing around out there at a great rate after Sam and String had come ash.o.r.e yesterday. I suppose it finally died and drifted in."

"Well, I think Sam was wonderful to dispose of that fellow the way he did," exclaimed George. "How did you do it, Sam?"

"With mah ol' knife."

"You thought he bit the shark to death, I suppose, Pop," laughed Fred.

"Hot air!" was George's only reply to his remark. Just what he meant by such a slang expression he probably knew best of all.

"Let's measure the shark," exclaimed Grant. "I'd like to settle the dispute once and for all and then when we go home and tell the story, people will have to believe us for we'll all be witnesses."

"How are you going to measure?" inquired Fred. "String's shoe is up in the cave, you know."

"We'll use String himself instead of his shoe," suggested Grant.

"What do you all take me for?" demanded John. "I'm no tape measure."

"How tall are you?" asked Grant.

"Six feet two."

"In your stocking feet?"

"Yes, and my bare feet, too."

"All right then," laughed Grant. "Just lie down alongside the shark."

"Go ahead, String," urged Fred. "It won't hurt you."

"I suppose not," sighed John and he stretched himself at full length on the beach, the soles of his feet exactly on a line with the tip of the shark's tail. Grant then marked the spot where his head came and John moved up to this spot and lay down once more. Again Grant indicated the spot by a mark in the sand and the performance was repeated. Four times it was necessary to do this before John had finally covered the entire length of the shark.

"He's three and one-third times as long as you are, String," announced Grant, when the measurements were completed.

"That's twenty feet," exclaimed George. "Say, that's a real fish, isn't it?"

"I should think so," said Fred. "I'm also glad that he is dead and lying on the beach, for I'm afraid I couldn't enjoy a swim with that fellow hanging around."

"There are others," said John.