Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/104

82 But to his horror, Si was nowhere to be seen. In vain he strained his eyes; the Yankee lad was gone—swallowed up in the foaming wake of the transport, which had now come to a standstill.

"I don't see him!" gasped the young sailor. "Do you?"

"I do not," answered the officer. "Did he get a bite?"

"I believe he did."

"Then maybe the fish has taken the bait and him too. Some of the fish out here are regular man-eaters."

By this time the captain of the transport was at hand, along with a crowd who had heard the commotion, and an order was given to lower one of the small boats.

"Can I go in the boat, captain?" asked Walter. "He was my chum."

The captain looked into Walter's pleading face.

"All right; jump in and be quick about it. Like enough the poor chap has run afoul of a shark."

"But the shark didn't come up to the surface."

"Humph! Well, it might have been something else. Come," and in a moment more Walter was in a jollyboat, along with five others, four with oars,