As he spoke Hester saw the form of the shark rising slowly through the ruddy cloud till its white belly gleamed in the sunshine, and Rasp pointed out with delight the two great gashes through which its life blood was passing out, while the monster made a few ineffectual struggles to recover itself, and then floated slowly to leeward. "There ain't many about here just now," said Rasp, "or else that blood would have brought 'em round. Ha! there won't be much of him left by to-morrow morning. Serve him right for interfering with divers." Hester's eyes closed again for a few moments as her heart went up in grateful thanksgiving. Then she was watching the gradually clearing water till she could see her husband once again, and as she saw him moving it was with a feeling of hope that he would come up now. But as we know he passed right under the schooner, and there were more spectators crossed over to the other side to watch his efforts, while she, faint and exhausted with her emotions, sat down on a coil of rope, gazing at the tube that passed close by her, Rasp having set a goodly length free as soon as he found that Dutch was on the move, and she had seen this long snake-like pipe creep out well over the side as the diver went farther and farther away, knowing that it was the bond which held him to life, and feeling with a kind of fascination that she could not explain that it was now her duty to watch the tube and see that it was not touched. As she felt this, she raised her eyes for a moment, to see that Rasp was standing with his back to her and that she was alone, for all were now intent upon the diver's actions, and commenting upon his work. "He's found out the place," said one. "He's got something--no he hasn't," and so on. Just then Hester Pugh became aware of some one standing close by her, and turning her eyes it was to find that Laure had crossed unnoticed to her side, where he stood as if looking over the bulwarks for sharks, but really all the time with his eyes fixed upon and fascinating hers, while to her horror she saw that one of his bare feet kept touching the tube. "I've been waiting for this opportunity," he said at last in a low whisper. "You tried to betray me this morning." "No, no," she moaned, as the wretch placed his foot upon the tube, smiling at her the while.