A distant island attracted the girls. On a ledge near it was a flock of white gulls, covering the ledge so it looked as if it were a mass of snow. They pulled toward the island. The gulls proved shy and keen of sight, for they began to leave the ledge shortly after the boat drew away from the yacht, and half the distance to the island had not been covered before not a gull remained on the ledge. "Didn't even get near enough for a real good shot with the rifle," grunted Bruce. "I'd like to get a shot at something." Then he gave a cry of astonishment, took in his oars quickly, and caught up the rifle. "What is it?" asked Frank. "Look! look!" exclaimed the big Yale man, rising to his feet with the rifle in his hands. "There is a target for me!" They looked in the direction indicated, and they saw something that at first seemed like a black rock. But it moved--it was swimming slowly along the surface of the water. "A whale, by Jove!" shouted Merriwell. "Let him have it, Bruce!" Browning lifted the rifle and took careful aim. Crack! He did not miss his mark. The whale was seen to give a sudden start, and then, stung by the bullet, the monster of the deep rushed straight at the boat! "Look out!" "He's coming!" "My goodness!" Not till he saw the whale start straight for the boat did Bruce Browning realize what a foolish thing he had done. It seemed that the monster was bent on the destruction of the boat and its occupants. Merriwell uttered the first cry, which was a warning to Bruce, who was still standing, rifle in hand. Frank was going to use the oars, and he knew he would throw Bruce into the bottom of the boat by starting suddenly without warning. The two girls uttered the other exclamations. Paula screamed and covered her face with her hands, while Inza turned pale and stared at the onrushing monster. Frank fully realized their peril. He knew that it meant certain death to them all if the whale struck the boat, and there seemed no possible escape. Bruce dropped down and Frank gave a surge at the oars that made the boat give a leap like a thing of life. Then Merriwell pulled as never before had he rowed, not even in the nerve-straining, soul-killing college races against Harvard. Jump! jump! jump!--how he made the boat leap through the water! He was making the boat leap to get out of the whale's course. Bruce tried to get his oars into the rowlocks and aid, but, for once in his life, at least, the big fellow had lost all his coolness, and he lost an oar overboard. "He'll strike us!" "We're lost!" "Hold fast!" Frank continued to pull, but he was ready to drop the oars and make a leap for Inza the moment the boat was struck. "I'll do my best to save her!" he mentally exclaimed. Still he knew the shock would hurl them far into the water, while the boat would be shattered in pieces. He might be stunned--he might be instantly killed.