Chapter 18 - Page 269 - Pirate Ship

   As Rhasha began swimming toward Shanha as fast as she could, Jim realized the boat was getting away. He had a hard decision to make. Should he go after Shanha, or try to get the boat? If he went after the boat, Shanha could drown; if he didn't get the boat, they could all drown.

   Jim called to Rhasha, who was still swimming hard toward Shanha, "Get Shanha. I'll try to get the boat."

   "Okay," she yelled, "hurry."

   Jim swam toward the boat as fast as he could. He reached it and swept his hands all over the side of it, trying frantically to find something to hang onto. The cruiser slid on past him. Jim tried to catch up with the cruiser.

   Rhasha had gotten to Shanha in time and was holding her out of the water. Jim gave up trying to catch the boat and swam back to Rhasha and Shanha. They were both crying. During their ordeal, Jim cut his arm; blood swirled all around him in the water. He held his fingers over the cut, trying to stop the bleeding.

   "Shanha," he asked, "are you okay?"

   Shanha could see the cruiser getting farther away. "I'm sorry, Papa," she said, "I'm so sorry."

   Jim knew it wasn't Shanha's fault, and didn't want her to feel guilty about falling off the boat.

   "Angel," he said as he tread water, "you didn't do anything wrong." Unaccustomed to having a seven-year-old in the boat, he'd never thought about putting a life vest on her. "It's all my fault, sweetheart," he continued. "I should have put a life jacket on you."

   Jim closed his eyes to pray. "Heavenly Father," he said, "please forgive me for my sins and have mercy on my soul."

   Shanha moaned. She'd seen something in the water through her tears. She threw her arm around Jim's neck. "Papa, Papa!" she yelled. "What is that?"

   Jim opened his eyes and tried to see what Shanha was pointing at, but salt water blurred his vision.