they dug into the water with their clumsy means of propulsion.

"Hurrah!" shouted Billy as they began to glide slowly over the waves,
"we are saved from the floating island."

"Yes, but for how long," exclaimed Frank; "we have no provisions and
no water. How long can we live without them?"

"We must hope to be picked up," said Harry.

"That is our only hope," rejoined Frank, "if we are not---"

There was no need for him to finish the sentence, even had he been
able to, for while he was still speaking a startling thing happened.

The raft was about twenty feet from the shore, but despite the
distance a dusky form that had rushed out of the wood with a wild
howl, shot through the air and landed fairly upon it.

[Illustration: "With a Wild Howl, Shot Through the Air."]

With its menacing eyes of green, like balls of angry flame, dull
yellow hide, catlike form, and twitching tail, the boys had no
difficulty in recognizing it for what it was.

A giant panther.

There was no possibility of escape. As the creature growled menacingly
the boys realized that they were practically without means of
protection against this new enemy.