In his hospital room with Uncle Jerry always by his side, Chet spends the next few days in a haze of medication. Vague memories of what happened after the shark attack come to his mind, but it takes five days before Chet fully recalls that the shark had taken part of his calf and nearly took his entire leg. The doctors tell Chet that his leg will heal, and Uncle Jerry refers to him as “the miracle kid” (78), which is how all the newspapers refer to him. Chet learns of what happened to the other victims on the day of his attack and wishes to be with his mother and father, who are on their way to New Jersey from California by train. Each time Chet falls asleep, nightmares jolt him awake. Even when he is awake, he feels the “black killer eyes” of the shark watching him (80). Chet feels more alone than ever before.

On his sixth day in the hospital, Chet wakes up to a visit from Uncle Jerry, followed by Dewey, Sid, and Monty. Chet cannot believe that the boys are visiting him considering that the hospital is two hours away from Elm Hills.