From "Whiskers" by Donald H Sullivan

Whiskers was thrown from his master's car in a collision, and in a
daze, has wandered into a swamp...

As he paddled he caught sight of something floating in the stream.  At
first it appeared to be a log, but as it neared him he saw that it was not a log, but a living creature…and it was coming toward him.

He was not yet halfway across the creek, and decided his chances would
be better by  returning to the bank from which he had started. He turned, and paddling with all his might, he started for shore.

The thing was moving fast, and barely making a ripple in the water as it closed the distance between them.
He kept swimming until he was near enough to shore that his feet touched bottom.  Nearly exhausted, he pulled himself out onto the muddy bank.  He was out of the water now, and safe.
 He lay there and panted, watching the creature. It was no longer moving, but was lying still in the water, only a short distance from the point on the bank where Whiskers rested.  Its eyes, protruding above the water, were watching him.