THE TENTACLES OF THE DEVIL-FISH
Armed with keen knives and axes, they chopped a way through the dense
jungle growth, finding that it thinned out as they mounted the steep
ridges that formed the center of the island. Here the going was easier,
and in a few hours they had reached the summit of the highest peak. From
here they had a wide view of the far flung expanse of waters. To the
west they thought they could descry land, but in every other direction
the ocean stretched unbroken to the horizon.
What claimed their greatest attention, however, was the fact that the
mountain they were on was evidently of volcanic origin. The sides were
seamed with ridges and gulleys of hardened lava, and when they advanced
a little further they found themselves gazing down into a deep crater.
There was a sulphurous smell in the air, and near the bottom they could
see what looked like jets of steam issuing from the rocks. It was not
reassuring to learn that they were stranded on a volcanic island, but
they reflected that the volcano, if it had not in centuries destroyed
the island, was not likely to bother them now.
They descended the mountain in a direction that would bring them to the
coast a considerable distance from their cave, as the going was easier
in that direction. Eventually they came out on a strip of beach that was
separated from theirs by a strip of jungle. This beach, however, was
different from theirs. It was backed up by a rocky wall, in which the
action of the waves had hollowed out great caves. When they reached the
beach it was low tide, but they judged that it was probably entirely
covered at flood.
“Let’s explore the caves,” proposed Dick, and they headed for the
largest of these. It was a great, echoing cavern, from which other
smaller caves opened, where the ocean had eaten out the soft spots in
the stone. In some of these caves lay great pools of water left by the
receding tide, some of them so deep that the boys could not touch bottom
even with the long sticks they carried.
Dick was seated on the edge of one of these pools tying a loose
shoelace, while the others had wandered off to explore other caves. He
was leaning over, intent upon his task, when something cold and slimy
suddenly encircled his neck, and he felt himself being drawn toward the
water by an irresistible force. At the same time another snake like
tentacle encircled his body, pinning his arms to his sides.
Dick struggled frantically and shouted wildly for the others to come to
his assistance.
They were some distance off, but heard his cries, and rushed to the
rescue. They arrived not a moment too soon. Dick was just being drawn
beneath the water when they arrived, and took in the situation at a
glance.
“A devil-fish has got him” shouted Benton, and without a pause they all
leaped into the deadly pool. Their feet landed on something soft and
pulpy, and they were surrounded in an instant by a maze of tentacles
feeling for a grip.
But they were armed with their sharp hatchets and they hacked
desperately at the slimy tentacles, each of which was provided with a
row of suckers for fastening upon its prey. The pool was lashed into
foam as the boys cut and slashed at the two big tentacles that held
Dick. The octopus fought fiercely, but there were too many against it.
No other prey that it had ever seized had stood a chance but these
strange enemies who wielded flashing steel were evidently in a different
class. One after another they hacked off the writhing feelers, until
none appeared above the surface of the water. Then they all climbed out
onto the slippery rock, where Dick was seated half dazed by the horror
of his experience.
“That was a close call, old fellow,” said Phil. “It’s luck we were
within hailing distance. How did the devil fish get hold of you?”
Dick told him, and then got somewhat shakily to his feet. “I’ve heard
that an octopus will grow new tentacles in place of those he loses, and
I’m going to see that this fellow doesn’t have a chance at anything
again,” said Dick.
“What’s your idea?” asked Steve.
“Dynamite,” replied Dick briefly. “You fellows stay here until I go to
camp and get a stick. I’m feeling all right now.”
In due time he arrived with a stick of explosive and a fuse. Benton
showed him how to set the cap and fuse, and when all was ready they
lighted the fuse and dropped the stick into the pool. Then they rushed
out onto the sand and awaited developments.
In a few seconds there came a terrific explosion, and a cloud of water
and steam rushed from the cave. After giving the air time to clear, they
returned to the cave which had been the abode of the octopus. Over the
walls and roof were scattered shreds of flabby flesh, all that remained
of the lurking monster, while not a drop of water remained in the deep
pool in which he had lain.
Even Dick could have asked no more complete destruction of his enemy,
and they set out for their cave well satisfied with the result of the
adventure.
As they neared the cave, Phil stopped short in a listening attitude. The
others also halted and looked at him inquiringly.
“I thought I heard a rifle shot,” said Phil at length. “Did you fellows
hear it too?”
“Guess you must be dreaming,” chaffed Dick “I didn’t hear anything.”
“Come out of your trance,” jibed Steve.
“Guess it must have been the echo of that dynamite explosion,” suggested
Tom jocosely. “Who is there on this island to fire off a gun?”
“Of course it doesn’t seem likely,” returned Phil. “I thought I heard
it, but I might have been mistaken.”
They bantered him good-naturedly, and Phil finally concluded that his
ears might have played him false, and in the pressure of other matters
the incident was forgotten.