FROM ONE DANGER INTO ANOTHER
"I am lost!"
Such was the agonizing thought which crossed Dave Fearless' mind when
he beheld himself confronted by the fish known as the Eurypharynx
Pelecanoides, commonly called the Sea Devil of the Ocean's Bottom.
The monster was all of twenty feet long, with a head closely
resembling a black rubber balloon. Its eyes shone like two
electric-light globes, while its mouth opened and shut with a
strange, clicking sensation which went through the young diver like
the piercing of a needle.
Dave's thought was to retreat to the diving bell, but this seemed
impossible, for the monstrous fish was only a few yards off and
approaching rapidly. It looked as if in another moment all would be
over and he would be swallowed alive, like Jonah of old.
A million thoughts rushed through his brain--thoughts of his younger
days, of his happy life around the lighthouse--and of how the Hankers
might yet triumph over his father and himself. In the meanwhile the
monster came closer, and now it emitted from its mouth a horrible
green slime, with which to cover its victim before swallowing him,
after the manner of its cousin on earth, the boa constrictor.
But at this moment, when the youth seemed surely lost, something
happened as quickly as it was unexpected, and which changed the whole
course of events.
Through the black waters rushed another fish, long, thin, and
exceedingly bony. From the snout of this fish stuck a sword-like
spear, fully three feet long, with a point like that of a dart.
This was the Devil's Needle, another monster of the deep, and dreaded
by all other monsters, for it is the deadly enemy of everything that
crosses its path.
There was a strange, hissing sound, a thrust, and the sword-like
spear was thrust into the side of the Eurypharynx Pelecanoides.
It was like sticking into an inflated bladder.
The water was at once dyed crimson and the mighty ocean monster swept
back and then began to thrash around wildly, sending mud and sand,
slime and blood, flying in all directions.
As quickly as it had appeared, the Devil's Needle now disappeared.
Too faint to stand, Dave sank back on the ocean bottom.
But his father was close at hand, and with rare presence of mind he
caught up his son and carried him to the diving bell.
In another moment both were inside of the machine and had the door
bolted.
They were now, as they thought, safe from harm, and Amos Fearless
lost no time in turning the electric light of the diving bell upon
the Sea Devil of the Ocean's Bottom.
It was still thrashing around in a circle, but gradually its
struggles became fainter, and at last it lay quiet.
"He's done for," said the parent, in the divers' sign language. "I
will fasten him to the bottom of the bell and then signal them on the
ship to haul up."
"Be careful," cautioned Dave. "That other fish may serve you as he
just served that horrible creature."
"We will move the diving bell close to the dead creature," answered
Amos Fearless.
This was done without much difficulty, by means of a set of levers
which connected with the artificial steel claws of the diving bell.
Then Amos Fearless went forth once more, taking with him a short
chain, which he began to fasten around the slimy and sticky body of
the dead Sea Devil.
The job was a nasty one, but this could not be helped, and therefore
he made the best of it.
He had just finished the work when Dave saw the Devil's Needle again
approaching.
So far the fish had not seen Mr. Fearless, but now it spotted him and
made a dart forward as if to thrust the old diver through and through
with that bony sword.
Dave's heart leaped into his throat, for he imagined nothing could
save his father from death.
But then came the thought of moving the diving bell into the fish's
path.
He grabbed two of the levers and pushed them down, violently.
Acting under the impetus thus given, the diving bell made a stride
forward, directly in the path of the Devil's Needle.
Crash!
Full against the steel frame of the bell came the sword-like spear of
the fish.
Another crack followed, as the spear was broken off close to the
creature's snout.
The great shock stunned the Devil's Needle and it turned over on its
side and sank slowly to the ocean's bottom.
Realizing that something was wrong, Amos Fearless turned, just in
time to witness the breaking off of the bony spear.
He started for the diving bell, then of a sudden changed his plan of
action.
One of the diving bell's steel claws lay close to the Devil's Needle,
and this he raised up and placed over the monster.
Dave, inside of the bell, understood, made the lever work, and
immediately the claw fastened itself around the body of the
half-stunned fish.
Then Amos Fearless picked up the broken-off sword spear and
re-entered the bell.
In a moment more the signal was given to rise, and slowly the diving
bell went up to the surface of the ocean, dragging the bodies of the
two deep-sea monsters with it.
"A glorious find!" cried Captain Broadbeam, when the two monsters
were hoisted on board of the _Swallow_.
"Yes, but we don't want to make another such find under the same
circumstances," answered Amos Fearless. And then he related the
particulars of the adventure on the bottom of the ocean.
There were two scientists on board of the ship and they went to work
at once to prepare the bodies of the two fish which had been caught.
"That sword spear can be fastened on again," said one of the learned
gentlemen. "And then the specimen will be practically perfect."
"Folks at home ought to see them alive," said Dave. "I never saw
such a horrible sight in my life!"
"These fish could not live in ordinary water," was the answer. "See,
the breathing apparatus on each is already bursting. They can only
live at a depth of half a mile or more. If one tried to reach the
surface by swimming upward, it would only be committing suicide."
"I don't quite understand the reason for that, sir."
"It is simple, my lad. You know the air around us presses us on
every inch of our bodies, and we are built to resist that pressure.
An ordinary fish is built to resist the pressure of ordinary water.
Such a fish as the Sea Devil is built to resist the pressure of
hundreds of pounds to the square inch, and consequently when it is
brought up, the pressure inside is too great for the pressure
outside, and that destroys the breathing power of the marine animal,"
concluded the learned man.
By evening the _Swallow_ was on her way westward once more and the
scientific men had the specimens almost ready to be placed in huge
tanks of alcohol.
So far, nothing had been seen or heard of the _Raven_, but a strict
watch was kept each day for the Hankers' vessel.
But one more stop was to be made, at the island of San Murio, and
then the _Swallow_ was to proceed directly for the locality where the
treasure ship _Happy Hour_ had gone down.
Day after day passed and nothing of importance occurred.
One afternoon there was some slight break in the machinery and the
ship had to come to a stop for a couple of hours while repairs were
being made.
It was a hot day and several of the sailors readily obtained
permission to go in swimming.
"I think I will join them," said Dave to his father. "The water
looks cool and tempting."
"All right, Dave," was the answer. "But take care you don't get a
cramp."
"If I do, you can bet I'll yell for help," laughed the young diver.
He was soon in the water and sporting around to his heart's content.
The sailors had allowed one of the small boats to drift astern, and
Dave swam to this and showed several of them how to make deep dives
and long stretches under the ocean's surface.
The party were in the midst of having a lot of fun when a thrilling
cry came from the ship.
"A shark! A shark! Beware of the shark!"
All gazed in the direction pointed out, and saw a huge shark
approaching rapidly, as if prepared to devour one or another of them!