Under the Ocean to the South Pole Part 34

"That's what I mean, an' we's bein' rammed agin th' rocks!"

"There it goes again!" cried Jack, as the ship shivered from stem to stern against the impact of the blow.

"This can not last long," said Mr. Henderson. "If they strike us many more times some of the places will start, the water will come in, and we will drown!"

"But what can we do?" asked Jack.

"Let's go out now and see if we can't kill some of the beasts with the guns," suggested Andy.

"I cannot permit it," answered the inventor. "Our position is bad enough as it is, but to go out would be to lose our lives for a certainty. The suckers would swallow us up in a moment. I must find some other way."

There was a period of silence, while all waited anxiously for what was to happen next. It was not long in coming. The next impact of the ship against the rocks was the hardest yet, and it seemed that more of the suckers must have gripped the craft.

"She's leakin' a little!" exclaimed Washington coming back from an inspection forward. "De water am tricklin' in!"

"We must fight them!" exclaimed Andy. He ran to get a gun and his diving suit.

"Don't try to go out!" warned the professor. "You will surely be killed."

"I'd rather be killed out there than die shut up in the ship!" cried the old hunter. "I'm going out!"

"Wait!" exclaimed Jack suddenly. "I have a plan that may save us!"

"What is it? Speak quickly!" said Mr. Henderson. "We are in desperate straits!"

As he spoke there came another crash against the rocks.

"We must electrocute the suckers!" cried the boy.

"Electrocute them? What do you mean?"

"Take the wires from the electric light circuit, attach one to each end of the ship, and start the dynamo at full speed!" answered Jack.

"What good will that do?"

"The ship is steel," went on the boy. "It will become charged with a powerful current. We can insulate ourselves by putting on rubber boots, but the shock of the electricity will kill the creatures!"

"Good for you!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson. "Quick boys, everybody lend a hand! Washington, detach the wires and run one to the bow and the other to the stern of the ship. Then get out the boots."

In a few minutes the dynamo was ready to send a death-dealing current through the entire ship. The professor and all the others put on the boots, that were a part of the diving equipment. The dynamo was started at full speed and the purring hum told that electricity of great power was being developed.

The professor stood with his hand on a switch, ready to close the circuit as soon as sufficient power had acc.u.mulated. Once more the suckers backed the ship in order to give it impetus for another impact on the stones.

Click! The professor snapped the switch shut. There was a burst of bluish-green flame, and the movement of the boat suddenly ceased.

"I guess that does for 'em!" shouted Andy.

"Wait a few minutes," advised the professor. "The suckers may not all be dead yet!"

He kept the current flowing throughout the length of the ship for several minutes, and then turned it off.

"Now to see if the plan worked," he said. The windows in the cabin were eagerly scanned.

"Hurrah!" cried Mark. "The suckers have gone!"

"I guess the electricity killed them," spoke Mr. Henderson. "We will venture out now in our diving suits and see what sort of a place we are in."

Soon the adventurers were arrayed in the heavy suits. Under them they wore thick clothing, and in each suit was placed a small flat heater, operated by a storage battery. The heaters were made of coils of fine wires, and the electric current, meeting with much resistance in pa.s.sing through them, heated the coils, so there was considerable warmth.

It was all needed as they found when they felt the water entering the diving chamber, for the fluid was as cold as an ocean full of icebergs could make it. Protected however by the heavy suits, warm clothing and the heaters the divers were fairly comfortable.

The outer door was opened and they all started back in amazement at the sight which met their eyes. Before them lay a forest of real trees, with bushes growing among them, while the ground, instead of being like the usual ocean bed was covered with gra.s.s.

As Washington had said, on getting a small view of the place from the little window, it was real land under water.

Their first surprise at the strange spectacle over, the adventurers glanced about for a sight of the terrible sea suckers. But they need not have feared. Lying in a huddled up ma.s.s toward the rear of the _Porpoise_ were the dead bodies of the ugly creatures. The electricity had finished them.

CHAPTER XXVII

ATTACKED BY AN OCTUPUS

They walked some distance away from the ship, for the land under the water was easy to travel on. It looked exactly as if some beautiful valley had suddenly been submerged in the middle of summer, when everything was fresh and green.

They had gone perhaps a quarter of a mile from the _Porpoise_ when Professor Henderson motioned to them that they had better return. On their way back they pa.s.sed what looked to be a large cave in the side of a hill. Wondering what could be in it, Mark and Jack paused to peer into the black opening.

The next instant two long white things, like slender serpents shot out.

With the rapidity of lightning they wrapped themselves, one about each boy, and, before the horrified companions of the lads could do anything the unfortunate youths were whisked out of sight into the cavern.

For a few seconds no one knew what to do. To rush in to the rescue of the boys would have been foolhardy, as the terrible octupus, which they knew had grabbed the lads, would have been a match for all of the adventurers, unarmed as they were.

It would be necessary to return to the ship and come back with some of the electric guns, which they had neglected to bring with them. In the meanwhile the beast might, and probably would, kill Mark and Jack. But there was nothing else to do.

The professor motioned for Andy to remain on the watch at the mouth of the cavern, so as to be on hand in case he could help the boys, while the others were hurrying toward the ship. Then, leading the way, the Professor signalled for Tom and Bill to follow him.

They could not hurry much for the heavy suits and the resistance of the water impeded their progress. But they made all the speed they could, urged on by a terrible fear.

Meanwhile old Andy stood in front of the cave, hoping against hope that there might be some way of aiding the boys. If it had happened above water he would not have hesitated to rush in and give battle to the beast, even though he was unarmed. If he had his knife now he would venture in, at the risk of his life.

"Oh, why didn't I bring my gun along!" thought Andy regretfully.

His hand dropped to his side and his fingers came in contact with a big knife in the belt of the diving suit. Here was a weapon he had forgotten all about.

He drew forth the blade. It seemed a small one with which to attack so large and terrible a creature as the octupus. Yet to remain there, knowing the boys were being killed was more than old Andy could stand.

Grasping the handle with a firm grip he started toward the cave. His foot caught in something, and he nearly fell.