第29章

"What in the world can it be？" asked Mr.Damon."Tom says it isn't an octopus， and it can't be， unless it has lost three of its arms.But what sort of monster is it？"No one answered him.The powerful searchlight continued to glow， and in the gleam Ned could be seen trying to break away from the grip of the Atlantic beast.But his efforts were unavailing.It was as if he was enveloped in a sort of sack， made in segments， so that they opened and closed over his head.About all that could be seen of him was his feet， encased in the heavy lead-laden boots.The form of the other sailor， who had gone out of the submarine with him， could be seen moving here and there， stabbing at the huge creature.

"Here comes Tom！" suddenly exclaimed Mr.Damon， and the young inventor， followed by the giant Koku， came into view.They had emerged from the diving chamber， walked around the submarine as it rested on the ocean floor， and were now advancing to the rescue.Tom carried his electric rifle， and Koku an axe.

So desperately was Norton engaged in trying to kill the sea beast that had attacked Ned， that for the moment he was unaware of the approach of Tom and Koku.Then， as a swirl of the water apprised him of this， he turned and， seeing them， hastened toward them.

"What is it？" Tom asked through the telephone， this information being given to the watchers in the submarine later， as all they could gather then was by what they saw."What sort of monster is it？""A giant starfish！" answered Norton， speaking into his mouthpiece and the water serving as a transmitting medium instead of wires."I never knew they grew so big！ This one has its five arms all around Mr.Newton！""A starfish！" murmured Tom.This accounted for it， and， as he lookedat the monster from closer quarters， he saw that Norton had spoken the truth.

Small starfish， or even large ones， two feet or more in diameter， may be seen at the seashore almost any time.Nearly always the specimens cast up on the beach are in extended form， either limp， or dead and dried.In almost every instance they are spread out just as their name indicates， in the conventional form of a star.

But a starfish alive， and at its business of eating oysters or other shell animals in the sea， is not at all this shape.Instead， it assumes the form of a sack， spreading its five radiating arms around the object of its meal.It then proceeds to suck the oyster out of its shell， and so powerful a suction organ has the starfish that he can pull an oyster through its shell， by forcing the bivalve to open.

And it was a gigantic starfish， a hundred times as large as any Tom had ever seen， that had Ned in its grip.The creature had doubtless taken the diver for a new kind of oyster， and was trying to open it.An octopus has suckers on the inner sides of its eight arms.A starfish has little feelers， or"fingers，" arranged parallel rows on the inner side of its arms 膖 housandsof little feelers， and these exert a sort of sucking action.

The gigantic starfish had attacked Ned from above， settling down on him so that the head of the diver was at the middle of the creature's body， the five arms， dropping over Ned in a sort of living canopy.And the arms held tightly.

"Come on， Koku， and you， too， Norton！" called Tom through his headpiece telephone."We'll all attack it at once.I'll fire， and then you begin to hack it.The electric charge ought to stun it， if it doesn't kill the beast！"Tom's new electric gun， unlike one kind he had first invented， did not fire an electrically charged bullet.Instead it sent a powerful charge of electricity， like a flash of lightning， in a straight line toward the object aimed at.And the current was powerful enough to kill an elephant.

Bracing his feet on the white sand， which gleamed and sparkled in the glare of the searchlight， Tom aimed at the gigantic starfish which had enveloped Ned.Standing on either side of him， ready to rush in and attackwith axe and lance， were Koku and Norton.

For an instant Tom hesitated.He was wondering whether the powerful electric charge might not penetrate the body of the starfish and kill his chum.

"But the rubber suit ought to insulate and protect him，" mused the young inventor."Here goes！"Taking quick aim， Tom pulled the switch， and the deadly charge shot out of the rifle toward the sea monster.