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
attack with 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.

CHAPTER XVI

GASPING FOR AIR

For an instant after the electrical charge had been fired nothing seem
to happen. The giant starfish still enveloped Ned Newton in its grip,
while Tom and his two companions stood tensely waiting and those in the
submarine looked anxiously out through the thick glass windows.

Then, as the powerful current made itself felt, those watching saw one
of the arms slowly loosen its grip. Another floated upward, as a strand
of rope idly drifts in the current. Tom saw this, and called through
his telephone:

"He's feeling it! Go to him, boys! Koku, you with the axe!"

They needed no second urging.

Springing toward the monster, Koku with upraised axe and Norton with
the lance, they attacked the starfish. Hacking and stabbing, they
completed the work begun by Tom's electric gun. With one powerful
stroke, even hampered as he was by the heavy medium in which he
operated, Koku lopped off one of the legs. Norton thrust his lance deep
into the body of the monster, but this was hardly needed, for the
starfish was now dead, and gradually the remaining arms relaxed their
hold.

Pushing with their weapons, the giant and the sailor now freed Ned from
the bulk of the creature, which floated away. It was almost immediately
attacked by a school of fish that seemed to have been waiting for just
this chance. Ned Newton was freed, but for a moment he staggered about
on the floor of the sea, hardly able to stand.

"Are you all right, Ned? Did he pierce your suit?" asked Tom, anxiously
through the telephone.

"Yes, I'm all right," came back the reassuring answer. "I'm a bit
cramped from the way he held me, but that's all. Guess he found this
suit of rubber and steel too much for his digestion."

Slowly, for Ned was indeed a bit stiff and cramped, they made their way
back to the submarine, passi