re in the diffused glare from the search
light and the illumination of their helmet lamps they saw, wrapped about
the forward shaft opening a gigantic squid or devil fish. Its soft,
jelly-like body completely covered the opening of the shaft preventing
any water from entering, and thus stopping any forward motion to the
ship.

This was what had caused all the trouble. The _Porpoise_ had run into
the monster, who feeling what it must have thought an enemy, had grasped
the submarine with its long sinuous arms.

The professor hesitated a moment. Then he slowly raised his electrical
gun, and took aim at the hideous mass. The boys followed his example. At
Mr. Henderson's signal they all fired together.

From the muzzles of the guns darted small barbs that carried with them a
strong shock of electricity, from storage batteries in the shoulder
pieces of the weapons. Three of them were enough to produce death in an
animal as large as a whale.

The devil fish quivered. Then the water about it suddenly grew black,
and the boys and the professor were in dense darkness, for the squid had
dyed the ocean with a dark liquid from the sack it carried for the
purpose.

The explorers groped their way to the left, having fortunately grasped
hands after firing their guns, to prevent being separated in case the
terrible fish began a death struggle.

Luckily Professor Henderson went in the right direction and managed to
locate the _Porpoise_. Then, feeling along her steel sides, he led the
boys through the inky blackness to the water chamber by which entrance
could be had to the interior.

In a few minutes all three were safely inside and had removed their
diving suits. The others crowded about, anxious to learn what had
happened. The inventor related it briefly.

Once more the engines were started. This time there was no hanging back
on the part of the _Porpoise_. The big screw revolved, the water came in
the shaft and was thrust out of the rear end, making a current that sent
the craft ahead swiftly. The gigantic fish had been killed, and its body
no longer obstructed progress.

"Now we'll rise to the surface and see how it feels to sail along that
way for a while," said the professor as he started the pumps that
emptied the tanks. In a little while the ship was floating on the
waves.

It was now night, and the clouds overhead made it so dark that it was
hard to see ten feet in advance. The professor did not want to use the
se