second corridor. "What if those two were going to visit
us in the cell-chamber? Once they see the dead guard, hell sure will
start to pop!"

For a period that seemed to be measured in hours they fought their way
forward through the retarding pressure of the water. The corridor
described a long curve. They were on the last stretch--and still no
pursuit!

"If only the torp's there!" Ken kept exclaiming in his thoughts. "Just
that!"

"If only the torp's there!..." Had they come the right way? He had to
trust that to the memory of Beddoes. Beddoes, whose mind had clearly
been affected by his seven-day nightmare.... He shook his head. He dared
not doubt.

They increased their pace a little. Imagination stimulated their weary
muscles. The _Narwhal_! Men of their own kind! Sun and air! Life again!
Ken could have shouted when he saw his partner stop and gesture
excitedly before a dark spot in the wall. It could be nothing but the
entrance to a trap.

He pressed forward, flicking on his flash and making sure by the
water-waved beam it threw. But Beddoes was attending to some sight down
the corridor; and suddenly he pointed in fright. The first torpooner
looked in the indicated direction and saw what was meant.

Approaching was a wave of menacing brown-skinned bodies, streaming
swiftly through the passage several abreast. Their escape had been
discovered. The blubber-men were coming.

At once Ken acted, pushing Chan into the narrow opening and scrambling
after himself. They wormed along for several feet, till they emerged in
a large dark chamber at the far end of which was a big circular entrance
barred by three great pale stakes. They were certainly in a whale trap.

Rapidly Ken played his flash around, looking for the torp, but it was
nowhere visible. To one side was an out-jutting rock with a niche
beneath it. It was a promising place and he stumbled his way there,
followed by the other.

It was then that a most peculiar feeling came over him, a feeling that
was instantly a surge of panic. Something else was in the trap! His
flash arced around and up, and what lay revealed in its ray caused cold
shivers to run down the backs of the two men.

Above them, just over the three-toothed outer entrance, hung a black,
sleek body, white-striped. Head-on it was, and motionless, eyeing them.
A killer whale--alive!--and poised for a lunge!

It barred the way to the outer entrance. They could not retrace their
steps; alread