eakened
quarsteel and tumbled in a mad cascade of water to the deck of the
abandoned second compartment. In dread silence, he, with Sallorsen and
those of the men who had strength and curiosity enough to come
forward, watched the compartment rapidly fill--watched until they saw
the water pressed high against the door. And then horror swept over
Ken Torrance.

* * * * *

Water! There was a trickle of water down the quarsteel he was leaning
against! A fault along the hinge of the door--either its construction,
or because it had not been closed properly.

Ken pointed it out to the captain.

"Look!" he said. "A leak already--just from the pressure! This door
won't last more than a couple of minutes when they start on it--"

Sallorsen stared stupidly. As for the rest; Ken might not have spoken.
They were as if in a trance, watching dumbly, with lungs automatically
gasping for air.

One of the seal-creatures eeled through the shattered quarsteel of the
first door and swam slowly around the newly flooded compartment. At
once it was joined by five other lithe, sleek shapes which, with
placid, liquid eyes, inspected the compartment minutely. They came in
a group right up to the next door that barred their way and, with no
visible emotion, stared through the quarsteel pane at the humans who
stared at them. And then they gracefully turned and slid to the
battered torpoon.

"Back!" Ken shouted, "You men!" He shook them, shoved them roughly
back toward the fourth, and last, compartment. Weakly, like automatons
they shuffled into it. The torpooner said bruskly to Sallorsen:

"Carry those tins of food back. Hurry! Is there anything stored in
here we'll need? Sallorsen! Captain! Is there anything--"

The captain looked at him dully; then, understanding, a cackle came
from his throat. "Don't need anything. This is the end. Last
compartment. Finish!"

"Snap out of it!" Ken cried. "Come on, Sallorsen--there's a chance
yet. Is there anything we'll need in here?"

"Sea-suits--in those lockers."

Ken Torrance swung around and rapidly opened the lockers. Pulling out
the bulky suits, he cried:

"You carry that food back. Then come and help me."

* * * * *

But of the corner of his eye, as he worked, he could see the ominous
preparations beyond in the flooded compartment--the sealmen raising
the torpoon, guiding it back to the far end; leveling it out. Ken was
su