ing that could strike and hurt from either end;
but Ken knew, of course, that he could not count on their inaction
long. One concerted charge would mean his quick end, and the death of
most of the men above.

Well, there was only one thing to do--try to hold them off until those
men above had climbed out, every one.

With this plan in mind, he maneuvered for a commanding position.
Quietly he slid his motor into gear, and slowly the torpoon rose. At
this first movement, the wall of hesitating brown bodies broke back a
little. It quickly pressed in again, however, as the torpoon came to a
halt where Ken wanted it--a position thirty feet beneath, and slightly
to one side, of the escaping men above, with an angle of fire
commanding the area the sealmen would have to cross to attack them.

Almost at once came action. One of the surrounding creatures swerved
suddenly up toward the men. Instinctively angling the torp, Ken sent a
nitro-shell at it; and the chance aim was good. The projectile caught
the sealman squarely, and, after the convulsion, it began to drift
downward, its body torn apart.

"That'll teach you, damn you!" Ken muttered savagely, and, to heighten
the effect he had created, he brought his sights to bear on another
sealman in the circle around him--and fired and killed.

This sight of sudden death told on the others. They grew obviously
more fearful and gave back, though still forming a solid circle around
the torpoon. The circle was ever thickening and deepening downward as
more of those that the explosion had rendered unconscious returned to
life.

And then, above, the first man reached the hole, clawed at its rough
edges and levered himself through.

That was a signal. From somewhere beneath, two brown bodies flashed
upward in attack. Fearing a general rush at any second, Ken fired
twice swiftly. One shell missed, but the other slid to its mark.
Almost alongside its fellow, one of the creatures was shattered and
torn, and that evidently altered the other's intentions, for it
abandoned the attack and sought safety in the mass of its fellows on
the farther side.

Another respite. Another man through the hole. And but two
nitro-shells left!

* * * * *

The deadly circle, like wolves around a lone trapper who crouches
close to his dying fire, pressed in a little; and by their ominous
quietness, by the sight of their eyes all turned in on him, their
concerted inching c