The Wailing Octopus: A Rick Brant Science-Adventure Story

  CHAPTER XVII

  Trapped in Twenty Fathoms

  Scotty writhed to one side, and the fact that the frogman had fired fromtoo great a distance gave him time to dodge. The spear went by, andScotty lifted his own gun to return the shot.

  Rick, senses suddenly acute, glanced upward again in time to see twomore figures descending through the murky layer. He hooted for danger!

  Scotty glanced up, too. Then, instead of firing, he sped forward andthrust the tip of his spear at the frogman's chest. The frogman liftedhis hands high. Scotty jerked the man's face plate loose, then turnedswiftly and motioned to Rick.

  Rick followed, fins driving, as Scotty led the way into deeper water inthe direction of the wreck.

  The frogman who had been in the cave was temporarily out of things. HisScuba was the type that combined the breathing apparatus with the fullface plate. He could clear the face plate of the water Scotty had letin, but it would take a little time.

  Suddenly Scotty shot upward. Rick turned and looked over his shoulder ashe followed. The second two frogmen were in clear water now, and bothhad spear guns!

  Scotty led the way into the murky layer, then leveled off and swamhorizontally. Rick wondered what kind of evasive action his pal wasplanning, but he followed without trying to communicate with the otherboy. In a situation like this, Scotty's instincts were dependable.

  Rick stayed close to Scotty in the murky layer, swimming at his side anda little behind. After a few yards Scotty dove again, into clear water.Rick looked around but could see no sign of the enemy. Apparently thefrogmen had followed and were still in the murk.

  Scotty shot downward, Rick at his side. The wreck was directly belowthem. Scotty didn't hesitate. He let his momentum carry him rightthrough the grouper's front door into the cabin. Rick followed, halfexpecting to see Scotty and the grouper meet head on, but the fishhadn't returned.

  Inside the cabin, Scotty switched on his flashlight, took his slate, andwrote, "Thyl thnk we wnt bk to bot. We sty hr lng nuff thy fnd out we ntthr & cm bck lkng fr us. Thn we go up to bot."

  Rick nodded his understanding. It was good strategy, provided they timedit right. The frogmen would assume the boys had returned to the _WaterWitch_ when they went up through the murky layer. They would examine theboat, then dive down again. At that time, if he and Scotty could time itright, the two groups would pass in the murky layer and the boys wouldemerge while their enemies were still descending.

  He looked at his watch. They had only a few minutes of air left. Thefrogmen would have more air, not only because they had entered the waterafter the boys were already on the bottom, but because they had notdescended so deeply.

  He wrote, "Rlax. Brethe easy."

  The less effort they made, the longer their air would last. For a momenthe debated suggesting that they share one tank by trading the mouthpieceback and forth, but that would leave one of them practically without airwhen they had to leave. He tried to imagine the movements of theirenemies. The frogmen would be on the surface now, approaching the boatladder with caution. They couldn't be sure the boys were not waiting inambush.

  Both boys had switched off their lights and were resting motionless inthe darkness of the cabin. A little light filtered through the hole nearthe roof, but not enough to see by.

  Suddenly the light was blocked out!

  Rick reached for his belt knife and Scotty thrust the spear gun forward,then both relaxed a little. The grouper had returned.

  The big fish turned at the opening and backed into his hole. He hoveredin the opening, holding position while he stared out into his waterykingdom. Apparently the fish had no idea that the boys were in thecabin. When it came time to leave and they touched him or hooted at him,he would get the surprise of his life.

  Even in their predicament, Rick could see the humor in the grouper'sreaction. He wondered if groupers were subject to heart failure fromshock.

  Rick returned to trying to imagine the movements of the frogmen. Nowthey would be cautiously boarding the _Water Witch_, one up the ladder,the other climbing the anchor chain. They would be careful, still unsurewhether or not the quarry was aboard.

  He thought he felt constriction in his lungs from the warning signalthat his air was running out, but finally decided it was only hisimagination.

  Now the frogmen would be aboard the _Water Witch_, making a quicksearch, spear guns ready to fire their lethal shafts. Now they would bein the cabin and shouting their disappointment.

  Now the frogmen would be hurrying back into the water, readjusting theirface masks, ready to dive.

  The grouper shot out of the cabin with a flick of his powerful tail thatraised the silt around them.

  Rick's heartbeat faltered. The grouper had been alarmed. They hadmistimed!

  Right now, the frogmen were outside the _Maiden Hand_!