"That's a queer kind of fish!"
The sailors on the patrol-boat crowded around the speaker, glad ofany excitement to break the monotony of their vigil. A thin stream ofwater had spurted up, disturbing the perfect calm of the surface, anda small black object could plainly be seen, hurrying through the water.
"Now what the deuce?" said the captain. Two bells were loudly sounded,and the boat bounded forward.
"Look out, don't run it down. Steer to one side."
The search-light, turned full upon the strange object, revealed tothe puzzled sailors a slim bamboo tube, sticking upright, propelledby a strong force from below.
"Now, why don't that stick float, instead of sailing along like aperiscope?" pondered the captain.
As suddenly as the phenomenon had appeared, it sank from sight andthe chase ended abruptly.
"Look at our visitors," said a sailor, pointing over the side. Longstreaks of phosphorescence darted back and forth in the shadow ofthe boat.
"That's a pretty bunch of shovel-nosed man-eaters, for you," remarkedthe mate. "Gosh, wouldn't you hate to give the hungry devils a chanceat you, though?"