CHAPTER XXI
A WAR REMINDER
To a large number of people the name devil fish brings to mind aconception of an octopus, squid, cuttle fish, or a member of thatspecies. This is, however, a mistake.
The true devil fish of the tropics is a member of the sting ray family,and the common name it bears is given to it because of two prongs, orhorns, which project just in front of its mouth. His Satanic Majestyis popularly supposed to have horns, together with a tail, hoofs andother appendages, and the horns of this sting ray fish are what give itthe name it bears.
The devil fish, some specimens of which grow to the weight of a ton andmeasure fifteen feet from wing tip to wing tip, are armed with a longtail, terminating in a tough, horny substance, like many of the rayfamily members. This horn-tipped tail, lashing about in the water,becomes a terrible weapon of defense. Possibly it is used for offense,as the devil fish feeds on small sea animals, sweeping them into itsmouth by movements of the horns mentioned. These horns, swirled aboutin the water, create a sort of suction current, and on that the foodfishes are borne into the maw of the gigantic creature.
A whale rushes through a school of small sea animals with open mouth,takes in a great quantity of water, and the fringe of whalebone acts asa strainer, letting out the water and retaining the food. In likemanner the devil fish feeds, except that it has no whalebone. Its"horns" help it to get a meal.
The "wing tips" of the devil fish have been spoken of. They are notreally wings, though when one of these fish breaks water and shootsthrough the air, it appears to be flying. The wings are merely fins,enormously enlarged, and these give the fish its great size, ratherthan does the body itself. It is the whipping spike-armed tail of thedevil fish that is to be feared, aside from the fact that the rush of amonster might swamp a small boat.
It was two or three of these devil fish that were now floating in thewater above Tom and his companions, who were grouped about the stern ofthe disabled submarine.
"They won't attack us unless we disturb them," said Tom through histelephone, speaking to Ned and Koku. "Keep still and they'll swim away.I guess they're trying to find out what new kind of fish our boat is."
All might have gone well had not Koku acted precipitately. One of thedevil fish, the smallest of the trio, measuring about ten feet across,swam down near the giant. It was an uncanny looking creature, with itshorns swirling about in the water and its bone-tipped tail lashing toand fro like a venomous serpent.
"Look out!" cried Tom. But he was too late. Koku raised his axe andstruck with all his force at the sea beast. He hit it a glancing blow,not enough to kill it, but to wound it, and immediately the sea wascrimsoned with blood.
The devil fish was able to observe under water better than its humanenemies, and it was in no doubt as to its assailant. In an instant itattacked the giant, seeking to pierce him with the deadly tail.
These tails are not only armed with a tip of horn-like hardness, theyare also poisonous, and their penetrating power is great. Fishermenhave sometimes caught small sting rays, which are a sort of devil fish.Lashing about in the bottom of a boat a sting ray can send its tail tipthrough the sole of a heavy boot and inflict a painful wound which maycause serious results.
The beast Koku had wounded was trying to sting the giant, and thelatter, aware of his peril, was striking out with the axe.
"Look out, Tom!" called Ned through his telephone, as he saw one of thetwo unwounded devil fish swirl down toward the young inventor. Tomlooked up, saw the big, horrible shape above him, and jabbed it withthe sharp, steel bar. He inflicted a wound which added further to thecrimson tinge in the sea, and that fish now attacked Tom Swift.
In another instant all three divers were fighting the terriblecreatures, that, knowing by instinct they were in danger, were usingthe weapon with which nature had provided them. They lashed about withtheir sharp-pointed tails, and more than one blow fell on the suits ofthe divers.
Had there been the least penetration, of course almost instant deathwould have followed. For the sea, at that depth and pressure, enteringthe suits would have ended life suddenly. But Tom had seen to it thatthe suits were well made and strong, with a lining of steel. Andhowever great a thickness of leather the devil fish could send hissting through, it could not overcome steel.
There was danger, though, that the slender tip might slip through thesteel bars across the windows in the helmets and shatter the glass. Andthat would be as great a danger as if the suits themselves werepenetrated.
"We've got to fight 'em!" gasped Tom through his instrument, and,seeing his chance, he gave another jab to the devil fish attacking him.Koku, too, was standing up well under the attack of the monster he hadfirst wounded. Ned, watching his chance, got in several blows, first atone and then at the other of the huge creatures. The third devil fish,which had not been wounded, had disappeared. Finally Koku, with adesperate blow, succeeded in severing the tail from the beast attackinghim, and that battle was over.
As if realizing that it had lost its power to harm, the devil fish atonce swam off, grievously wounded. Then Koku turned his attention toTom's enemy. Ned, too, lent his aid, and they succeeded in wounding thecreature in several places, so that it sank to the bottom of the seaand lay there gasping.
Slowly the red waters cleared and the three divers, exhausted by thefight, could view the remaining creature--the one wounded to death. Itwas the largest of the three, and truly it was a monster. But it waspast the power to harm, and in a few minutes an under sea currentcarried it slowly away. Later it would float, doubtless, or be devouredby sharks or other ocean pirates before reaching the surface.
"Thank goodness that's over!" said Ned to Tom. "I don't want to see anymore of them."
"There may be more about," Tom said. "We'd better keep watch. Ned, youlay off and Koku and I will work on the propellers. Then you can takeyour turn."
This plan was followed. Koku, not being tired, did not need to stopworking, and he was the first to free his shaft partially of theentangling weeds. Tom rapped a signal, the blades were slowly revolvedand then came free. A little later the second was in like condition.
"Now we can move!" said Tom, as they started back toward the divingchamber. "I hope we don't run into another patch of that serpent grass."
"Nor see any more devil fish," added Ned.
"Same here!" echoed the young inventor.
Luck seemed to be with the gold-seekers after that, for as thesubmarine was sent ahead, no more of the long, entangling grass wasencountered.
The search for the sunken Pandora was now begun in earnest, since theywere positive that they were at the right spot.
No immediate sign of her was found. But Tom and his friends hardlyexpected to be as lucky as that. They were willing to make a search.For, as Tom had said, a current might have shifted the position of thewreck.
They followed the plan of moving about in ever-widening circles. Onlyin this way could they successfully cover the ground. It was the thirdday after the encounter with the devil fish that Tom, Ned and Mr. Damonwere in the forward observation cabin. The eccentric man suddenlypointed to something visible from the starboard window.
"There's a wreck, Tom!" he cried. "Maybe it's the Pandora!"
Tom and the others hurried to Mr. Damon's side and peered out into thesea, illuminated by the great searchlight.
"That isn't the Pandora!" said the young inventor.
"But it's a wreck, isn't it?" asked Ned.
"Yes, it's a sunken vessel, all right," Tom assented. "But it's areminder of the Great War. Look! She has been blown up by a torpedo!"
Tom Swift and His Undersea Search; Or, the Treasure on the Floor of the Atlantic Page 21