The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-11-19

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that its two cleaning eyes were fixed
upon him with steady stare, and
that the hideous thing was coming
directly for himself. If the hooks
would only descend, or another diver
put in an appearance! He locked up,
but could perceive nothing save the
figure of the boat above him, resting
like little shadow upon the water
Then he took two or three PAGES
along the ships side, but the fish i'm
mediately changed its course, and
crawled IN such q direction as to cut
off retreat. The fish was now only a,
few feet distant, and the sun bursting
through cloud shone shimmering
down through the green water, fully
revealing the creature. Its armor was
a dun russet, and pair of antenn@,
long and supple, each like a coach
mans whip protruded from his head.
Then the truth flashed upon Har-
ley. This was the inexorable mon
ster, the giant lobster of the deep sea.
Only little while before he had seen
the huge arm of a lobster cast upon a
beach after a gale, and heard that
crawling about the sea, hundreds OF
miles from land, was to be seen a
monster of the lobster kind, just as
among the squids was found a gigan-
tic devil fish. He had not believed
that story, but here before him now
was the terrible crustacean, more hid
eous and more huge than even repute
had made him. The body was fully
ten feet long and about three feet
thick, while the length of each arm
was not less than seven feet. He now
began to retreat, thinking to escape
his pursuer among the floating bales
in the hold, but the water here was so
gloomy that he could not see at his
arms length. So he eturned and walk
ed toward the opening again, holding
his crowbar in his hands. The lob
ster had put one claw upon the YES
sells timber and was in the act of rails
ing the other when Harley reappear-
ed. To pass out was impossible. SO
he stood with his back braced against
a petition in the hold, waiting the at
tack. The fish came directly toward
him, its two black, cleaning eyes
glaring steadfastly. Harley made no
move till he felt the coils of the squirm-
ing antenn@ fold themselves lithely
around his neck. Then raising the
crowbar, he lunged it with all his
strength at the Holsters head. The
aim was accurate enough, but the
point glanced from the smooth, thick
shell, and was buried in the overlap
ping rings about the monsters neck.
| For moment the lobster seemed
stunned, and Harley made step out
ward, for he saw the hooks dangling
in the water few PAGES away. But
the effect of the blow passed away al
most simultaneously, and before the
diver could swerve aside the enor-
nous jaws Of one claw had closed up
on his LETT arm. The thick but sharp
ly pointed teeth penetrated the flesh
to the very bone and held him in a
firm and agonizing grip. The pain
was SO terribly that the unfortunate
man almost swooned; and in another
moment his right leg was held fast ir
the fangs OF the remaining claw. Ther
the kraken began to move rearward
dragging his victim toward the cliff
where, in the dark, still waters of th,
gulch, he might devour him withou
interruption.
! The wretched man thrust his heel
asainst the ships timbers to resist th,
dragging of the fish; but the agon,
caused by the teeth tearing through
> the flesh was more than he could beai
and after short struggle he permit
ted himself to be borne as his capto
: would. But he resolved to make an
other effort for his liberty. DRAWN
I his knife from it's sheath, he plunge
it into the fish's eye, turning the blad
. round and round. A stream of cloud
i ooze came out and left only hollov
! socket, Maddened with pain, tn
( brute began to crawl backward an
forward, now lying upon his side an
n alternately stretching and contrac
n ing his claws, but all the while holt
/. ing the man wite vicelike grip. A
: ter little while he resumed his n
treating march, dragging his victil
g along the slippery rocks. AS for Ha
. ley, he could offer no resistance.
Q cloud of red lurked around his arr
il and about his leg, and he felt h
strength ebbing gradually away ]
! a little while, indeed, the agony fro
If the remorseless grip had vanished;
Il humming noise came into his ear
W and the sea all about him turned ye
II low and began to rock. A human fl
ure holding in his hand long, shi
Il ing blade, drew near, but he heed,
,e not. Then the light went out of Il