The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-22
PART ",

At last he was satisfied that his time
had come. Suddenly at the same mo-
ment two more dark shadows flicker
ing like fangs of some huge python
passed before my daZzled eyes, and |
felt them alight, one on my leg and the
other on my arm. l staggered forward
with the weight that was cast upon me
so suddenly. At last | could see him,
glittering with a faint phOsphOric light
in the darkness overhead, but | knew
that at last l had him face to face.
What was he like? Even now ! can
give myself no certain answer to that
question. There was something like
a head, and yet it was not a head
something that reSembled beak. and
yet was unlike any beak | had ever
seen. The eyes-only the eyes-were
recognizable as like, and even these
We're unlike anything ] had known. |
could feel each one of the bands he
had thrown around me tighten with a
convulsive pressure as it came. / could
feel each of its hundreds of suckers
pull and strain till they dragged my
flesh into burning ridges under my COW
ering of leather. He was close to Inc
now, and he seemed to gather himself
together lOl Il lllltl ellOll. MS Itnu
ish eyes seemed to fix and paralyze my
own till l could only gaze and gaze
into them-a strange creeping numb
ness coming over me as ] did 50.
At that moment ! felt a sudden pun
at my waist. one, twice, third time.
Some one had pulled the rope. In a
moment life and consciousness seemed
to come back to me and | was myself
again. Like a fltsh l had gripped the
tomahawk more firmly in the hand
that was least encountered and struck
at the demon eyes that slared on me.
They seemed to Hash a lurid fire at me
as | did so, but the edge sank deep.
Again and yet again I struck in the
frenzy of my recovered hold on life.
There was a terrible cOnVulsiun in
which each of the Clinging bands that
bound me took a share ! felt myself
dragged and tossed, and Wrenched, in
that supreme agony of my assailant,
till at last | lost my balance and fell.
When / recovered the consciousness
which | must have lost, it seemed to me
like a dream. lay ON the deck of the
brig, and Tom Madison knelt on one
beamed on me from the background,
My helmet had been taken off, and the
hot sun was shining fun on my face. l
struggled into a sitting position and
stared round me stupidity for a mo-
ment. then Toms voice said:
"Wel, Hall, that was a pretty mar
row squeak, wasn't it? We owe Boru
here: something for finding YOU"
looked round. The devil fish lay be-
side me; one of his arms was fastened
upon me still.
A minute on two passed before
could realize what had happened. Even
| that ghastly-loo>ing object with its
| livid arms and mangled, shapeless body
and head, that now lay limp and
| placid on the deck, seemed for the mo-
| ment hardly more substantial than q
| dream. After a few moments | put out
| my hand and touched ii, and with the
| touch it all came back to me.
But the gold, Tom | exclaimed
! eagerly, looking into Madison's face
surely the native brought up some OF
| the gold with him"
Tom smiled ana glanced at the cap
! tain, and the captain shook his head.
Have drop more brandy, sir" ht
| said, "ye amt shook the water out o
Yer head not yet and the worthy
skipper held a glass of brandy to my
| lips as he spoke.
| groaned. 1t was just what | hat
expected. OF course they didn't believe
in the treasure ship and / had nothing
to show-nothing, at least, but the re-
mains of that wretched devil fish, and
! of course what proved nothing. | looked