Suddenly the lad saw what seemed to be a dark rope dart out, and encircle the professor’s waist. The scientist turned about, and Jerry could see that he was surprised. Then another rope was entwined about Professor Snodgrass. Quickly the scientist pulled out the long, keen knife with which the diving suit was equipped, but, before he could use it Jerry saw a third rope-like appendage whip itself about the professor’s arm.
Then Jerry understood. Professor Snodgrass had been attacked by a giant octopus. With a cry of horror which almost deafened him, reflected back as it was from the sides of his copper helmet, Jerry strode to the rescue of his companion. But before he had taken two steps he felt the giant arms about himself also.
He and Professor Snodgrass were entangled in living ropes at the bottom of the sea!
[CHAPTER XXVII]
THE ESCAPE
Jerry felt the horrid arm of the creature of the deep squeezing him tighter and tighter. He could also note that Professor Snodgrass was in terrible danger; but, so far, the lad had not a glimpse of the globular body of the fish itself. He had no doubt that the octopus was hidden in some crevice of the rocks behind him and his companion, and, following its usual method, had reached out and seized the invaders of its haunts.
Quickly Jerry drew his knife, as he had seen the professor do, but before he could use it, to slash through the snake-like tentacle, another was whipped around him, pinning both his arms to his sides.
The lantern dropped from his hand, but it was attached to his waist by a light chain, and did not go out. The right hand of Professor Snodgrass—that containing the knife—was the only one that had been caught by the creature. His other was free, and yet not free, for it held the lantern and the net into which the sea specimens had been put.
[Then began a terrible struggle at the bottom of the sea.] The octopus, which they afterward judged must have been a gigantic specimen, much larger than usual, began to pull Jerry and the professor backward. With horror they realized that they might be drawn into some ocean cave, and killed, in spite of their strong diving suits, by the powerful suckers attached to the arms of the creature. It was only the exceptional size of the beast that made it formidable, for with a smaller one either Jerry or the professor could have coped.