Whether it was or not, one thing was certain. The creature had made up its mind to attack the submarine boat.

Steadily it drew back, flopping its huge flukes, until finally it stopped and was motionless a moment.

Then it darted forward.

Barney was in the midst of a beautiful dream of home when suddenly he felt himself flying through space. Then it seemed as if he was coming in contact with a legion of hard objects and sharp corners.

In an instant he was wide awake. It required a moment for him to collect his scattered senses.

Then he realized that the boat was moving. It was flying upward like a rocket and suddenly popped up onto the surface of the sea.

The Celt, astounded beyond measure, rushed into the pilot-house. There he saw that things were thrown all about.

There was a dent in the wall of the structure large enough to force the electric keyboard from its post. The wires were all tangled up or disconnected and the tank-lever had been closed by the shock.

“Mither presarve us!” muttered the Celt. “Phwat the divil happened?”

At that moment Frank and Pomp and Wade came rushing in.