He stopped short, for, seeming to rise from the very ground, all about the ship, there appeared a throng of men. And such men as they were! For not one was less than ten feet tall, and some were nearly fifteen!
“The giants have us!” cried Bill, as he saw the horde of creatures surrounding the ship.
CHAPTER XXV
HELD BY THE ENEMY
“Keep the doors closed!” cried the professor. “It is our only hope! I will send the ship up again!”
But it was too late. Washington, who had obeyed the signal from the conning tower to shut off the engines, had disconnected most of them so they could not be started again save from the main room. At the same time there came a yell of dismay from the colored man, who had slid back the steel covering of the main side entrance to the Mermaid.
“I’m caught!” cried Washington.
As the professor and the boys hurried from the tower, they could hear a struggle from where Washington was, and his voice calling:
“Let me go! Let me go!”
Reaching the engine room, which opened directly on the side entrance, the professor saw a pair of enormous hands and arms dragging poor Washington, feet first, out of the ship. Bill and Tom were crouched in one corner, pale with fright.
“Wait until I get my gun!” cried Andy, as he ran for his rifle.