CHAPTER XVIII
The Fight on the "Maiden Hand"
They had only one hope now--that the frogmen would make a quick surveyof the wreck, then go away. The boys waited tensely, ears alert for anysound that would tell them the whereabouts of their enemy.
There was only the sound of their bubbles.
Rick pressed close to the opening and peered out. The water that couldbe seen from the entrance was clear. However, it was only a narrowsector. For all he knew, the frogmen might be right overhead.
He backed down into the cabin and pushed his camera into a corner. Hecould get it later. Right now he preferred to have both hands free. Hewished for a spear gun, to double their armament. But the other gunswere on the _Water Witch_. The wrecking bars were useless, too. It wasalmost impossible to strike a blow against the resistance of the water.
Something scraped outside, and both boys froze. There was no doubt thatthe frogmen were at the wreck. Why didn't they go away? They couldn'tknow about the entrance to the cabin--or could they?
The moments dragged by. There couldn't be much air left in their tanks.Rick risked holding his wrist close to the opening and saw that hiswatch showed one minute of diving time before shortness of breath wouldsignal time to turn on their air reserve and surface.
Time was critical. If the frogmen didn't go away before their air ranout, they would have to surface, if they were allowed to by the enemy.With luck, Scotty could account for one. But that would leave two, botharmed. By this time the first frogman would have blown the water fromhis mask and recovered his spear.
No, it would be dangerous for Scotty even to take time for a shot,unless he could fire without pausing. Their best bet was to make a runfor it, depending on speed.
On land, he was sure he and Scotty could outrun the enemy, but in thewater, speed depended on skill with the fins, and the power of legstrokes. He doubted that the frogmen were much faster than he andScotty, but there was an excellent chance that their speed in the waterwas equal.
He conserved his air, spacing his breathing, taking only enough air tokeep comfortable.
There was another scraping sound, and he knew the frogmen were stillaround. Were they actually searching the wreck? If so, they might findthe entrance.
And then Rick suddenly discovered a new danger!
Their air bubbles had been floating to the top of the cabin, forming apool under the ceiling. But they had stayed in the cabin so long thatenough water had been displaced to bring the pool of exhausted air closeto the entrance, which was only a few inches below roof level.
In a moment the air would spill out, and rising bubbles would warn thefrogmen!
He gripped Scotty's shoulder and pointed to the silvery mass ofexhausted air that curled perilously close to the entrance.
The other boy saw the danger at once. He wrote on his slate, "We go whnair duz," and held it in the light for Rick to see.
Rick nodded. He drew his belt knife.
There couldn't be many breaths left before the air spilled out. Norcould there be many before warning constriction forced them to turn onthe reserves. At this depth the reserve wasn't very great.
He saw Scotty reach for his reserve lever and pull it down. A momentlater he had to pull his own.
Something rang like a struck tank, almost directly overhead!
The lip of the bubble pool moved from the water motion caused by pullingtheir reserves. Rick watched it, scarcely breathing.
The air pool trembled. A tiny bubble broke loose and sped upward.
Rick squeezed Scotty's arm, then with a powerful thrust of his flippershe shot out into light, right into the stomach of a frogman!
He thrust with his knife, and a hand gripped his wrist and twisted.Scotty shot from the hole in the wreck and turned, fins flailing. Hisspear gun belched carbon dioxide, and the deadly spear ripped into theleg of one frogman.
Rick flailed arms and legs, trying to break free of the grip that heldhim. He saw the wounded frogman fire his spear at Scotty. The boy movedjust in time, and the shaft shot between his arm and side.
Scotty let go of his useless gun and grappled with the frogman, reachingfor his knife with one hand while he gripped the frogman's wrist withthe other.
Rick knew their air was running out fast. He felt a knife glance fromhis tank and heard the ring of metal. He struggled for footing andturned in time to thrust a flippered foot into the stomach of thefrogman behind him.
Next to him he caught a glimpse of Scotty and his opponent rolling inthe water, and he saw the shimmer of metal as a knife flashed.
Arms locked around his throat. He reached backward over his head and hishands touched rubber. He gripped and pulled with all his strength andfelt the man's face plate come free.
The frogman who had lost his mask suddenly threw off tanks and weightbelt and sped for the surface.
The odds were even! Rick locked with his opponent and felt powerful armsdrag him close. The man had more strength than he! He fought to breakloose, and couldn't!
Then the mouthpiece was pulled away from Rick's lips in mid-breath, andhe choked on sea water.
Without air--twenty fathoms down!
Frantically he fought, locking his air passage so his last lungfulcouldn't escape. He got a hand free and caught his opponent's hose whereit joined the tank. He pulled with all his strength and felt it give.Bubbles rose in a cloud.
He would have sobbed if he could. It was the wrong hose! He had onlytorn loose the exhaust. He groped and found the intake hose, then,lifting his knee and thrusting for leverage, he pulled with all hisstrength. The hose gave! The grip on him loosened.
Rick was now desperate for air! He pulled the quick release on hisweight belt and felt it drop away, then he kicked for the surface,frantic with fear for Scotty. Had he gotten free? Had he? His last viewhad been of his pal locked with the remaining frogman!
Bubbles streamed from his mouth as the compressed air in his lungsexpanded under the decreasing pressure. He let himself exhale as herose, fighting against panic and the impulse to lock the remaining airin his lungs. That would be fatal, he knew, and he willed himself to actproperly. He kept his fins moving, knowing that, if he kept his head, hewould make the surface.
He passed through the murky layer and saw the surface like a wrinkledsilver sheet far overhead. Straining, he swam for it, letting out hisbreath as the pressure on his lungs demanded.
There was another boat hull in the water, almost over him! He angledaway, to avoid coming up under it.
And suddenly there were forms around the boat. A cry tore from his lipsand was swallowed in the water.
More frogmen! More enemies, when they were already defeated!