第40章

A WAR REMINDER

To a large number of people the name devil fish brings to mind a conception of an octopus, squid, cuttle fish, or a member of that species.This is, however, a mistake.

The true devil fish of the tropics is a member of the sting ray family, and the common name it bears is given to it because of two prongs, or horns, which project just in front of its mouth.His Satanic Majesty is popularly supposed to have horns, together with a tail, hoofs and other appendages, and the horns of this sting ray fish are what give it the name it bears.

The devil fish, some specimens of which grow to the weight of a ton and measure fifteen feet from wing tip to wing tip, are armed with a long tail, terminating in a tough, horny substance, like many of the ray family members.This horn-tipped tail, lashing about in the water, becomes a terrible weapon of defense.Possibly it is used for offense, as the devil fish feeds on small sea animals, sweeping them into its mouth by movements of the horns mentioned.These horns, swirled about in the water, create a sort of suction current, and on that the food fishes are borne into the maw of the gigantic creature.

A whale rushes through a school of small sea animals with open mouth, takes in a great quantity of water, and the fringe of whalebone acts as a strainer, letting out the water and retaining the food.In like manner the devil fish feeds, except that it has no whalebone.Its "horns" help it to get a meal.

The "wing tips" of the devil fish have been spoken of.They are not really wings, though when one of these fish breaks water and shoots through the air, it appears to be flying.The wings are merely fins, enormously enlarged, and these give the fish its great size, rather than does the body itself.It is the whipping spike-armed tail of the devil fish that is to be feared, aside from the fact that the rush of a monster might swamp a small boat.

It was two or three of these devil fish that were now floating in the water above Tom and his companions, who were grouped about the stern of the disabled submarine.

"They won't attack us unless we disturb them," said Tom through his telephone, speaking to Ned and Koku."Keep still and they'll swim away.I guess they're trying to find out what new kind of fish our boat is."All might have gone well had not Koku acted precipitately.One of the devil fish, the smallest of the trio, measuring about ten feet across, swam down near the giant.It was an uncanny looking creature, with its horns swirling about in the water and its bone-tipped tail lashing to and fro like a venomous serpent.

"Look out!" cried Tom.But he was too late.Koku raised his axe and struck with all his force at the sea beast.He hit it a glancing blow, not enough to kill it, but to wound it, and immediately the sea was crimsoned with blood.

The devil fish was able to observe under water better than its human enemies, and it was in no doubt as to its assailant.In an instant it attacked the giant, seeking to pierce him with the deadly tail.

These tails are not only armed with a tip of horn-like hardness, they are also poisonous, and their penetrating power is great.Fishermen have sometimes caught small sting rays, which are a sort of devil fish.Lashing about in the bottom of a boat a sting ray can send its tail tip through the sole of a heavy boot and inflict a painful wound which may cause serious results.

The beast Koku had wounded was trying to sting the giant, and the latter, aware of his peril, was striking out with the axe.

"Look out, Tom!" called Ned through his telephone, as he saw one of the two unwounded devil fish swirl down toward the young inventor.Tom looked up, saw the big, horrible shape above him, and jabbed it with the sharp, steel bar.He inflicted a wound which added further to the crimson tinge in the sea, and that fish now attacked Tom Swift.