UNDERSEA FIREWORKS 125
fish that always escape the slow-moving nets of scientists.”
“You suck them right in?” Bud queried.
“That’s the idea.”
Bud shook his head up and down and grinned. “That’s what I get for being the friend of a genius,” he said. “And is that other thing-a gun?”
“Not the kind you think,” Tom replied, and reminded his friend that the Swifts were always opposed to arming any of their craft, and preferred to outwit their enemies by strategy rather than bloodshed.
“It’s an electronic oscillator ray gun,” Tom explained, smiling. “It works only under water, and is designed to kill predatory sea creatures.”
“It won’t work topside?”
“No. It’s harmless against human beings once we surface.”
As the Sea Dart slid through the water toward her destination, Bud became thoughtful. After a few minutes he said:
“I’ve heard that deep-sea squid attack six-ton whales. I’m mighty relieved to know we have this oscillator gimmick.”
Tom smiled and glanced at him. “Did you know that tentacle squids are jet-propelled just like this sub?”
“No. I’ve never met any squids. I belong to a different fraternity,” Bud replied, laughing.
“Well, by blowing out a fast stream of water through a siphon which also serves as a rudder,”
126 TOM SWIFT AND HIS JETMARINE
Tom explained, “the squids can scoot and dodge at a great pace.”
“Good boys for infighting,” Bud said. “Okay, skipper, we’re almost there.”
He handed Tom a chart which the young scientist studied for a few minutes.
“The Spray Cloud’s down nine hundred feet on a rock shelf. If this oceanographic survey is correct, we ought to hit the Spray Cloud right on the button.”