183
184 THE ELECTRONIC HYDROLUNG
“Whew!” he thought in relief. “At least I can still get around at full speed if anything else comes at me!”
He had clung to the flashlight and fork despite the explosion. The blast had hurled him away from the spot where the missile was buried, so Tom began trying to locate it again.
But he soon realized that his efforts were hopeless. He must wait until the silt which clouded the water cleared. Now Tom feared that the explosion might have reburied the nose cone.
Suddenly a new worry gripped him. Had the missile’s precious contents been destroyed by the blast?! Slowly he began making his way back to the Sea Hound.
Unknown to Tom, Bud was fighting a desperate battle with his adversary barely fifty yards away. The divers grappled each other in an octo-puslike duel.
At such depths, their movements were impeded, as if by oil.
The Brungarian pulled out the knife at his belt. Bud, a skilled wrestler from high-school days, managed to twist his foe’s knife arm behind his back-then applied a punishing judo hold! The Brungarian gave an audible screech of pain and dropped the knife.
“Now you’re coming along with me!” Bud muttered. He gunned his jet, forcing himself and his adversary toward the Sea Hound.
Moments later, they passed the seacopter’s
A LUCKY BLAST 185
cabin window. Reaching the air lock, Bud hammered for admission. The hatch opened quickly and his prisoner was hauled inside. Bud followed.
Tom greeted him with a bear hug. “Hi, Bud, you old devilfish!” Turning to the prisoner, Tom added “Who’s this?”