“What is it? Some sort of geological formation?” Bud queried.
“Must be,” Tom guessed, “Probably an underwater volcano or a seamount.”
Presently, through the greenish murk, a huge dim mass loomed ahead, apparently rearing upward from the ocean floor.
“Hey! Aren’t those lights on top?” Bud signaled.
“Sure looks that way.” Tiny halos of yellow radiance could be seen, but they were too high up and at too great a distance for the boys to make out the source.
“Let’s investigate,” Tom added cautiously. “But don’t use your lamp or your undersea-light switch just yet.”
The hydronauts glided forward. Gradually
THE SINGING MERMAN 37
Tom became aware of a strange, tingling sensation. It grew stronger by the moment. Suddenly Tom realized that a myriad of fishes were swarming in the same direction!
A sense of danger flashed through the young inventor’s mind when he suddenly felt giddy and disoriented. The tingling numbness fogged his brain. With a terrific effort Tom veered course.
“Bud, stop!” he warned over his sonarphone. “Don’t go any farther or you’ll be electrocuted!”
But Bud gave no sign of heeding Tom’s warning. He jetted ahead at top speed!
CHAPTER V
DEADLY TRAWLER
“BUD!” Tom yelled again. No use-Bud obviously was too dazed from shock to respond. In seconds he might be beyond help I Tom hesitated only for an instant. Then, reckless of his own danger, the young inventor plunged in pursuit. Bud was far ahead by now-perhaps too far to reach in time. Tom gunned his own jet to the limit.
Again Tom felt the strange, tingling sensation. His brain was reeling dizzily-all sense of time and place seemed to be slipping away.
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