Directly the strain was slackened, so suddenly that they nearly tumbled over backward. The water surrounding the boat became black as ink, and from it darted something like a huge snake, that twined itself about the black man’s body. He gave a cry of horror, and tried to tear it loose, but at his first movement two more of the snake-like arms shot out from the inky water and also seized upon him. These twined about his legs and tripped him, so that he fell in the bottom of the boat, very nearly upsetting it. As it was, it was drawn so far over to one side by the weight of the creature attacking them that there was imminent danger of its filling, and leaving them to struggle powerlessly in the water. All this had happened so suddenly that Nimbus was flat on his back before Breeze at all realized what was taking place. A glance over the side showed him two of the cruelest-looking eyes he had ever seen. They were quite round, very large, and projected from the base of the long writhing arms, or tentacles, that had seized upon Nimbus. Snatching up an oar, and using it as a sort of harpoon, Breeze aimed a furious blow at one of the protruding eyes. Whether he struck it or not he could not tell, for before he could recover the oar it was torn from his grasp and drawn under the water. At the same instant another of the monster’s tentacles was thrust upward and fastened upon him, pinning his left arm to his body. In the first shock of his terror, Nimbus rolled, screaming and helpless, among the slippery fish in the bottom of the dory. Suddenly a cry from Breeze of “Help, Nimbus! Help me! I’m being dragged overboard!” seemed to restore his courage. He struggled to his knees, seized upon one of the snake-like things that held him, and, with a mighty wrench, literally tore it in two. This gave him some freedom of motion, and he managed to reach over to where Breeze was clinging to a gunwale, and drew the boy’s sheath-knife from his belt. Now the black man became the attacking party, and with the keen-edged knife began to slash right and left at the clinging tentacles, several more of which had by this time risen from the water, and were endeavoring to seize him. He fought so savagely, and with such effect, that finally the monster, having lost five of his arms, sank sullenly from their sight beneath the discolored waters. For several minutes after their enemy had disappeared they watched apprehensively for his return, dreading a renewal of the attack. Much of their trawl had run out during the struggle, and now, making a tub fast to it, they tossed it overboard, and while Breeze held up an oar as a signal for the schooner to come to them, Nimbus began to row towards her. “What do you think it was, Nimbus?” Breeze asked, at length. “Don’ know. Nebber see’d notting like um in all my sailin’. Mus’ be um debbil-fish.”