all that
clinging flesh was impossible.

"What sort of creatures are they?" asked Jack, speaking in a whisper, so
great was the terror inspired by the presence of the gigantic sea
suckers.

"I never saw any of them before," replied the professor, "but I have
read about them. They live only in the polar regions and are a species
of octupus, only more terrible. Their powers of suction are enormous,
and once they fasten on a fish or animal they never let go until they
have absorbed it completely. They act in the same way that a star fish
does on an oyster."

"But they can't eat the ship," said Jack.

"No, I fancy the steel and iron sides will prevent them from making a
meal of us."

"Then where is the danger?"

"They will not let go until they discover that they cannot devour us,
and it may take days. We can only remain under water a comparatively
short time at the most. So you see where the danger is."

"But can't we go out and kill them? Then they would let go."

"It would be most risky to venture out, protected even with a diving
suit, and carrying the electric guns," the professor went on. "No, I
must think of some other plan to free ourselves from the creatures."

"Blow 'em up wif dynamite an' send 'em inter disproportionately
contrastedable circumferences!" exclaimed Washington, who had been
listening to the conversation.

"This isn't any time to joke," Mr. Henderson said sternly.

"I wasn't joking," replied the colored man. "Can't we squirt acid on 'em
or chop 'em up, or--or--"

"We can do nothing for the time being," said the professor. "Come, we
will have a consultation on the subject. Perhaps some one may be able to
think of a plan of rescue."

"Let us hope so."

They all gathered in the cabin. The professor explained the nature of
the creatures, as far as he knew them from what he had read or heard. He
pointed out, through the glass windows, over which the suckers were
still clinging, how they maintained their grip, by exhausting, through
their big mouths, the air between their saucer-like surfaces and the
ship to which they were clinging.

"Can't we go out and fight 'em?" asked Andy, who was always ready to use
a gun.

"I doubt if we could get out," replied the professor. "Though we can not
see them, I believe the creatures cover every part of the ship from stem
to stern. We could never open the door of the diving chamber with that
terrible sucker covering the iron portal."

"Maybe if we