“I’m afraid it will be like trying to pierce an elephant’s hide,” he muttered, “but I’m going to try it for all that.”

Luckily he caught sight of the creature’s eyes at the moment and took aim straight for one of them.

Jack was being drawn toward the horrible beak and the sight nearly unnerved Dick.

Fortunately he had aimed and pressed the trigger before he saw this ghastly sight.

He fired three or four shots in quick succession and then heard the sound of a plunge in the water.

Jamming his torch into the clutch of one of the tholepins, he seized the rifle and shot a quick glance ahead of him.

Jack was not to be seen, but he did see the octopus writhing and waving its frightful arms on the ledge.

“Where are you, Jack?” he shouted.

“All right!” cried Jack himself, rising just alongside the boat and holding on to the gunwale with one hand.

“I’ll finish that demon before he can do any more mischief!” hissed Dick.

It was Jack falling into the water that had caused the plunge he had heard and not the return of the octopus to its element.

Now, taking quick but careful aim, Percival fired half a dozen shots from the repeating rifle he had seized and with deadly effect.

The revolver shots had wounded the octopus, but not fatally, and he might at any moment plunge into the water and seize Jack.

The heavier caliber weapon did the work.

As Jack climbed into the boat there was a great plunge into the water which caused the light craft to rock again and the spray to fly.

“That settles him!” gasped Percival, and then he dropped his weapon and drew Jack into the boat, where he promptly sank limp and helpless under the thwarts, all his strength having seemingly left him.

“All right, Jack?” asked Percival.

“Yes, but get away,” answered Jack feebly.

Percival was not slow to obey the injunction.

Seizing the oars, he quickly backed water and then turned the head of the boat toward the entrance of the cave, whence he shortly saw the light streaming in as he pulled a quick, powerful stroke.

“I’m glad that’s over!” he said with a sigh of deep relief as he neared the opening.  “No more exploring queer places like this again!”

When he was outside the cave he rested on his oars and said: 

“You are all right again, Jack?”

“Yes,” said Jack, getting up and seating himself on a thwart, “but I don’t want another such an experience.  I feel as if all the blood had been drawn out of me by that horrible thing in there.”

Out in the bright sunlight, away from the gruesome cave and its dreadful tenant, Jack seemed to recover his spirits quickly, however, and he presently took one of the oars and then another, and said: 

“It’s all right, Dick.  We are away from the horrible thing and I thank heaven I am still alive to tell of it.  Let us go somewhere else.”