"Our Will-o'-the-wisp is prettier by night than by day," said Bearwarden. "I suggest that
we investigate this further."
"By destroying its life," replied Bearwarden. "Give it one barrel from your gun, doctor,
and see if it can then defy gravitation."
Accordingly Cortlandt took careful aim at the object, about twenty-yards away, and fired.
The main portion of the jellyfish, with the snake still in its embrace, sailed away, but
many pounds of jelly fell to the ground. Most of this remained where it had fallen, but a
few of the larger pieces showed a faint luminosity and rose again.
"You cannot kill that which is simply a mass of protoplasm," said Cortlandt. "Doubtless
each of those pieces will form a new organism. This proves that there are ramifications
and developments of life which we never dreamed of."
