Answer:
The irony is that by helping Ruby survive, Tom risks his own life.
Step-by-step explanation:
"The Deep" is a short story about a boy named Tom who discovered that he has a serious heart disease, a hole, which prevents him from doing any activity that requires any physical effort or strong emotions. Because of this illness, Tom's mother forbids him to leave the house, make friends and even go to school. However, one day Tom meets Ruby, who takes him on adventures he shouldn't go on. In one of these adventures, Ruby decides to dive into the swamp and asks Tom to blow on a hose so that she can breathe. Tom promptly does what Ruby asks, even though he knows that this is extremely dangerous for him and could cause him to die in a matter of minutes.