They traversed the ocean at a depth of about a hundred yards from the surface.
The health of the captives continued good.
Stump was the only grumbler; the others read and talked, resigning themselves to their fate, and waiting the next adventure which should befall them in their singular voyage.
"I tell you what it is, sir," exclaimed Stump one day; "I wish I could get my fist near that there captain. If I wouldn't give him a knockout I'd let a whale come and eat me."
"What have you to grumble at, my friend?" inquired Professor Woddle. "You are comfortably housed, well fed, and have a constant source of excitement in the movements of this remarkable ship."
"Bother the ship. Why didn't she strike ona rock and bust up?" said Stump. "I'd rather be back to Nautical Hall any day than here."
"Bide your time, my lad," continued the professor; "something will happen some day."
"Very prob'ble, sir, but it's waiting for it to turn up as I don't like. Just shove me alongside of that blessed captain, and if I don't give him——"
"Stump," interrupted Mont, "you shut up. I wouldn't mind being back to the Hall myself, but finding fault won't take us there."
"Certainly, sir. I don't have much chance of talking. I shall forget my own language soon; but no matter, I am only a hired boy, I know, and, of course, shouldn't have no feelings."
Mont took the trouble to pacify him, explaining that to provoke a quarrel with the captain would not in any way improve their position.
On the contrary, it might deprive them of the little liberty and comforts they now enjoyed, and make their miserable condition much worse.
Stump saw this and promised to be quiet.
He was a strong lad for his age, as hard as iron, and brave as a young lion.
"Just promise me this, sir," he said.
"What?"
"If I see a good chance of stepping it, you'll be with me?"
"Like a shot. But we mustn't do anything rash, you know, Stump," replied Mont. "Captain Vindex is not to be trifled with. A man who can build a ship like this, make electricity take the place of steam, and so store the air as to make it sufficient for use for twenty-four hours, is one of those great spirits who think of everything, and with whom we cannot hope to cope on equal terms."
"Don't know so much about that, sir," said Stump. "I once had a round with a professional boxer and laid him low in two minutes."
Mont laughed, and the conversation dropped.
The voyage continued to the Indian Sea, and was not remarkable for anything more exciting than the capture of several turtles in nets, and the shooting of various sea birds, which supplied an agreeable addition to the comforts of the table.
In the Indian Sea they encountered hundreds of the nautilus tribe floating gracefully on the surface of the water, their tiny sails spread, catching the wind, and looking like little ships.
One day Captain Vindex entered.
"Would you like to see the banks upon which grow the oysters which contain the pearls?" asked the captain.
"Under the sea?" said Mont.
"An excursion, submarine?" said the professor.
"Precisely so. Are you inclined to go?"
"Very much, indeed," replied all in chorus, with the exception of Stump.
"This is not the time of year for the pearl divers to be at work," said the captain, "though we may see one or two. I will bring the ship nearer land, and show you some of the treasures of the deep. They fish for pearls in the Gulf of Bengal, in the Indian seas, as well as those of China and Japan, off the coast of South America, and in the Gulf of Panama and that of California, but it is at Ceylon that they find the richest harvest."
"That is a fact," said the professor; "the richest pearls, as you say, are found here."
"Right," said the captain. "We, however, shall see more than any diver ever dreams of. Perhaps I shall find my pearl worth a million, for which I have searched so long. I shall be at your service, gentlemen, in a few hours."
When the captain had departed the professor was very grave.
Carl and Mont were delighted at the prospect of finding pearls, but Stump bit his nails in silence.
"I'll take home a pearl or two for luck!" exclaimed Mont.
"If you ever get home, sir," remarked Stump, half aloud.
"You'll go with us, won't you?" asked Mont.
"I'll go wherever you and Master Carl go, Master Mont," replied Stump, "because it's my duty to watch over you. But I aint going to have no sort of friendship with that captain, not by a jugful!"
"He's all right, when you know him."
"Is he? Then I don't want to know him."
Turning to the professor, Mont exclaimed:
"Shall we have good sport, sir?"
"Most likely," answered Mr. Woddle.
"Are there many sharks about?"
"It is no use disguising the fact. The sea hereabouts swarms with them. I should not like to meet one under the waves. A pearl has been called by poets a tear of the sea, and anything more lovely around a maiden's neck cannot be conceived. I have a strong wish to hunt for those tears of the sea, and behold them growing in their shells, but Heaven protect us from the sharks."
Stump disappeared for a brief space, and returned with a long harpoon.
"What have you got there?" asked Mont.
"It's a reg'lar pig-sticker, isn't it, sir?" remarked Stump, regarding it admiringly.
"It does look as if it could give an ugly prod," remarked Carl.
"They call it a harpoon; thing for sticking whales. Me and Number One, that's the nigger as waits on us, is friends, sir, and he's given me this to fight the darned sharkses with."
"Bravo, Stump!" exclaimed Carl.
"It would be 'Bravo Stump,' if I could rip up an inch or two of that captain, and seize the blessed ship!" rejoined the boy with a scowl.
Mont said nothing in reply, but waited patiently for the signal which would summon him and his companions to the captain's side.
It came an hour or two before daybreak.
A negro summoned them to the platform, near which the boat attached to the ship was riding.
It was manned by four men, and when all the party were on board the negroes began to row toward the island.
At six o'clock the day broke. They were a few miles from the land, which was distinctly visible, with a few trees scattered here and there.
The captain stood up in the boat, and narrowly regarded the sea. At last he gave a sign, and the anchor was lowered.
"Here we are," said the captain. "Put on your divers' caps, gentlemen, and follow me."
The heavy sea garments were quickly put on.
The electric lamps were not needed, because the depth was not great.
Besides, the electric light would attract the sharks, who were creatures they could not afford to despise.
The only arm given to each of the party was a long, sharp knife.
Captain Vindex set the example of springing into the sea, the others following him as soon as they were thoroughly equipped.
The negroes remained in the boat awaiting their return.
A depth of about three yards and a half did not give them a very great submersion.
To be supplied with condensed air, to be armed, and well lighted up by the sun was delightful. They walked along the bottom of the sea, easily seeing the smallest object on all sides of them.
After some little walking they came to several oyster banks, from which the shells containing the valuable pearls were dragged by the hands of the divers.
There were millions of them, and the mine seemed inexhaustible.
They could not stop to examine everything, for it was necessary to follow the captain everywhere.
The road was uneven; sometimes Mont could raise his arm and put his hand out of the water;at others, he was descending a slope, and the sun's rays were not so vivid.
Everything became more obscure, and great shells were seen sticking to curiously shaped rocks.
After a time a large grotto appeared before them, dimly lighted.
The captain entered, followed by the rest of the party, the professor eagerly taking note of everything.
Stump carried his harpoon, which was a good deal longer than himself; and the two boys eagerly looked for pearls, as if they expected to find them lying at their feet.
Descending an inclined plane, Captain Vindex stopped and pointed out an object which they had not hitherto perceived.
It was an oyster of gigantic size.
Lying alone upon the granite rock, it took up a large space, and never had the professor even heard of such a huge bivalve.
The shells were open a little, as if the oyster was feeding, which enabled the captain to introduce his knife.
Keeping the two shells open by both ends of his knife, he pushed back the flesh of the oyster and revealed a pearl as big as a small cocoanut.
It was a pearl worth at least a hundred thousand dollars.
Mont advanced to the oyster, and stretched out his hand as if he would have seized the pearl, but he was disappointed.
By a sudden movement the captain withdrew his knife, and the two shells came together with a sharp snap.
Satisfied with showing them this treasure of the deep, he turned round, and retraced his steps, leaving the precious pearl behind them.
Incomprehensible man, he was now more than ever a mystery to our hero.
He allowed them to seek and take numerous other pearls, but would not let them touch that he had shown them.
Again they wandered along the bottom of the sea, beholding many things worthy of observation.
Sometimes the bank was so shallow that their heads came above the water; at others they sank several yards below.
Suddenly the captain stopped, and by a movement of his hand ordered the party to conceal themselves behind a projecting rock.
He pointed to the liquid mass in front of them, and all followed with their eyes the direction indicated.
About five yards off a shadow came between the party and the rays of the sun.
Mont thought of the "sea butcher," as the divers of Ceylon call the shark, and trembled a little at the idea.
But he deceived himself, for this time he had nothing to fear from the monster of the ocean.
A living man, an Indian, as black as ink, shot through the water, doubtless an early fisher for pearls.
The bottom of his canoe could be seen up above, a few feet beyond his head.
Arriving at the bottom, which was about five yards deep, he fell on his knees, let go the stone he had held between his feet to sink with morerapidity, and began to rake up the oysters from the bank with both hands.
A cord was around his waist, the other end being attached to his boat, and this he pulled at when he wanted to rise.
To his loins was attached a little bag, into which he put the oysters as fast as he could gather them.
The Indian did not see anyone, and if he had he would have been so alarmed at the strange spectacle of curious-looking beings walking at ease at the bottom of the sea that he would quickly have retired.
Several times he remounted and plunged again, not getting more than a dozen oysters at each dip.
It appeared as if he risked his life for very little return, as in a score of oysters he might not find a pearl worth having.
All at once, while on his knees, he made a gesture of terror, and seized his rope to ascend to the surface.
A gigantic mass appeared close to the wretched diver.
It was a huge shark, which advanced diagonally toward him, his terrible jaws open wide.
The Indian threw himself on one side and avoided the bite of the shark, but not the action of his tail.
Mont thought he heard the jaws snap, but he had not much time to think, as he saw the diver thrown down by a blow of the animal's tail and stretched upon the ground.
All this was done in a few seconds, and then the shark returned, lying upon his back, in order the better to bite and divide the Indian in halves.
Mont was about to rush forward to attempt to save the miserable wretch's life, when he was pushed rudely back by Captain Vindex.
In his hand he held a knife, and was evidently prepared to battle for his life against the shark.
The latter, just about to seize the Indian and snap him up, perceived his new adversary and, replacing himself upon his belly, directed himself rapidly toward him.
He waited coolly the attack of the shark, which was one of the largest of its species, and when itcharged him, he stepped quickly aside and plunged his knife into its belly up to the hilt.
Then commenced a fearful combat.
The shark began to bleed dreadfully, tinging the sea in such a manner as to hide the two in a sea of blood.
As the water cleared a little, Mont saw the captain, caught by one of the creature's fins, stabbing at it as fast as he could, but not being able to give it a deathblow. The shark lashed the sea with fury, and almost prevented the professor and his friends from keeping their footing, though they were some distance off.
Neither the professor, Mont, nor Carl dared to go to the help of the captain, for it seemed as if the shark would bite them in two, and they lost their presence of mind for a time.
But Mont soon recovered, and then, catching Stump's harpoon, he darted forward to do his best.
With his teeth set, he precipitated himself toward the shark, and struck it a terrible blow in the flank.
Again the sea was saturated with blood.
The shark agitated the water with indescribable fury, for our hero had not missed his aim.
It was the death agony of the monster.
Stricken to the heart, he struggled gallantly, but was powerless for further evil.
As the immense creature was dying, Mont pulled the captain from under him, and at the same moment the Indian, coming to himself, detached the stone from his feet and shot upward.
Following the example of the pearl diver, the captain struck the ground with his heels, as did the others, and all were soon at the surface.
The Indian had regained his canoe, but he was lying at the bottom in a half-fainting condition.
Satisfying himself that the poor fellow would live, and was not seriously injured, the captain signaled to his companions to descend, leaving the Indian gazing at them with haggard eyes, thinking he had seen some supernatural beings.
Walking as fast as they could along the bottom of the sea, they came in time to the anchor of their boat, reascended to the surface, and, taking their seats, removed their head-cases with a feeling of relief.
The negroes immediately began to row back to theSearcher.
Captain Vindex was the first to speak.
"Thank you, my lad," he said, extending his hand to Mont.
"It's nothing," rejoined our hero bluntly; "you saved my life when we were wrecked, and I have now saved yours with my harpoon. We are equal now, and I owe you nothing."
A sickly smile sat on the captain's lips for a second, and that was all.
"Lay to it!" he cried to his men. "Pull to theSearcher."
At half-past eight in the morning they were again on board of the ship, having been absent a little more than three hours.
To Mont the captain was more difficult to understand than ever.
He had risked his own life to save that of a poor Indian whom he had never seen before, and was never likely to see again.
This showed that he could not have a bad heart.
His heart was not entirely dead, whatever his faults might be.
As if the captain guessed Mont's thoughts, he observed to him at the bottom of the staircase on board the ship:
"That Indian belonged to an oppressed race. I also am one of the oppressed, and to my last breath I shall continue to be so. You recognize now the bond of union between us?"
The ship again continued her way, traveling toward the Persian Gulf.
If Captain Vindex wanted to visit Europe, it was clear that he would have to go around the Cape of Good Hope, but that did not appear to be his design.
He went direct to the Red Sea, and, as the Isthmus of Suez was not then pierced by a canal, there was no outlet to the Mediterranean.
This puzzled the professor very much.
One morning the captain sought his prisoners, and said to the professor:
"To-morrow we shall be in the Mediterranean."
Mr. Woddle looked at him with astonishment.
"Does that surprise you?" he continued, with a smile.
"Certainly it does, though I thought I hadgiven up being astonished since I have been on board your ship."
"You are a man of science; why should you be astonished?"
"Because you must travel with the speed of lightning almost to East Africa and round the Cape of Good Hope."
"I did not say I was going to do so," replied the captain.
"You can't go overland, since there is no canal through the Isthmus of Suez——"
"But one can go under land," interrupted the captain.
"Under land," answered the professor, holding up his hand.
"Undoubtedly," said Captain Vindex calmly. "For a long while nature has made underneath this tongue of land what men are trying to do now on the surface."
"Does there exist a passage?"
"Yes, a passage or tunnel, which at fifty feet depth touches a solid rock."
"How did you discover it—by chance?"
"No," said the captain. "I guessed that sucha tunnel existed, and I have been through it several times."
"Well," said the professor, "we live to learn. Our fathers never dreamed of gas, of railways, of telegraphs, and I did not suspect the existence of your wonderful ship."
"Shortly, my dear sir," said the captain, "your children—that is to say, the next generation—will travel through the air in flying machines; your railway engines will own electricity as their motive power. There is no end to scientific discovery; the world is in its infancy. We are just emerging from barbarism. Wait and watch, that's my motto. You must not be surprised at anything in these days."
"You are right—we are on the march," said the professor.
The day passed, and at half-past nine theSearcherrose to the surface to receive her supply of air.
Nothing disturbed the silence but the cry of the pelican and other birds of the night, with the occasional sound of the escaping steam of a steamer traveling toward the Far East.
Mont could not rest below, and at once ascended to the platform to breath the fresh air. In the darkness he saw a pale light, discolored by the fog, which burned about a mile off.
"A lighthouse," he said.
The captain was by his side, and quietly replied:
"It is the floating lightship of Suez."
"We are near the mouth of the tunnel, I suppose? Is the entrance easy?"
"No," said Captain Vindex, "it is difficult. I always steer the ship myself, and if you like to come into the wheelhouse with me I will show you the way. In a moment theSearcherwill sink, and we shall not rise till we are in the Mediterranean."
Mont followed the captain into the pilot's cabin, which was at the bow of the vessel, the wheel working the rudder by long chains carried aft.
The cabin measured six feet square, four round windows of thick plate-glass enabled the helmsman to see on all sides, and the electric light, thrown well forward, made everything as clear as day.
A strong negro, with an eye like a hawk, was at the wheel, but he gave the spokes to the captain and fell back.
"Now," exclaimed the Wizard of the Sea, "let us search for our passage."
Electric wires communicated with the engine room, so it was easy to communicate directly with the engineers by pressing a knob of metal.
Touching this knob, the speed of the screw lessened considerably.
For about an hour the ship passed by a bank of sand, which was varied by rocks, on which Mont saw all kinds of sea weeds, coral formations, and curious fish agitating their fins in alarm at the apparition of theSearcher.
At half-past ten a long and large gallery appeared in front, black and apparently deep.
The ship entered this gloomy tunnel boldly, and an unaccustomed rushing sound made itself heard against the sides, which arose from the waters of the Red Sea rushing into the Mediterranean.
Following the current with the speed of an arrow, the ship made its way, though the engineswere reversed and the screw went backward to abate the velocity of its progress.
A single false turn of the wheel, and theSearcherwould have been dashed to atoms against the ironlike rocks on each side, above, and below.
Mont held his breath.
He could see nothing but the foaming waters, made transparent by the electric light.
Half an hour later the captain gave up the helm to the negro, and, turning to our hero, exclaimed:
"We are in the Mediterranean."
In less than half an hour the ship, carried by the current, had traversed the Isthmus of Suez.
The next morning they came to the surface, and were able to breathe the fresh air again.
Stump was in high spirits when he found that they were near civilization again, because he thought they had a chance of escaping, and this idea was always uppermost in his mind.
He spoke to his companions about it, and they all agreed to follow him if a good opportunity offered.
The ship traveled leisurely along the Mediterranean, often rising in sight of land and lying like a log upon the water.
In the evening it was the custom of the prisoners to play at checkers, dominoes, or some game they liked; and after the fourth day in the Mediterranean, Stump, instead of putting the games on the table, shut the door, and, in a mysterious way, exclaimed:
"I've squared the nigger!"
"Which?" asked Mont.
"Number One. He as waits upon us. His real name's Smunko. I've found that out. Me and he's firm friends. I've told him I want to bolt, and he says he shan't let on to the skipper, or any of them, though they are all a lot of spies."
"Perhaps he's one, too," observed the professor, smiling.
"Not he, sir," answered the boy; "Smunko's right enough. He's going to keep all the other chaps quiet, some dark night, when we are near the land. Then we are to go on the platform and swim for our lives."
"A very good arrangement, if it can be carried out," remarked the professor. "But I fear your friend Smunko is not to be depended upon."
Stump was indignant.
"The fact is," went on the professor, "I don't want to discourage the lad, but I have no wish that he should do anything rash, and involve us in a mess. The captain might doom us to solitary confinement. At present we are treated liberally, if we are prisoners."
"All right, sir," replied Stump, "I'll turn it up as far as you are concerned. If Master Mont likes to come with me, all well and good; if not he can let it alone. I know my game, and I mean to stick to it."
"Don't show your nasty temper, Stump," said our hero.
"Aint being cooped up here like a turkey in a pen, fatting for Christmas, enough to rile abishop?" asked the boy. "But I shan't say no more. When all's ready I'll give you one more chance, and if you aint with me, I'm off alone."
It was impossible to check Stump's will. The only one who had any influence over him was Mont.
He was a boy rudely brought up, unaccustomed to control his passions, and having a decided character, but to our hero he was deeply attached.
The next day the ship floated near an island, which the professor declared to be the Isle of Cyprus.
In the evening Stump whispered to Mont:
"Now, sir, all's ready. Smunko's piping off the other blacks; we're not a quarter of a mile from the land."
Mont's heart beat high.
"Tell the others," he said.
"No; let you and I go together."
"I can't leave Carl, and the professor is one of us."
In this Mont was firm.
He would not leave theSearcherwithout Carl and the professor.
So the two were told that all was ready.
"Come on, now," said Mont. "We must not lose our chance."
With the valuable pearls they had secured in the Indian Ocean in their pockets, the others followed Mont to the deck.
All hearts beat loudly.
"There is a boat!" whispered Carl. "Come on."
He dropped into the sea, and the others did the same.
Not far away floated a log, and to this they clung.
They paddled with their hands, and were soon some distance away from the submarine monster.
Then they cried for help.
The boat they had seen came in their direction.
They were seen, and the natives from the island let out a shout.
Then suddenly Captain Vindex appeared on the deck of theSearcher.
He shook his fist at the party.
Stump laughed at him; the others waved him off.
"She is going down!" cried Mont. "Quick, pull for the shore, before you are wrecked!"
The natives did not like the looks of the strange submarine ship, and they pulled with all strength.
By the agitation in the water the party knew theSearcherwas after them.
But the shore was gained, and they were safe.
Then came a fearful shock.
In his eagerness to catch them Captain Vindex had allowed theSearcherto run into the rocks.
The submarine craft shot out of the water, and then——
Bang! Boom! Crash!
It was as if heaven and earth were splitting in twain.
The whole island shook, and all in the boat fell flat.
TheSearcherhad been blown to atoms.
The air was filled with flying bits of iron and steel.
Of course all on board were instantly killed.
It was a long while before Mont and his companions recovered.
"Out of it at last, thank Heaven!" murmured Professor Woddle, and all said "Amen."
A month later the little party returned to the United States.
Mont's widowed mother was overjoyed to see him alive, and Carl's parents were equally elated, and so were the many friends at Nautical Hall.
The pearls were equally divided, and to-day all of the party are rich men.
"But I wouldn't take another such trip," says Mont. "No, not to pick up all the hidden treasures of the ocean. After this I'm going to remain at Nautical Hall and take the balance of my sea training on land. I've had all I want of such submarine ships as theSearcher, and such mysterious men as was the Wizard of the Sea."
Transcriber's NotesObvious punctuation errors repaired.The original text did not include a table of contents. One was created for this html version.The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text willappear.
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
The original text did not include a table of contents. One was created for this html version.
The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text willappear.