Barney cut a caper in the sand, and Clifford fairly embraced Frank.

“Hurrah!” he cried. “Success is bound to be ours!”

“It looks like it!”

“If the galleon is under us we have only to dig down to her deck level, and then find our way into her cabin.”

“Just so!”

“How is the sand?”

“Judging from the size of the mast and the point at which she is broken off, I should say not more than four or five feet.”

“Why, it will take no time to dig down that far.”

“It ought not to.”

“Here goes!”

Having a spade also, Clifford began to dig with Barney. In a very few moments the blades struck something solid. The sand was scraped away, and boards were revealed.

“The ship’s deck!” cried Clifford, half insane with glee. “Hurrah! Now we have hit it!”

Quickly they cleared a space of several feet. To the surprise 32of all the timbers seemed as well preserved and sound as ever.

“That is remarkable!” cried Frank, “after a lapse of two centuries. There must be some preservative element in the water here!”

“Indeed I thought of that myself,” declared Clifford, “it seems to be more buoyant and of a different quality from ordinary sea water. And there is a peculiar substance in the sand which is uncommon!”

An effort would have been at once made to cut a section of the deck away had it not been for an incident quite unforeseen.

They were just at the angle of quite a high reef.

Around this suddenly five men appeared in diving suits with ropes and life lines.

They were the Aurelian divers. Each one carried a heavy ax and a spade. They paused at sight of the three divers from the Dolphin.

For a moment not a move was made by either party. Then Clifford leaned forward and shouted to Frank:

“They are Parker’s men!”

“Yes!”

“What do you think their game is? Will they trouble us?”

“I am sure of it, if they think we have discovered the galleon.”

“They must know that we have.”

“Yes.”

“Look! They are menacing us! What shall we do?”

“There is but one thing to do,” declared Frank, grittily. “We must defend ourselves at all hazards!”

The five divers from the Aurelian were handicapped somewhat more than their rivals on account of the life lines.

But this did not deter them from making a threatening move just the same.

They advanced with excited gestures. The foremost, Frank fancied, was Parker himself.

The young inventor was not a little disturbed as to what the outcome of the affair would be.

If blows were resorted to, then there must be loss of life. This was something which Frank always deprecated.

He could not endure the thought of destroying these men, though they meant to destroy him.

It was an easy matter to cut their life lines and terminate their existence in a brief moment.

And yet the horror of the thing held him enthralled.

The divers advanced threateningly, evidently confident that they could drive away the three men with their superior

33But this was not so easy.

Frank and his companions stood side by side.

“Do not strike unless we are really attacked,” he declared, “then do not take their lives if you can help it.”

The foremost of the Aurelian’s men made a dive at Frank.

The young inventor struck the fellow over the helmet with the flat end of his spade.

The shock laid him out senseless; but another followed him.

This one struck Clifford to his knees. But Barney went to the rescue and saved the explorer’s life.

A quick blow from the Celt’s spade dashed the diver over senseless. The other three drew back.

It was now even up. Barney was spoiling for a fight.

He shook his spade and rushed toward the three divers. But at that moment one of them apparently became terrified and pulled on the danger line.

In an instant they were twirled upward and out of sight. The insensible ones also went.

For a moment our divers stood spellbound. Then they placed their helmets together, and Clifford shouted:

“Hurrah! a victory for us!”

“They evidently got more than they bargained for,” said Frank.

“Begorra, it’s a moighty lucky thing fer them that they went!” cried Barney. “Shure I wud soon have laid thim............