But what of the others?

What had happened?

Barney and Clifford were holding vigil at the opening to the hatchway. They were waiting eagerly for word from Frank Reade, Jr.

All of a sudden there was a blinding flash of brightest light, an awful roar and a shock.

Both men were lifted as if by a catapult and whirled away in surging masses of water.

They had instinctive sense enough to cling to each other through all.

It seemed an interminable length of time that they were tossed and hurled and carried through the water.

Then they sank and once more felt the bed of the ocean beneath them.

They lay upon the sands for some little while.

Then the water grew calm about them and they recovered themselves. They sat up and looked about.

The locality did not greatly differ from the one they had left.

It was the same expanse of sand and coral reef.

Their helmet lights made a limited circle of radiance about them. Beyond that all was darkness.

“Well,” exclaimed Clifford, placing his helmet against Barney’s, “what does this mean?”

40“Shure, sor; it beats me. I’m afther thinkin’ somethin’ blew up!”

“Oh, yes, there was an explosion.”

“Shure, sor.”

“But what was it?”

“I’m sthuck, sor.”

“Could it have been the Dolphin?”

Barney shook his head.

“I’ll niver believe that, sor. No, it’s my opinion that thim omadhouns av the Aurelian had the insthrumentality av it all.”

Clifford gave a start.

“I have it!” he cried.

“Phwat, sor?”

“It is the work of Parker. He dropped a torpedo down upon us. It’s a wonder that it did not kill us. If his aim had been true we should now be dead!”

The Celt looked his horror.

“Shure, an’ phwat av it sthruck the Dolphin?”

“I do not think it fell in that locality,” declared Clifford, “though I have no doubt the Dolphin felt the shock somewhat.”

Then Barney gave a wild start.

“But, shure, sor, it’s fools we are to be here an’ leave Misther Frank phwere he is.”

“That is right,” agreed Clifford. “We must go and look for him.”

With which they got upon their feet and looked about them.

Nothing was to be seen of the Dolphin or her searchlight. All was gloom about them.

But beyond the circle of their helmet lamps Clifford saw a white reef.

“The sunken galleon is on the other side of that,” he said; “the shock of the explosion carried us over here.”

“All roight, sor!” cried Barney, with alacrity.

So they set out for the reef. Below was a sandy plain, and they fancied they could see the excavation over the galleon’s deck.

But when they reached the spot it was not there. Nor was there anything at all familiar in the surroundings.

“Well,” muttered Clifford. “I can’t say that I like this. Let us look on further.”

41And this they proceeded to do.

From one spot to another they wandered. But each grew less familiar and the more strongly impressed the fact upon them that they were lost.

Hundreds of fathoms from the surface in very mid-ocean. What an awful reflection.

It held the two men aghast. Nothing but despair and death hung over them like a grim pall.

Meanwhile what of the Dolphin and Pomp and Hartley?

At the moment that the torpedo exploded Pomp was adjusting the searchlight, and Hartley was watching the operations of his friends in digging for the galleon.

“They have found it, Pomp!” he cried; “and Frank has gone down into it.”

“Golly! I done hope nuffin happen to him down dere!” cried the coon. “I’se drefful afeared ob gittin’ in some place laike dat whar yo’ never kin git out!”

“I share your fears, Pomp,” said Hartley. “Yet we must admit that Frank knows his business well.”

“Fo’ suah, sah!”

The words were barely out of Pomp’s lips when he saw a distant object come sliding down through the water.

“Wha’ ‘am dat?” he muttered, but said no more.

The instant the object touched the bed of the sea, there was a fearful, blinding flash, an awful boom and shock.

Then all was chaos and oblivion for a time.

The Dolphin was picked up as if it was a bubble, and hurled through the waters most violently.

It seemed as if it would never cease whirling, when there was a crash and a shock. Then Pomp found himself standing on his head in a corner of the cabin, and Hartley was jammed into another corner.

It was some moments before either recovered breath enough to speak.

Then suddenly the electric lights were paled by the light of day. Both glanced through the windows and saw that they were on the surface of the sea.

The Aurelian was seen some distance away.

“Jemina!” exclaimed Hartley as he gained his feet, “what on earth happened to us?&r............