Darker grew the water underfoot as the light from above was diffused6 to the greater depths. Dennis had gone down from the quarter-deck of the Pelican7; this, according to the soundings, would bring him to the sea-floor at the after end of the front half of the wreck8. He could thus see whether the contents of the Simpson's main-hold, aft of which she had broken in two, lay piled upon the sea-floor between the two sections of the wreck. If so, the work of salvage9 would be greatly hastened. Pontifex, in the meantime, was exploring the bows and fore10 hatch of the wreck.
Down went Tom Dennis into the depths, in a seemingly interminable descent. Suddenly a huge shadowy black mass seemed rushing at him from below, and swift terror sent his heart throbbing11; for he felt very helpless. Then he remembered—the wreck, of course! The regular "click-click" of the pumps, sounding down through his air-valves, reassured12 and heartened him. An instant later he stood upon the bottom.
He wondered that there was very little growth or algae13 to obstruct14 him, until he realized that what little algae he could see were bending far over in the grip of a fairly strong sub-surface current, which, combined with the intense coldness of the water, had a discouraging effect upon marine15 growths. The bottom was not smooth, however, being extremely rocky and uneven16.
The Simpson had apparently17 broken just abaft18 the engine-room, and the fore half lay with her sloping deck toward the shore. Dennis had come to the bottom close to her keel, and he was no long time in discovering that spilled over the sea bottom lay almost enough cargo19 to fill up the Pelican.
Having brought a line ready prepared, Dennis got the bight around a packing-case plastered with barnacles. As he was drawing it taut20, came a jerk upon his lifeline—the signal that his agreed "stint21" was up. Having no wish to be crippled or laid on the sick list, Dennis responded, and at once was hauled off the bottom.
His ascent22 was very slow, and of necessity; for a quick jerk up from the depths would ruin any man alive. The progression had to be gradual and halting.
On the way up, it occurred to him for the first time that he was literally23 in the hands of his enemies!
The moment he was in the morning sunlight again, Tom Dennis forgot his uneasiness and laughed at the terror which had seized upon him in the depths. It was absurd.
He did not go down again that morning, however.
Dennis was nearly clear of his diving-suit before the Skipper's copper24 helmet broke the water amidships. Pontifex reported that the bow plates of the wreck were torn out, and he had lined two cases; these were brought in, together with that which Dennis had secured, and were at once smashed open. The two cases from the fore hold proved to contain ammunition25; that from the main hold, two excellently packed machine-guns.
This was enough for Pontifex, who at once conjectured26 that the main and after holds of the Simpson had contained the bulk of the machine-guns, the most valuable part of her cargo. Corny at once broke out a kedge, lowered it to the stern of his boat and hung it there by a stop to the ring, then started off to the stern of the Simpson. Once laid among the rocks in the shallower water there, the crew tramped around the capstan while Bo's'n Joe lifted "Windy weather! Stormy weather!" into a resounding27 chorus.
At last it was done. The Pelican, all reconnaissance over, lay snugly28 ensconced between the two sections of the John Simpson. The off watch went below, curiosity appeased29 by the barnacled unromantic packing-cases; and Captain Pontifex fell to hard work, going down again almost at once.
Dennis took charge of the after pumps, while the Missus herself took the wheel of those in the waist. The Kanakas, only prevented from diving naked by the depth and the icy coldness of the water, were eager to try the diving-suits. As each man went down in turn, he carried four lines, making them fast to as many cases. Thus, despite the brief diving spells, in no long time the cases began to come aboard as fast as they could be handled.
When the watch knocked off at eight bells, noon, Dennis was amazed by the number of cases which had come aboard. He was dead tired, also; the constant strain of watching the pump gauges30 and keeping the air at exactly the right pressure was no light one, and at odd moments he had tailed on to the lines with the other men.
"I see you're no greenhorn," commented Pontifex at dinner, with a sharp glance at the hands of Dennis. "Where'd you learn to keep your thumb clear while hauling a line?"
"Oh, I've knocked around ships a little," Dennis laughed. "Are you going to stay in this position?"
"Yes. If the Japs come, we're fixed31 to keep 'em off both ends of the wreck. Well, think you can go down again this afternoon?"
Dennis nodded. "Sure! I'm supposed to have a bad heart, but I haven't noticed it."
As it chanced, however, he did not go down again that day, for during Mr. Leman's watch the after airhose developed a leak which had to be fixed, and the second apparatus32 was consequently out of business until the following morning. Pontifex, who took the first dog-watch, kept the one suit hard at work, and all aboard were well satisfied with results.
That night, by the light of a huge flare33 set atop the try-works, the cargo was stowed. Shears34 had to be run up over the hatchways to handle the heavy cases, and the deck was not washed down until just before the morning watch. When Dennis came on deck at 4 a.m. the ship was incased in so heavy a fog that the lookout35 was withdrawn36 from the island.
"Dis fog, maybe she keep up a week," grumbled37 Corny, overhauling38 the diving lines. "If de Jap sheep come, den1 look out!"
The stern of the wreck, which had been hidden at high tide, was again being uncovered. So thick was the fog that Dennis doubted the possibility of diving, but his doubts were soon set at rest. Corny and the skipper, each carrying lines, made a descent, and Corny returned with word that it was a "cinch".
Pontifex was still down, and Dennis was preparing to get into the suit as Corny vacated it, when of a sudden the voice of the Missus bit out from the waist.
"Keep quiet, all hands! Listen!"
Astonished, Dennis obeyed. Corny, beside him, stood with hand cupped to ear, slowly shaking his head. Nothing was to be heard, The fog was impenetrable.
"What did she hear?" murmured Dennis. The Cape39 Verde man shook his head.
"No telling. But nobody don't fool her—ah! Listen, queek!"
Dennis heard it then—an indistinct and muffled40 vibration
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CHAPTER X THE WRECK
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