Edgar looked anxiously at his companions face, but received no encouragement there, for Baldwin kept his eyes on the ground, and shook his head slowly.
If the old gentleman has forbid you his house, of course you mustnt go into it. However, it seems to me that you might cruise about the house and watch till Sus Aileen, I meancomes out; but I dont myself quite like the notion of that either, it dont seem fair an above-board like.
You are right, returned Edgar. I cannot consent to hang about a mans door, like a thief waiting to pounce on his treasure when it opens. Besides, he has forbidden Aileen to hold any intercourse with me, and I know her dear nature too well to subject it to a useless struggle between duty and inclination. She is certain to obey her fathers orders at any cost.
Then, sir, said Baldwin decidedly, youll just have to go afloat without sayin good-bye. Theres no help for it, but theres this comfort, that, bein what she is, shell like you all the better for it.Now, here we are at the pier. Boat a-hoy-oy!
In reply to the divers hail a man in a punt waved his hand, and pulled for the landing-place.
A few strokes of the oar soon placed them on the deck of a large clumsy vessel which lay anchored off the entrance to the harbour. This was the divers barge, which exhibited a ponderous crane with a pendulous hook and chain in the place where its fore-mast should have been. Several men were busied about the deck, one of whom sat clothed in the full dress of a diver, with the exception of the helmet, which was unscrewed and lay on the deck near his heavily-weighted feet. The dress was wet, and the man was enjoying a quiet pipe, from all which Edgar judged that he was resting after a dive. Near to the plank on which the diver was seated there stood the chest containing the air-pumps. It was open, the pumps were in working order, with two men standing by to work them. Coils of india-rubber tubing lay beside it. Elsewhere were strewn about stones for repairing the pier, and various building tools.
Has Machowl come on board yet? asked Baldwin, as he stepped on the deck. Ah, I see he has.Well, Rooney lad, are you prepared to go down?
Yis, sur, I am.
Rooney Machowl, who stepped forward as he spoke, was a fine specimen of a man, and would have done credit to any nationality. He was about the middle height, very broad and muscular, and apparently twenty-three years of age. His countenance was open, good-humoured, and good-looking, though by no means classicthe nose being turned-up, the eyes small and twinkling, and the mouth large.
Have you ever seen anything of this sort before? asked Baldwin, with a motion of his hand towards the diving apparatus scattered on the deck.
No sur, nothin.
Was you bred to any trade?
Yis, sur, Im a ship-carpenter.
An why dont you stick to that?
Bekase, sur, it wont stick to me. Theres nothin doin apparently in this poort. Annyhow I cant git work, an Ive a wife an chick at home, whove bin so long used to praties and bacon that their stummicks dont take kindly to fresh air fried in nothin. So ye see, sur, findin it difficult to make a livin above ground, Im disposed to try to make it under water.
While Rooney Machowl was speaking Baldwin regarded him with a fixed and critical gaze. What his opinion of the recruit was did not, however, appear on his countenance or in his reply, for he merely said, Humph! Well, well see. Youll begin your education in your noo profession by payin partikler attention to all that is said an done around you.
Yis, sur, returned Machowl, respectfully touching the peak of his cap and wrinkling his forehead very much, while he looked on at the further proceedings of the divers with that expression of deep earnest sincerity of attention whichwhether assumed or genuineis only possible to the countenance of an Irishman.
During this colloquy the two men standing by the pump-case, and two other men who appeared to be supernumeraries, listened with much interest, but the diver seated on the plank, resting and calmly smoking his pipe, gazed with apparent indifference at the sea, from which he had recently emerged.
This man was a very large fellow, with a dark surly countenancenot exactly bad in expression, but rather ill-tempered-looking. His diving-dress being necessarily very wide and baggy, made him seem larger than he really wasindeed, quite gigantic. The dress was made of very thick india-rubber cloth, and allfeet, legs, body, and armswas of one piece, so perfectly secured at the seams as to be thoroughly impervious to air or water. To get into it was a matter of some difficulty, the entrance being effected at the neck. When this neck is properly attached to the helmet, the diver is thoroughly cut off from the external world, except through the air-tube communicating with his helmet and the pump afore mentioned.
Have ye got the hole finished, Maxwell? said Baldwin, turning to the surly diver.
Yes, he replied shortly.
Well, then, go down and fix the charge. Here it is, said Baldwin, taking from a wooden case an object about eighteen inches long, which resembled a large office-ruler that had been coated thickly with pitch. It was an elongated shell filled to the muzzle with gunpowder. To one end of it was fastened the end of a coil of wire which was also coated with some protecting substance.
As Baldwin spoke Maxwell slowly puffed the last draw from his lips and knocked the ashes out of his pipe on the plank, on which he still remained seated while the two supernumeraries busied themselves in completing his toilet for him; one screwing on his helmet, which appeared ridiculously large, the other loading his breast and back with two heavy leaden weights. When fully equipped, the diver carried on his person a weight fully equal to that of his own bulky person.
Now look here, Mister Edgar, an pay partikler attention, Rooney Machowl. This here toobe, made of indyrubber, dee see? (Yis, sur, from Rooney) I fix on, as you perceive, to the back of Maxwells helmet. It communicates with that there pump, and when these two men work the pump, air will be forced into the helmet and into the dress down to his very toes. We could bust him, if we were so disposed, if it wasnt for an escape-valve, here close beside the air-toobe, at the back of the helmet, which keeps lettin off the surplus air. Moreover, there is another valve, here in front of the breast-plate, which is under the control of the diver, so that he can let air escape by givin it a half-turn when the men at the pumps are givin him too much, or he can keep it in when theyre givin him enough.
An what does he do, asked Rooney, with an anxious expression, whin they give him too little?
He pulls on the air-pipe,as Ill explain to you in good timethe proper signal for more air.
But what if he forgits, or misremimbers the signal? asked the inquisitive recruit.
Why then, replied Baldwin, he suffocates, and we pull him up dead, an give him decent burial. Keep yourself easy, my lad, an youll know all about it in good time. Ill soon give ee the chance to suffocate or bust yourself accordin to taste.
Come, cut it short and look alive, said Maxwell gruffly, as he stood up to permit of a stout rope being fastened to his waist.
You shut up! retorted Baldwin.
Having exchanged these little civilities the two divers moved to the side of the bargeMaxwell with a slow ponderous tread.