A purty pair of dancin pumps! remarked Rooney, turning out his toes, while Baldwin put on his breast-plate, after having drawn up the inner collar of the dress and tied it round his neck with a piece of spare yarn.
The breast-plate was made of tinned copper. It covered part of the back, breast, and shoulders of the diver, and had a circular neck, to which the helmet was to be ultimately screwed. It rested on the inner collar of the dress, and the outer collarof stout india-rubberwas drawn over it. In this outer collar were twelve holes, corresponding to twelve screws round the edge of the breast-plate. When these holes had been fitted over their respective screws, a breast-plate-band, in four pieces, was placed over them and screwed tight by means of nutsthus rendering the connection between the dress and the breast-plate perfectly water-tight. It now only remained to screw the helmet to the circular neck of the breast-plate. Previously, however, a woollen night-cap was drawn over the poor mans head, well down on his ears, and Rooney lookedas indeed he afterwards admitted that he feltas if he were going to be hanged. He thought, however, of the proverb, that a man who is born to be drowned never can be hanged, and somehow felt comforted.
The diving helmet is made of tinned copper, and much too large for the largest human head, in order that the wearer may have room to move his head freely about inside of it. It should not touch the head in any part, but is fixed rigidly to the breast-plate, resting on the shoulders, and does not partake of the motions of the head. In it are three round openings filled with the thickest plate-glass and protected by brass bars or guards; also an outlet-valve to allow the foul air to escape; a short metal tube with an inlet-valve, to which the air-pump is screwed; and a regulating cock for getting rid of excess of air. The arrangement is such, that the fresh air enters, and is spread over the front of the divers face, while the foul escapes at the back of his head. By a clever contrivancea segmental screwthe helmet can be fixed to its neck with one-eighth of a turn, instead of having to be twisted round several times. To various hooks and studs on the helmet and breast-plate are hung two leaden masses weighing about forty pounds each.
These weights having been attached, and a waist-belt with a knife in it put round Rooneys waist, along with the life-line, the air-tube was affixed, and he was asked by Baldwin how he felt.
A trifle heavy, replied the pupil, through the front hole of the helmet, which was not yet closed.
That feeling will go off entirely when youre under water, said Baldwin. Now, remember, if you want more air, just give two pulls on the air-pipean dont pull as if you was tryin to haul down the barge; well be sure to feel you. Be gentle and quiet, whatever ye do. Gettin flurried never does any good whatever. Dee hear?
Yis, sur, answered Rooney, and his voice sounded metallic and hollow, even to those outsidemuch more so to himself!
Well, then, if we give you too much air, youve only got to open the front-valveso, and, when youre easy, shut it. When you get down to the bottom, give oneonly onepull on the life-line, which means All right, and Ill give one pull in reply. We must always reply to each other, dee see? because if you dont answer, of course well think youve been suffocated, or entangled at the bottom among wreckage and what-not, or been took with a fit, an well haul you up, as hard as we can; so youll have to be particular. Dee understand?
Again the learner replied Yis, sur, but less confidently than before, for Baldwins cautions, although meant to have an encouraging effect, proved rather to be alarming.
Now, continued the teacher, leading his pupil to the side of the barge, be sure to go down slow, and come up slow. Whatever you do, do it slow, for if you do it fastespecially in comin upyoull come to grief. If a man comes up too fast from deep water, the condensed air inside of him is apt to swell him out, and the brain bein relieved too suddenly from the pressure, theres a rush of blood to it, and a singin in the ears, and a pain in the head, with other unpleasant symptoms. Why, continued Baldwin, growing energetic, Ive actually known a man killed outright by bein pulled up too quick from a depth of twenty fathoms. So mark my words, lad, and take it easy. If you get nervous, just stop a bit an amuse yourself with thinkin over what Ive told you, and then go on with your descent.
At this point Rooneys heart almost failed him, but, catching sight of Maxwells half-amused, half-contemptuous face, he stepped resolutely on the ladder, and began to descend in haste.
Hold on! roared Baldwin, laying hold of the life-line. Why, man alive, youre off without the front-glass!
Och! Whirra! So I am, said Rooney, pausing.
Pump away, lads, cried Baldwin, looking back at his assistants.
Whist! Whats that? asked the pupil excitedly, as a hissing sound buzzed round his head.
Why, thats the air coming in. Now then, Ill screw on the glass. Are you all right?
All right, replied Rooney, telling, as he said himself afterwards, one of the biggist lies he iver towld in his life!
The glass was screwed on, and the learner was effectually cut off from all connection with the outer air, save through the slight medium of an india-rubber pipe.
Having thus screwed him upor inBaldwin gave him the patronising pat on the helmet, as a signal for him to descend, but Rooney stood tightly fixed to the ladder, and motionless.
Again Baldwin patted his head encouragingly, but still Rooney stood as motionless as one of the iron-clad warriors in the Tower of London. The fact was, his courage had totally failed him. He was ashamed to come up, and could not by any effort of will force himself to go down.
Why, whats wrong? demanded Baldwin, looking in at the glass, which, however, was so clouded with the inmates breath that he could only be seen dimly. It was evident that Rooney was speaking in an excited voice, but no sound was audible through that impervious mass of metal and glass. Baldwin was therefore about to unscrew the mouth-glass, when accident brought about what Rooneys will could not accomplish. In attempting to move, the poor pupil missed his hold, or slipped somehow, and fell into the sea with a sounding splash.
Let him go, boysgently, or hell break everything. A dipll do him no harm, cried Baldwin to the alarmed assistants.
The men let the life-line and air-tube slip, until the rushing descent was somewhat abated, and then, checking the involuntary diver, they hauled him slowly to the surface, where his arms and open palms went swaying wildly round until they came in contact with the ladder, on which they fastened with a grip that was sufficient to have squeezed the life out of a gorilla.
In a few seconds he ascended a step, and his head emerged, then another step, and Baldwin was able to unscrew the glass.
The first word that the poor man uttered through his porthole was Och! the next, Musha!
A burst of laughter from his friends above somewhat reassured him, and again the tinge of contempt in Maxwells voice reinfused courage and desperate resolve.
Why, man, what was your haste? said Baldwin.
Sure the rounds o yer ladder was slippy, answered Rooney, with some indignation. Didnt ye see, I lost me howld? Come, putt on the glass an Ill try again. Never say die was a motto of me owld father, an it was the only legacy he left me.Im ready, sur.