.

Plans had been in progress for some time, among the fish-folk and
their human subjects, to send an expedition to the surface. And now
the shark masters had fortunately been able to secure alive an actual
specimen of the surface folk--namely, George Abbot. The expedition was
accordingly postponed until they could pump out of the young scientist
all the information possible.

Abbot was naturally overjoyed at the prospect. This would not only get
him out of here--but think what it would mean to science!

The plans of the sharks were entirely peaceful. Furthermore there were
only about two hundred of their laboratory-bred synthetic human
beings, and so these could constitute no menace to mankind.
Accordingly he enthusiastically assured them that they could depend
upon the hearty cooperation of the scientists of the outer earth.

* * * * *

During all his stay so far in this cave city, Abbot had been permitted
to come in contact only with Milli, the members of the Committee of
Five, and an occasional guard or laboratory assistant. Yet, in spite
of the absence of personal contacts with other members of this strange
race, Abbot was constantly aware of a background of many people and
tense activity, which kept the wheels of industry and domestic economy
turning in this undersea city.

Although the young man readily accustomed himself to the speech and
food and customs of this strange race, his personal modesty and
neatness revolted at the loin-cloths and beards of the men; and so, by
special dispensation, he was permitted to wear his sailor suit and to
shave.

The Committee of Five, who constituted a sort of ruling body for the
city, interviewed him at length, cross-examined him most skilfully and
took copious notes. But there seemed to be a strange lack of common
meeting ground between their minds and his, so that very often they
were forced to call on Milli to act as an intermediary. The beautiful
young girl seemed able to understand both George Abbot and the leaders
of her own people with equal facility.

A number of specially constructed submarines had already been built to
carry the expedition to the surface. Before it came time to use them,
Abbot tried to paint as glowing a picture as possible of life on
earth; but he found it necessary to gloss over a great many things.
How could he explain and justify war, liquor, crime, poverty, graft,
and the other evils to which constant ac