ircular places, similar to those covering the coal-shoots in the
pavement of residential thoroughfares. Walls, ceiling, and floor were
covered with beads of moisture, but whether from condensation or
leakage Ross could not decide.

At the end of the corridor or alley-way was a steel water-tight door,
running in gun-metal grooves packed with india-rubber. The door was
closed.

Seizing the lever that served as a handle, Trefusis tried to turn it,
but without success. Failing that, he kicked the steelwork with his
heavy half-boots, yet no response came to his appeal.

"The fellow told me to call," he muttered airily. "What did he want to
play the fool for?"

Retracing his steps, Ross went to the other end of the alley-way.
There was barely room to pass his companion as he did so. The place
from which he had previously seen the reflected light was now shut off
by a door similarly constructed to the one that he had vainly attempted
to open. He was locked in a steel tomb that was itself a metal box
within a metal box--a water-tight compartment of the submarine.

"They might just as well have switched off the light while they were
about it," he exclaimed bitterly; then at the next instant he wildly
regretted his words. The idea of being imprisoned in that cheerless
compartment without a light of any description appalled him.

Almost frantically he returned to the door that had previously baffled
him. As he did so he became aware that the submarine was tilting
longitudinally. Since he was unaware of the direction of the craft,
and which was the bow or stern, he was unable to judge whether the
unterseeboot was diving, or ascending to the surface.

The incline became so great that he had to grasp the door-lever for
support. Turning his head, he saw that Vernon was hanging on grimly to
the partition between the tiers of bunks.

Then, as the vessel regained an even keel, silently and smoothly the
door slid back in its grooves, revealing a small space barely six feet
in length and five in breadth, and separated from the rest of the
vessel by a closed water-tight panel. Part of the compartment was
occupied by a bend, at which the seaman to whom he had previously
spoken was busily engaged in mending a rent in an oilskin coat.

"My friend is now awake," announced Ross.

The man laid aside his work.

"Good!" he replied. "He is just in time. I will bring him his food
and his clothes. After that you will both go