you take any risks."

"But you don't think there is any danger, Jack?" asked the younger boy, as
they prepared to lower him.

"No, if I did I would not let you go."

The boy got down safely enough, and called to Jack and Dick when he had
reached the bottom that he was all right, and then threw off the rope,
which had been put around him under his arms.

He called to them from time to time, his voice growing fainter every time
he called, and at last they could not hear him at all.

"I hope it is all right," murmured Jack when the boy had been gone a few
minutes. "I thought it would be when I let him go, but now----"

"It is all right," said the captain. "He is a plucky little fellow, and
there isn't anything that can happen to him. The rocks hold the vessel as
tight as a vise and there is no chance of her slipping back into the water
or anything of that sort."

"Well, I hope so, but somehow I begin to feel nervous, and wish that I had
not let him go down."

"Young Smith is all right, Jack," said Percival reassuringly. "He is not
afraid of anything, and really I don't believe there is anything to be
afraid of. There was not when we went down."

"No, but we are a couple of big boys, and he is only a midget. If anything
happened to him I should never forgive--listen, and see if you can hear
him coming."

"No, I cannot, but he has had hardly time to get there yet. Give him a
chance. He will want to see all there is, boy-like. Let him have a good
long look at the wonders of the place. He has never seen anything like it
before, and never will again."

Jack was very anxious in spite of Dick's cheering words, and the minutes
seemed like hours till at last, holding the rope in his hand he felt a tug
at, and then heard:

"Hello! Are you up there?"

"Yes!" shouted Jack. "Are you all right?"

"Sure I am. Wait till I get the rope under my arms. I've got a bag of the
stuff, as I said I would, but I don't think----"

"You don't think what?" asked Jack, thinking that he detected something in
the tone of the boy's voice that indicated danger of some sort.

"Nothing, wait till I get the rope fast."

"Very good. Take your time."

"All right," the boy called in a few moments. "I have got it. Haul away!"

They saw the light of the electric torch flashing upon them, as the boy
came nearer and nearer to them, and at last drew him out of the hole, Jack
noticing that he seemed quite pale, and then suddenly noticing that he