and up the tube--or _vice versa_--and thus even though the
tube should get broken and filled with water, no evil result could
follow to the diver.

Suddenly Berrington was again arrested.

"Hallo!" shouted Baldwin.

"Hallo! Well?" was sent up in reply, and the voice that came from below
came out at the mouth-piece above, so soft and faint and
far-far-away-like that it seemed to Joe to belong to another world, and
had to be listened to attentively to be understood.

"D'you think you could read by the light of your lamp?"

"Yes, I'm sure I could."

"Look out then; I'm sending you down a copy o' the _Times_."

The youth looked up, and now perceived the advantage of the _fourth_
hole or window, just over the forehead, which is peculiar to the
Denayrouze helmet, most others having only three openings. He could
look up by merely raising his eyes, whereas with the other helmets it is
necessary to bend well back in order to get the front-glass to face
upwards. Afterwards he found that there were some who objected to this
glass on the ground that as divers when below, and in total or partial
darkness, are constantly butting their heads against beams and other
portions of wrecks, the upper glass would be in frequent danger of being
broken, but to this it was replied that it might be well guarded by
powerful cross-bars. The point we believe is still an open question.
At all events the upper glass was found useful on the occasion to which
we refer, for, looking up through it, our amateur diver saw a stone
coming down to him. It was lowered by a piece of twine, and tied to it
was an old _Times_ newspaper. Detaching and unfolding it Berrington set
his lamp on the sand, and, seating himself beside it, found that he
could read with perfect ease!

Intimating the fact to his friend above, he returned the paper and began
his explorations.

He had been lowered close beside the stern of the wreck, that he might
be as far as possible from the divers who were at work in the hold, and
had taken only half a dozen steps in the direction of it when its vast
bulk appeared above him, looming through the dark water like a darker
cloud. For some time he went carefully round it, minutely examining the
rudder and stern-post and the parts connected therewith, all of which he
found to be uninjured. Then, passing along the starboard side, he
proceeded in his inspection until he reached a point which he judged to
be nearly amidships. G