up with difficulty over his
spreading shoulders, but they could not hitch up an idea along with it.
The forcing of his hands through the tight india-rubber wrists of the
sleeves was done with tremendous power, but it was nothing compared with
the energy he put forth to force himself through his mental difficulty--
yet all in vain! The outside stockings and the canvas "overalls"
followed, and he finally put on the red night-cap, which seemed to
extinguish all capacity for thought.

"You seem to be a little nervous, sir," remarked one of the attendants,
as he affixed the back and chest weights, while the other put on his
ponderous boots.

"Am I,--eh!" said Edgar, with a grim smile; then he added, as a sudden
idea flashed on him; "go fetch me the dirtiest bundle of waste you can
find below, and give it a good scrape on the blackest part of the boiler
as you pass."

"Sir!" exclaimed the attendant.

"Go; do what I bid you." said Edgar, in a tone that did not brook delay.

The attendant vanished and speedily returned with the desired piece of
waste.

Edgar at once rubbed it over his face and became so piebald and hideous
that both the attendants laughed.

Not heeding them, and only half sure of the completeness of the
disguise, Edgar issued boldly from his cabin, and walked with heavy
tread towards the place where he had to sit down to have the helmet
screwed on.

A loud roar of laughter greeted him.

"Why, you've been kissing the funnel," exclaimed one of the mates.

"That'll do me no harm," growled Edgar, stooping to catch hold of the
air-tube, and making an excuse for sidling and backing towards his seat.

"Oh! What a fright! And _such_ a figure!" exclaimed Lintie; "come
round, let us try to get a nearer view of him."

She dragged the laughing Aileen with her, for she was an impulsive
little woman; but at whatever opening in the crowd she and her friend
presented themselves, they were sure to find the diver's ridiculously
broad and now inelegant back turned towards them.

"Plague on him!" she exclaimed, for she was an impatient little woman,
just then, "I don't believe he's got a front at all! Come round again--
quick."

"Why, what are you turning about like that for?" exclaimed one of the
exasperated attendants, who stood ready with the helmet.

"His head's turned wi' fear, an' he's a-follerin' of it," growled the
boatswain.

"Why don't you sit down?" said the attendant.

"Are you ready?" asked