_forced_ into his dress, so that
the pressure of water outside the dress was met and counteracted by the
pressure of air inside. This highly condensed air of course tended to
crush the diver, as did the water, but with this important difference,
that the air entered his lungs, wind-pipe, ears, nose, etcetera, and
thus prevented these organs from collapsing, and confined the absolute
pressure to their walls of flesh so to speak, and to the solid muscular
parts of his frame. Maxwell, being a very muscular man and tough, was,
as we have said, able to stand the pressure on these parts better than
many men. When, therefore, the air-tube burst--which it happened to do
at a weak point just a foot or so above water--the diver's dress was
instantaneously crushed tight round him in every part, the air was
driven completely out of it, and also largely out of poor Maxwell's
body!

The moment he appeared at the surface it was seen that he was
insensible, for he swung about by his life-line and tube in a helpless
manner.

Seeing this, Edgar, who had anxiously watched for him, got out on the
ladder and passed the loop of a rope under his arms. It was quickly
done. He was laid on deck and the bull's-eye was unscrewed by Rooney,
who instantly exclaimed, "He's dead!"

"No, he's not; I see his lips move," said Joe Baldwin, aiding Edgar to
unscrew the helmet.

This was soon removed, and a frightful sight was revealed to the
spectators. Maxwell's face and neck were quite livid and swelled out to
an almost bursting extent; blood was flowing profusely from his mouth
and ears, and his eyes protruded horribly, as if they had been nearly
forced out of their sockets.

It is right to observe that the helmet worn by Maxwell on this occasion
was an old-fashioned one which, in the haste of departure from
Hong-Kong, they had taken with them instead of one of their new ones.
Most of the helmets now in use possess a valve which shuts of itself in
the event of the air-tube bursting, and prevents the air from being
crushed out of the dress. A dress full of air will, as we have already
said, keep a man alive for at least five minutes. He has time,
therefore, to reach the surface, so that danger from this source is not
nearly so great as it used to be.

Such restoratives as suggested themselves to the chief onlookers were
applied, and, to the surprise of every one, the diver began to show
signs of returning life. In a few minutes he began t