ous flaw. There
is no certainty in human affairs. All we can say is that, when we
consider the thousands of divers who are daily employed all over the
world, accidents of the kind you have just witnessed are not numerous.
If I were to refrain from going down because this accident has occurred,
I might as well refrain evermore from entering a railway-carriage. We
_must_ risk something sometimes in our progress through life, Mr
Hazlit. It was intended that we should. Why were we gifted with the
quality of courage if risk and danger were never to be encountered?"

The screwing on of the bull's-eye put a stop to further remark, and a
few seconds later our hero went over the side, while Ram-stam, smiling
benignant indifference as to the event which had so recently happened,
steadily performed his duty.

As Mr Hazlit and Aileen watched the bubbles that rose in multitudes to
the surface, the former repeated to himself, mentally, "Yes, we must
risk something sometimes in our progress through life." He went on
repeating this until at last he followed it up with the sudden
reflection:--"Well, perhaps I _must_ risk my daughter's happiness in
this youth's hands, even though he _is_ penniless. He seems an able
fellow; will, doubtless, make his way anywhere. At all events it is
quite evident that he will risk his life anywhere! Besides, now I think
of it, he said something about lending me some hundred pounds or so.
Perhaps he is not absolutely penniless. It is quite certain that I am.
Curious sentiment that of his: `We must risk something sometimes.' Very
curious, and quite new--at least exhibited to me in quite a new light."

While Mr Hazlit's mind ran on thus, and his eyes dreamily watched the
bubbles on the surface of the sea, our hero was grubbing like a
big-headed goblin among the wreckage at the bottom.

He moved about from place to place in that slow leaning fashion which
the resistance of water renders unavoidable, but he found nothing
whatever to repay him for his trouble. There were beams and twisted
iron-work, and overturned guns, and a few bales, but nothing that bore
the least resemblance to boxes or bags of money.

One or two large cases he discovered, and forced them open with the
crowbar, which Maxwell had dropped when he was struck insensible, but
they contained nothing worth the labour of having them hoisted up. At
last he was about to leave, after a careful search of more than an hour,
when he es