glass. Baldwin was therefore about to unscrew the mouth-glass, when
accident brought about what Rooney's will could not accomplish. In
attempting to move, the poor pupil missed his hold, or slipped somehow,
and fell into the sea with a sounding splash.

"Let him go, boys--gently, or he'll break everything. A dip'll do him
no harm," cried Baldwin to the alarmed assistants.

The men let the life-line and air-tube slip, until the rushing descent
was somewhat abated, and then, checking the involuntary diver, they
hauled him slowly to the surface, where his arms and open palms went
swaying wildly round until they came in contact with the ladder, on
which they fastened with a grip that was sufficient to have squeezed the
life out of a gorilla.

In a few seconds he ascended a step, and his head emerged, then another
step, and Baldwin was able to unscrew the glass.

The first word that the poor man uttered through his porthole was "Och!"
the next, "Musha!"

A burst of laughter from his friends above somewhat reassured him, and
again the tinge of contempt in Maxwell's voice reinfused courage and
desperate resolve.

"Why, man, what was your haste?" said Baldwin.

"Sure the rounds o' yer ladder was slippy," answered Rooney, with some
indignation. "Didn't ye see, I lost me howld? Come, putt on the glass
an' I'll try again. Never say die was a motto of me owld father, an' it
was the only legacy he left me.--I'm ready, sur."

It is right here to remark that something of the pupil's return of
courage and resolution was due to his quick perception. He had time to
reflect that he really had been at, or near, the bottom of the sea--at
all events over head and ears in water--for several minutes without
being drowned, even without being moistened, and his faith in the
diving-dress, though still weak, had dawned sufficiently to assert
itself as a power.

"Ha! My lad, you'll do. You'll make a diver yet," said Baldwin, when
about to readjust the glass. "I forgot to tell you that when your
breath clouds the front-glass, you've only got to bend your head down,
and wipe it off with your night-cap. Now, then, down you go once more."

This time the pat on the head was followed by a descending motion. The
mailed figure was feeling with its right foot for the next round of the
ladder. Then slowly--very slowly--the left foot was let down, while the
two hands held on with a tenacity that caused all the muscles and sinews
to st