ears, caused by the ever-increasing density
of the air. The moment the valve was fully opened, a rush out of air
occurred which immediately sank him again, and he had now no difficulty
in getting on his knees.

"There's little enough light down here, anyhow," he muttered, as he
fumbled about the stone sinker in a vain attempt to fasten his line to
it, "sure the windy must be dirty."

The thought reminded him of Baldwin's teaching. He bent forward his
head and wiped the glass with his night-cap, but without much advantage,
for the dimness was caused by the muddiness of the water.

Just then he began to experience uncomfortable sensations; he felt a
tendency to gasp for air, and became very hot, while his garments
clasped his limbs very tightly. He had, like Maxwell, forgotten to
reclose the breast-valve, but, unlike the more experienced diver, he had
failed to discover his omission. He became flurried and anxious, and
getting, more and more confused, fumbled nervously at his helmet to
ascertain that all was right there. In so doing he opened the little
regulating cock, which served to form an additional outlet to foul air.
This of course made matters worse. The pressure of air in the dress was
barely sufficient to prevent the water from entering by the breast-valve
and regulating cock. Perspiration burst out on his forehead. He
naturally raised his hand to wipe it away, but was prevented by the
helmet.

Rooney possessed an active mind. His thoughts flew fast. This check
induced the following ideas--

"What if I shud want to scratch me head or blow me nose? Or what if an
earwig shud chance to have got inside this iron pot, and take a fancy to
go into my ear?"

His right ear became itchy at the bare idea. He made a desperate blow
at it, and skinned his knuckles, while a hitherto unconceived intensity
of desire to scratch his head and blow his nose took violent possession
of him.

Just then a dead cat, that had been flung into the harbour the night
before, and had not been immersed long enough to rise to the surface,
floated past with the tide, and its sightless eyeballs and ghastly row
of teeth glared and glistened on him, as it surged against his
front-glass. A slight spirt of water came through the regulating cock
at the same instant, as if the dead cat had spit in his face.

"Hooroo! Haul up!" shouted Rooney, following the order with a yell that
sounded like the concentrated voice of infuriated I