ater bubbling up round him. That's
what it is--pumped away. I tell 'ee I'm off. I won't stop and see the
gashly work going on."

Just then there was a cry from one of the men by the gangway, for the
life-line was jerked.

"More air!" he shouted; and the men spun the wheel round faster; but the
line jerked again.

"There's something wrong!" shouted one of the others. "Here, lay hold
there--quick! Keep on there with that handle, stupids! Do you want the
man to choke? Pump, I tell you. Now, then, haul!"

"There, I told you so, Will," cried Josh, whose ruddy-brown face was
looking mottled with white. "I know'd the gashly old job was wrong.
Come away, boy, come away."

For answer, in his excitement Will thrust his arm aside and ran to the
line to help haul.

"No, no, my lad; stand aside," cried the man who seemed to be captain of
the diving-crew, and who was dressed for the work all but his helmet.
"Haul away, do you hear?"

The men were hauling hard, but the rope had come taut; and instead of
their bringing up the diver it was plain to all that the poor fellow had
got the line hitched round a piece of rock, or else one of his legs
wedged in some crevice of the rocks he was exploring.

"Shake the rope loose for a moment and haul again," cried the leader.

The men obeyed and then hauled again, but the line came taut once more;
and if they had hauled much harder it would have parted.

"Lend a hand here quick with that other helmet. Make fast there! I'll
go down and cast him loose. Here, quick, some of you!"

"He'll be a dead un afore you get to him," growled the skipper of the
lighter, "if you arn't sharp."

"I knowed it, I knowed it," whispered Josh hoarsely. "I see it all
along."

"Screw that on," panted the leader; "and you, Winter, stand by the
engine. Be cool. Now, the helmet. Hah!"

There was a loud crash just then as the trembling and excited man who
was handing the second helmet let it fall upon an iron bar lying upon
the deck, so injuring the delicate piece of mechanism that the men
stared at each other aghast, and Will's hands grew wet with horror.

"Is there a man here who can dive?" shouted the skipper coming forward
with a thin coil of line. And, amidst a breathless silence Will stepped
forward.

"No, no, he can't," shouted Josh excitedly; and then he stood
open-mouthed and with one hand clasping the other as he saw Will make a
rapid hitch in the line, throw it round his waist