ONERS.

For several minutes the master of the submarine monster gazed in silence
at those in the iron-bound cabin.

Stump stood shivering in a corner.

"Please don't kill us!" he cried. "I--I--didn't mean any harm."

The strange owner of the still stranger craft looked at Stump for a
moment, and then smiled faintly.

"Depart!" he cried to the negroes, and on the instant every one of the
heavily armed men vanished.

Sitting down on the edge of the table, with his arms crossed on his
powerful chest, this strange being seemed plunged in deep thought.

Our heroes regarded him with expectation, not unmixed with awe, for they
were entirely in his power.

Was he about to punish them for the indiscretion of one of their number?

At length he spoke in English.

"Gentlemen," he said, "you see I can speak your language. I did not
answer you at first, because I was undecided what to do with you. I am
well acquainted with the scientific works written by Dr. Woddle, and I
esteem it an honor to have made his acquaintance."

The professor bowed his acknowledgment of this compliment.

"I am also glad to see two intelligent young gentlemen like Mr. Folsom
and Mr. Barnaby."

"You've forgotten me, sir," said Stump. "I'm only an odd boy, but----"

The captain extended his arm, and the hired boy was silent.

"I'm a man," he continued, "who has broken with society and renounced
the world. Had you not molested me and fired at my vessel, I should not
have crippled your ship and upset your boat. The attack came from your
side."

"But, sir," answered the professor, "we took your ship to be some
unknown creature."

"Possibly, but this creature had done you no harm. I saw you all take
refuge outside, and I hesitated a long while what to do with you. I knew
nothing of you. What were you to me? Why should I extend my hospitality
to you? All that was necessary to break off your connection, was to give
a signal to my engineers, and the _Searcher_, which is the name of my
vessel, would have sunk to the bottom of the ocean. I had the right to
do it."

His hearers shuddered at this avowal.

"It seems to me that we are to be prisoners?" observed the professor.

"Certainly."

"But this is an outrage!" exclaimed Mont. "I demand to be put on shore
at the nearest port, or given up to the nearest ship we meet."

"You will none of you ever see the earth again, or set foot upon it,"
replied the captain with much emphasis.

"This fl