Then he saw the startling scene which had induced Wade’s declaration.
The storm had swooped3 down upon the schooner4 like a foul5 fiend. One brief glimpse of her fate was had.
She was seen to keel over with the force of the blast. Then her sails were in ribbons and her foremast snapped like a pipestem.
The next moment she was on her beam-ends. Then the black cloud shut her from view.
The next moment the storm struck the Sea Diver. What followed was ever after like a dream.
The hurricane almost blew the staunch little boat out of 8the water. Enormous seas were hurrying and crashing over her deck.
Frank had ordered all into the cabin, and the doors and windows were closed hermetically. But the shock of the storm threatened to dash the little craft to pieces.
Frank saw the possibility of much damage being done, so he cried:
“Stand by the engines, Barney, I am going to send the boat down.”
Frank pressed an electric button. In a moment the Sea Diver sank below the surface.
Down she settled, and for a moment all was darkness aboard her. Then Frank pressed a small button.
In a moment every electric light aboard was in full blast. A wonderful scene was spread to view.
The depth of the sea at this point was not more than one hundred and fifty fathoms6, so that the voyagers very quickly came in sight of the bottom.
Unlike the bed of the Pacific or the Indian Oceans, the Atlantic is mostly devoid7 of coral reefs or reaches of white sand.
There was a vast area of mud and slime, with some few marine8 plants spread to view. Huge serpent-like eels9 wriggled10 through this, and myriads11 of dark-hued fish scurried12 away rapidly.
The scene was a sombre and by no means attractive one. Wade was not much impressed.
“Pshaw,” he exclaimed, in sheer disappointment, “so this is the home of the mermaid13 and the charm of the deep sea, of which we read such alluring14 accounts? Ugh! What a disillusion15!”
“Ah, but this is not a type of deep-sea regions,” replied Frank. “This is a dirty part of the Atlantic, but before we return I think you will see some beautiful sights. We shall find it different in the Caribbean.”
“I hope so,” replied the scientist, with disgust. “Certainly this is a horrible conception of deep-sea life, but I cannot help thinking of that vessel. Do you suppose she is weathering the storm?”
“It is a question,” replied Frank. “She was in very bad shape. However, let us hope that she will.”
“Amen to that. Is there nothing we can do to give her aid?”
“I fear not; at least until the storm abates16.”
“She may be at the bottom by that time.”
“That is possible. If afloat, however, she will be crippled and sorely in need of aid.”
The Sea Diver did not rest upon the muddy bottom, but was held in suspension about twenty feet from it. Frank’s 9purpose was to return to the surface as quickly as possible after the abating17 of the storm.
After an hour had passed it was ventured to ascend18. Frank took the wheel of the Diver and held her steady.
Up she went.
Soon she felt the motion of the sea’s surface. It was not rough, and Frank concluded that the hurricane had passed.
So he let the Diver leap up into daylight. The electric lights were shut off at the same moment.
Eagerly the voyagers swept the rolling expanse with their eyes. Not a sign of the schooner or any other vessel could be seen.
“She has gone to the bottom,” gasped19 Wade; “her fate is sealed!”
So it seemed. Frank procured20 his glass and scanned the vast expanse. He closed it, finally, saying:
“She has either gone down, or else the storm has blown her beyond our range of vision.”
“Do you believe the latter possible?” asked Wade.
“It is very likely.”
“I don’t know why it is,” said the scientist, “but I am mightily21 interested in that vessel. I would like to know her fate for a certainty.”
“Indeed!” exclaimed Frank, with some surprise. “Why more interested in her than any other craft we might meet?”
“I can hardly tell,” replied Wade, “but it is a certain fact that I am. I have some sort of a curious feeling that our career is in some manner intertwined with hers.”
Frank could not resist a laugh.
“Moonshine!” he said. “Your imagination is getting the best of you, Mr. Wade.”
The scientist shook his head.
“It may be all nonsense,” he said, “but we shall see.”
The sea was yet a trifle rough. The hurricane had swept away beyond the horizon and was quite out of sight.
The Sea Diver once more stood away on her course. In a little while matters had assumed the usual routine.
Barney was at work slushing the deck to get rid of the accumulation gained by the boat’s submersion. There were heaps of seaweed, great masses of jellyfish and other forms of marine life.
Pomp was in the galley22 preparing a smoking repast. He had opened a window to admit air, and Barney chanced to pass near it.
It was an ill moment for the Celt.
Pomp had mixed some dough23 for bread a short while before, and now had discovered that the yeast24 was unfit 10for use, and the bread as a result, was spoiled. This put the darky out of temper.
“I don’ see wha’ was de mattah wif dat ar yeast,” he grumbled25. “Kain’t seem to do nuffin’ wif it. Dere am all dat dough sp’iled. It meks me berry mad. Well, dere’s one fing it can make food fo’, an’ dat am de fishes. So here goes!”
The coon picked up the huge mass of dough and hurled26 it through the open window. He expected that it would land far out in the water. But it didn’t.
As luck had it, Barney was just passing that way. He came in a line with the window just in time to get that soft, sticky mass full in the side of the head.
The soft dough split around his skull27, with such force did it strike him, and stopped his ear, nostrils28 and eyes. The Celt went down as if struck by a cannonball.
For a second he was unable to realize what had happened. Pomp was for that brief instant aghast.
“Massy Lordy!” he muttered; “I done hit somebody!”
Then he ran to the window and looked out.
When he saw who it was and noted29 Barney’s comical plight30 he could not help but roar with laughter.
The Celt scrambled31 to his feet. His mop was at one end of the deck and his pail of suds at the other.
“Tare an’ ‘ounds!” he roared, as he put up his hands and felt the mass of soft dough, not knowing what it was, “it’s me brains they’ve knocked out av me! Howly murther! It’s kilt I am! It’s kilt I am!”
Then he chanced to uncover one eye and saw Pomp in a paroxysm at the galley window. He glanced down at his hand, which was full of dough.
Well, the transition was brief. A madder Irishman old Neptune32 never bore upon his heaving bosom33.
With angry hands Barney tried to claw the dough from his mop of red hair. Of course, it only clung the worse.
He managed to get his eyes clear and his ear, then he made the air blue about him.
“Howly shmoke, but I’ll have the heart av yez fer that!” he roared, “yez black-skinned ape, yez! Have at yez! I’ll tache ye to insult a gintlemin!”
“Hi—hi—hi! Massy Lordy!” howled Pomp, “dat am de berry funniest fing!”
“Yez think it funny eh?” roared Barney. “Well, yez won’t think that way whin I git done wid yez!”
“Ho—ho—ho! hi—hi—hi!”
“Phwat do yez mane by threating me thot way?” roared Barney, trying to claw the dough out of his hair.
“How yo’ fink I know yo’ was gwine to get hit?” cried Pomp. “Wha’ yo’ git in de way, fo’?”
11“Do yez mane to say yez didn’t throw that on purpose?”
“Course I didn’. I was goin’ to frow it into de sea when yo’ head cum along an’ jes’ got in de way.”
“Arrah, an’ that’ll do very well fer yez to say,” cried the Celt, “but if yez think I belave it——”
“Shuah, it’s de troof,” protested Pomp.
“I’ll tache yez to hit me wid a doughball an’ thin lie about it aftherwards,” roared the Celt. And then he made a dive for the window.
But Pomp clashed it shut in his face. The Celt rushed around to the galley door.
But the darky shut the bolt in this, and for the time was master of the situation. But, though baffled, Barney was not defeated.
He retired34, vowing35 the direst of vengeance36. It took an hour’s hard work to get the clinging dough out of his hair.
Nor did he get any sympathy from any one. When Frank and Wade heard the story they laughed heartily37. This made Barney only the madder.
“Be me sowl!” he muttered, “I’ll more than aven it up wid that black rascal38. Shure, I’ll tache him manners!”
How Barney accomplished39 his purpose we shall see at a later day.
The Sea Diver kept on its course for the rest of that day.
Night finally shut down, dark and moonless. But with the searchlight it was easy for the Diver to travel, with no fear of a collision.
She was rapidly nearing Key West, and would the next day be in Gulf40 waters. The air was fresh and delightful41, and the voyagers sat out on deck until a late hour.
While thus enjoying themselves, suddenly Barney sprung up.
“Shure, sor!” he cried, motioning to Frank, “there’s a lot of colored loights over there. Phwat do yez make av it?”
“A vessel in distress42!” exclaimed Frank, as he scrutinized43 the distant signals. “Do you suppose it was our schooner?”
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1
wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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3
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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7
devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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8
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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9
eels
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| abbr. 电子发射器定位系统（=electronic emitter location system） | |
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10
wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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11
myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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12
scurried
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
mermaid
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| n.美人鱼 | |
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alluring
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| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
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disillusion
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| vt.使不再抱幻想，使理想破灭 | |
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16
abates
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| 减少( abate的第三人称单数 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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17
abating
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| 减少( abate的现在分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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18
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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20
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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23
dough
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| n.生面团；钱，现款 | |
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24
yeast
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| n.酵母；酵母片；泡沫；v.发酵；起泡沫 | |
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25
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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26
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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27
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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28
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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31
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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32
Neptune
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| n.海王星 | |
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33
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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34
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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37
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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38
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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39
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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40
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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41
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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42
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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43
scrutinized
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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