ing out--that is
to say, Sir Reginald, Mildmay, von Schalckenberg, and Sziszkinski--
accordingly descended to the lowermost depths of the ship, and entered
the diving-room, leaving Lethbridge to entertain the two ladies and
little Ida by pointing out such objects of interest as were to be seen
from the tightly closed windows of the saloon.

Going at once to the cupboard labelled with Colonel Lethbridge's name,
the professor drew forth the diving-dress and very handsome suit of
diving-armour which it contained, and instructed his Russian friend how
to don first the dress and then the armour, Sir Reginald and Mildmay
meanwhile leisurely assuming their own proper suits; and when at length
Sziszkinski was completely equipped, von Schalckenberg quickly donned
his own suit, after which the quartette left the diving-room and entered
what they called the chamber of egress, carefully closing and securing
the door behind them. The water-tap was then turned on, and the chamber
gradually filled with water, which flowed in at the level of the floor,
and steadily rose about the four occupants until it was over their heads
and had reached to the ceiling. Then, having first ascertained that
everybody felt all right and quite comfortable, the professor opened the
trap-door in the ship's bottom, and the four men walked out over the
flap and found themselves treading the sandy floor of the ocean upon
which the ship rested.

They were now in the tunnel-like passage formed by the starboard
bilge-keel and the ship's hull, which curved out over them vast and
ponderous as an overhanging cliff. It was intensely dark here, though
at either extremity of the tunnel could be seen a small patch of sombre
green light, and they therefore switched on the electric lamps, which
were attached, _one_ to the helmet and one to the belt of each man; and
thus aided, they were enabled without difficulty to make their way out
to what Mildmay called the daylight.

Once there--that is to say, clear of the gloom of the overshadowing hull
of the _Flying Fish_--they were able to see with tolerable distinctness,
even without the assistance of their lamps, the depth of water being too
great for the surface disturbance to reach the bottom and stir up the
sand. The water, therefore, was clear and transparent, allowing the
light of the sun, already high in the heavens, to pass through and
somewhat dimly illuminate the ground upon which they walked with a soft,
gree