unbearable, the reflections from the oily swell and
wet deck hurt one's eyes, and Lister noted that the deck did not dry
until the sea breeze began to blow. The wind brought a faint coolness
and drove back the smell, but the men's efforts presently got slack. The
labor was exhausting and one must wear some clothes because the sun
burned one's skin. They held out until the rising water drove them from
the hatch and when they went back to the tug Brown looked thoughtful.

"The men can't keep it up; the thing's impossible! A week like this
would knock out the lot," he said. "We must use native boys and I'm
going to get some."

In the morning Lister took his first diving lesson, and when the big
copper helmet was screwed on and the air began to swell his canvas
clothes, he shrank from the experiment. The load of metal he carried was
crushing, he could hardly drag his weighted boots across the deck, and
at the top of the ladder he hesitated, watching the bubbles that marked
the spot where the diver had vanished. Then he remembered his promise to
Barbara and cautiously went down.

The dazzling sunshine vanished, a wave of misty green closed above the
helmet glass, hot compressed air blew about his head, and his ear-drums
began to throb. Then lead and copper lost their weight; he felt buoyant
and clung to the steps. At the bottom he was for a few moments afraid to
let go, but an indistinct, monstrous object came out of the strange
green gloom and beckoned him on. Lister went, making an effort for
balance, because he now felt ridiculously light. Then the reflections
were puzzling, for the light came and went with the rise and fall of the
swell. Yet he could see and he followed the diver until they stopped
opposite the wreck's port bilge. Her side went up like a dark wall,
covered by waving weed.

Lister's head ached and his breathing was labored, but not much pressure
was needed to keep out the shallow water and the diver had promised to
warn him when they had stayed long enough. He forced himself to examine
the plate the other indicated. _Arcturus_ was a butt-strapped vessel and
a number of the straps had burst. Plates were smashed and some of the
holes were large, but in places the iron was drilled and in others
patches had been bolted on. The salvage company had done part of this
work and he thought it possible to make the damage good. If they could
stop the remaining holes, the big pump ought to throw out the water; but