n. "I began to suspect that, Tom, and I want to say that you
are wrong. Mr. Hardley is a friend of mine--a good friend. I have not
known him long, but he strikes me as being all right. He had some good
letters of introduction, and I believe he has money."

"Where'd he get it?" asked Tom.

"I don't know, exactly. Seems to me I heard him mention silver mines,
or it may have been gold. Anyhow, it had something to do with getting
wealth out of the ground. Now, Tom, I don't mind saying that I stand to
make a little money in case this thing goes through."

"How's that, Mr. Damon?" asked the young scientist in surprise.

"Why, I agreed to bear part of the expense," was the answer. "I thought
this was a pretty good scheme, and when Mr. Hardley came to me and told
me of the possibilities I agreed to help him finance the expenses. That
is, I have taken shares in the company he formed to raise his half of
the expense money.

"Of course I thought of you at once when he spoke of having to search
out a sunken wreck, and I proposed your name. He'd heard of you, he
said, but didn't know you. So I brought you together and now--bless my
apple pie, Tom! I hope you aren't going to turn down a chance to make a
million and, incidentally, help an old friend."

"Well," remarked Tom, slowly, "I must admit, Mr. Damon, that I didn't
think you'd go into a thing like this. Not that it is more risky than
other schemes, but I thought you didn't care for speculation."

"Well, this sort of appealed to me Tom. You know--sunken wreck under
the ocean, down in a diving bell perhaps, and all that! There's
romance to it."

"Yes, there is romance," agreed Tom. "And hard work, too. If I
undertook this it would mean an extra lot of work getting ready. I
suppose I could use my own submarine. I could get her in commission,
and make improvements more quickly than on any other."

"Then you'll go?" quickly cried the eccentric man.

"Well, since you tell me you are interested financially, I believe I
will," assented Tom, but he spoke reluctantly. "As a matter of fact, I
am going against my better judgment. Not that I fear we shall be in
danger," he hastened to add; "but I think it will prove a failure.
However, as Mr. Hardley will bear half the expense, and as by using my
own submarine that will not be much, I'll go!"

"Then I'll tell him!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Hurray! This is great! I
haven't had an exciting trip for a long while! Don't tell my wife a