ght for a while that my time had come, but it
wasn't so written. By the looks of things, I freed myself just in
time."

"Did you find out anything?" asked the detective eagerly.

"I did," replied Dr. Bird grimly. "For one thing, the gold is no longer
in the hold of the _Arethusa_."

"It's gone?"

"Clean as a whistle, every bar of it. A hole has been cut in the vault
around the combination, and the bars slid back and the door opened. The
gold has been stolen."

"Might it not have been stolen before the vessel sank?"

"The idea occurred to me of course, and I examined things pretty
carefully. I know that the theft occurred after the vessel sank."

"How could you tell?"

"For one thing, the hole was cut with an under-water cutting torch. For
the second, look here."

* * * * *

The Doctor rolled up his trousers and showed the detective his leg.
Carnes cried out as he saw huge purple welts on it.

"What caused that?" he cried.

"As I entered the vault, I stepped full into a steel bear trap which was
set there for the purpose of catching and holding anyone who entered.
Someone has visited the _Arethusa_, since she sank, and looted her, and
also arranged so that any diver who got as far as the vault would never
return to the surface to tell of it. Luckily for myself, I carried a
heavy wrench and was able to free myself. Most divers don't carry such a
thing."

"But who could have done it?"

"That's what we have got to find out, and we aren't going to do it down
here. Give the word to have us hauled up; and, Carnes, don't mention
anything about the looting of the vessel. Allow it to be understood that
I couldn't get into the hold. We'll head back for New York at once. I
want to have a few small changes made in this sphere before we use it
again. While I am doing that, I want you to get hold of the Coast Guard
or the Immigration Service or whoever it is that has the complete
records in that case of alien smuggling, by the Young Labor party. When
you get the information, report to me and we'll go over it. You might
also drop a hint to Captain Starley that will stop all further attempts
at salvage operations for a few days. Tell him that I'll arrange to have
a Coast Guard cutter guard the locality of the wreck."

"Won't that be rather risky for the cutter?"

"I think not. The gold is gone and there is no reason to apprehend any
further danger in that locality, at least for the pre