of his lifeline with his left hand, give it a single
tug to indicate that all was right, and then settle himself more
comfortably to continue his submarine slumbers!

Our hero gave vent to an uncontrollable burst of laughter, which,
however, resounded so horribly in his ears that he checked it suddenly
and began to consider what he should do in order to punish the idler.

Remembering to have heard it said that divers might communicate with
each other with their voices by bringing their helmets into contact, so
that the sound should vibrate through both, he resolved to test this and
try an effect. Hooking the lantern to his belt behind, in such a way
that its light was concealed, he kneeled down beside the diver--who, he
had no doubt, was the Jem Hogg mentioned to him by Baldwin--and rested
his helmet on the rock, in such a way that the side of it was brought
into contact with the back of Jem's head-piece. No sooner did it touch
than the snoring became audible. Feeling assured, therefore, of
success, our hero drew in a long breath and gave vent to a Red-Indian
yell that rendered himself completely deaf. Its effect on the sleeper
was electric. Edgar could just hear the beginning of a responsive yell
of terror when Jem's springing up separated the helmets and produced
silence. At first the scared man stood up and stared right before him
in a state of wild amazement, while Edgar took care to stand directly
behind him, out of sight. A man in a diving-dress cannot turn his head
round so as to look over his shoulder. When he wishes to see behind him
he must needs turn round. Seeing nothing in front to account for the
alarming sound, Jem began to turn, but Edgar knew that this motion would
have the effect of twisting their lines and pipes together. He
therefore seized Jem suddenly round the chest, and, being a much larger
and stronger man, held him like a vice in the grasp of his left arm
while he pommelled him heartily with his right all over the back and
ribs. At the same time he punished him considerably with his knees, and
then, a sudden fancy striking him, he placed his helmet against that of
Jem, and began to laugh, howl, and yell like a maniac, the laughter
being rendered very real and particularly effective owing to the shrieks
of terror which he then heard issuing from the horrified diver. Not
content with this he seized his lantern and passed it smartly in front
of his victim's front-glass, in the hope tha