he box was sent up as before, and now Edgar was convinced that Rooney
Machowl and his comrade David Maxwell--unlike their sleepy-headed
companion--were busy at work.

Thousands of pounds' worth of property is saved in this manner by divers
every year--not only on the coasts of England, but all over the world,
where-ever human enterprise and commerce have touched, or costly ships
gone down.

As we have said, a large portion of the cargo of the _Seagull_ had
already been recovered. During the process a healthy spirit of
emulation had arisen among the men as to which of them should send up
most of the sunken property. Rooney and Maxwell were confessedly the
best divers among them, but the rivalry between these two had
degenerated, on the part of Maxwell, into a spirit of jealousy. Under
the influence of this, even Rooney's good-nature had to some extent
given way, and frequent disputes and semi-quarrels were the result. But
these quarrels were always made up, and the two were soon as good
friends as ever.

At this time, however, while Edgar Berrington stood watching them, these
two men seemed to have found an apple of discord of unusual size--to
judge from the energetic display of feeling which it occasioned. Edgar
never ascertained what the bale in dispute contained, but he saw them
appear rather suddenly and simultaneously, dragging it between them.
The violent gesticulations of the two showed that their spirits were
greatly roused, both having evidently resolved to claim and keep
possession of the bale. At last one of them struck the other a severe
blow on the chest, which, though it did not hurt him, caused him to
stumble and fall. From his smaller size Edgar judged the striker to be
Rooney. Before the other could recover, he had fastened his slings to
the bale, and given the signal to hoist--intending to go up with it, but
Maxwell caught him by the legs and attempted to drag him off, whereupon
Rooney kicked as hard as his suspended position would admit of, and in
his struggles kicked in one of the glasses of his comrade's helmet. The
water instantly began to rush in, and he would certainly have been
suffocated had he not signalled quickly, and been hauled up to the
surface without delay. At the same time Rooney Machowl signalled to be
hauled up in haste, and appeared on deck of the attendant vessel, in
dreadful anxiety as to the consequence of his violent conduct under
water.

But Maxwell was not seriou