pped, and the dead-calm that followed,--
that feeling of unnatural quietude to which we have referred
elsewhere,--did more perhaps to arouse all the sleepers, readers, and
dreamers on board, than if a cannon had been fired. Of course the
descent of a diver over the side was a point of great interest to the
passengers, coupled as it was with some anxiety as to the leak, of the
existence of which all were fully aware, though only a select few had
been informed of its serious nature--if not checked. They crowded round
the apparatus therefore, and regarded its arrangement with the deepest
interest.

When all was ready Edgar issued from the deck-cabin, in which he meant
to dress, to take a final look at the air-pumps. In the flutter of
excitement he had for one moment, and for the first time since the
beginning of the voyage, totally forgotten the existence of Aileen.
Now, she and Lintie, the Scottish maiden who sang so well, chanced to be
looking with much interest at the helmet which lay on the deck, when his
eye fell on them. At once he turned on his heel and retreated towards
his cabin.

"That's the man who is to go down, I believe," observed one of the
passengers, pointing to him.

Lintie looked up and saw his back.

"Oh!" she whispered to Aileen, "it is the _very_ handsome man!"

"Is it?" replied Aileen, with indifference, for she was engrossed with
the helmet just then.

Greatly perplexed as to how he should escape observation, poor Edgar
began to dress--or, rather, to be dressed by his assistants,--delaying
the operation as long as possible; but delay did not seem to increase
his inventive powers, and could not prevent the completion of the
process.

The guernsey, drawers, and outside stockings were drawn on, and Edgar's
brain worked the while like the great crank of his own engine; but no
feasible plan of escape was evolved. Then the "crinoline" was drawn on,
but it added no feminine sharpness to his wits, though it seriously
modified and damaged the shape of his person. The crinoline, as we have
said elsewhere, is seldom used except at great depths, where the
pressure of water is excessive. It was put on Edgar at this time partly
because it formed a portion of the dress, and partly because, his mind
being preoccupied, he did not observe with sufficient care what his
attendants were about.

After this came the shoulder-pad, and then the thick dress itself was
drawn on, and the attendants hitched it