and not a sound was to be heard save the faint
moan of the wind in the rigging of the various craft in the harbour and
the lap of the water alongside: everybody seemed to have gone to bed,
except the anchor watch on board the men-o'-war--and they would probably
lie down and endeavour to snatch a cat-nap until the moment should come
round to again strike the bell. Carlos therefore thought the time
propitious; and, treading noiselessly in his rubber-soled deck shoes,
went below and quietly called Jack, Milsom, and Macintyre.

Macintyre was the first of the trio to appear on deck, for, his business
being in the interior of the boat, he had no special dress to don; the
pyjama suit in which he had been sleeping would serve as well as any
other, and he accordingly wore it. Walking forward with bare feet, he
slung himself over the rail, lay out on the boom, and, sliding down the
painter of the steam pinnace, got on board that craft--as a "blind" to
anyone who might perchance happen to have noticed his movements--and
from thence surreptitiously transferred himself to the interior of the
submarine--having already cast the boat adrift--which he immediately
sealed by fastening down the hood of the little conning tower. Then he
set the electric air-pump going, in order to store up for himself a
supply of air sufficient to last until the return of the boat. And
while this was doing he quietly dropped the boat astern until she lay in
the deep shadow cast by the overhanging counter of the yacht, where the
other two could board her without the slightest risk of being seen.

Some ten minutes later Jack and Milsom appeared on deck, each attired in
an improved Fleuss diving dress, by the use of which the necessity for
air-pumps and pipes was done away with. Each man wore a long, stout,
double-edged dagger in a sheath attached to his belt, as a protection
against possible attacks by sharks, with which the waters of the harbour
are known to swarm; while Milsom bore, in addition, a formidable lance
for the same purpose, or, rather, for the purpose of protecting Jack
while the latter worked. And each man wore, attached to his wrist by a
lanyard, a small, light steel bar, about four inches long, to enable him
to communicate with his companion--by means of the Morse code--by the
simple process of tapping on his helmet. They also carried, attached to
their belts, small but very powerful electric lanterns, the light of
which they could swi