t
me to die up here?"

He had no sooner spoken than a flap beside him opened and a railing came
up as if by magic.

Half the body of a strong, wiry, thick-bearded man appeared. He held a
curious wire net.

The net fell over Mont's head, and he felt himself dragged over the
railing and down into the interior of the iron shell.

A cry of terror broke from his companions, answered by a smothered yell
from Mont, as the flap fell back and shut out any further view of the
interior.

Our hero had vanished.

This removal, so brutally executed, was accomplished with the rapidity
of lightning.

Dr. Woddle felt his hair stand on end, and as for Carl and Stump they
were chilled to the marrow of their bones with fear.

"What have they done with him?" Carl asked.

"Your friend is the first victim," replied the professor. "Perhaps they
mean to eat him. For my part, they may eat me as soon as they like;
anything is preferable to this."

"I wish I could get at them," replied Stump. "I'd soon have Master Mont
out."

The words were scarcely out of his mouth when the trap door opened
again, and the servant was dragged down below in a similar manner.

"Really this is very extraordinary," said the professor; "two of us are
gone. We are no doubt in the hands of pirates, wretched rovers of the
sea, who have brought science to their aid. It is to be hoped----"

The door opened while he was speaking and a long arm twining round his
waist dragged him too into the heart of this floating prison.

His legs kicking up ludicrously in the air attracted the attention of
Carl, who could not refrain from laughing, miserable though he was.

"My turn next," muttered the youth.

He was not long kept in suspense.

The long net twined, snakelike, round him, and he too descended into the
bowels of the infernal machine.

Mont's experience was that of all of them.

He had descended an iron ladder and was pushed into a room, the door of
which shut to with a heavy bang.

In ten minutes they were all together in the same compartment.

The darkness of their prison was so intense as to prevent our hero
seeing his hand before his face.

Thus it was impossible to guess where they were, or even to tell if they
were alone or not.

"This is an outrage," said the doctor. "I protest against it. Is the
author of a dozen immortal works to be treated like a naughty
schoolboy?"

"We're prisoners," remarked Mont, "and it's no use hallooing. They'r