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UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 00022228750 
 
 THE 
 
 GAMMANS POETRY 
 
 COLLECTION 
 
 In Memory of 
 
 GEORGE H. GAMMANS, II 
 
 Class of 1940 
 
 First Lieutenant Army Air Corps 
 
 Distinguished Service Cross 
 
 Missing in Action January 15, 1943 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY OF 
 NORTH CAROLINA LIBRARY 
 

 t 
 
 ' u 
 
• 
 
 ' 
 
THE 
 WIZARD OF THE SEA 
 
 or 
 
 A Trip Under the Ocean 
 By ROY ROCKWOOD 
 
 Author of "A Schoolboy's Pluck," Etc. 
 
 A. L. BURT COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
Copyright, 1900 
 
 by 
 
 THE MERSHON COMPANY 
 
THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCING OUR HEROES. 
 
 " Hip, hurrah ! Hip, hurrah ! " 
 
 " Well.. I declare; Mont Folsom, what is the 
 matter with you ? " 
 
 " Matter ? Nothing is the matter, Tom, only 
 I'm going to a boarding school — just the best 
 place on the face of the earth, too — Nautical Hall, 
 on the seacoast." 
 
 " Humph ! I didn't know as how a boarding 
 school was such a jolly place," grumbled old Tom 
 Barnstable. " They'll cane ye well if ye git into 
 mischief, lad." 
 
 "Will they, Tom? What for? I never do 
 any wrong," and Mont Folsom put on a very 
 sober face. 
 
 " Jest to hear the lad ! Never do no mischief ! 
 
a THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Ha ! ha ! Why you're the wust boy in the town 
 fer mischief, Mont — an' everybody knows it. A 
 nautical school, did ye say. Maybe they'll take 
 ye out in a ship some time in that case." 
 
 " They do take the pupils out — every summer, 
 so Carl Barnaby was telling me. He goes there, 
 you know, and so does Link Harmer." 
 
 " Then you an' Carl will make a team — an' 
 Heaven help the folks as comes in your way," 
 added Tom Barnstable decidedly. 
 
 " But we are not so bad, I tell you, Tom," said 
 Mont, but with a sly twinkle in his bright eyes. 
 
 " Oh, no, not at all. But jest you tell me who 
 drove the cow into Squire Borden's dining room 
 and who stuffed the musical instruments of the 
 brass band with sawdust at the Fourth of July 
 celebration? You never do anything, you little 
 innocent lamb ! " 
 
 And with a loud guffaw the old character saun- 
 tered down the street toward his favorite resort, 
 the general store. 
 
 Montrose Folsom continued on his way. He 
 was a handsome youth of fifteen, tall and square- 
 shouldered, with a taking way about him that had 
 
INTRODUCING OUR HEROES. 3 
 
 made him a host of friends. He was the only son 
 of Mrs. Alice Folsom, a rich widow. 
 
 A moment after leaving Tom Barnstable,, 
 Mont reached the home of his particular chum, 
 Lincoln Harmer. Throwing open the gate, he 
 espied Link in the barnyard, and made a rush for- 
 ward. 
 
 " Hurrah ! hurrah ! hurrah ! " 
 
 " That settles it, Mont, you're going with me 
 next term ! " exclaimed Link, a bright fellow of 
 our hero's age. 
 
 " If I wasn't I'd sing a dirge instead of shout- 
 ing, Link. Yes, it's all settled, and I'll be ready 
 to start with you Monday." 
 
 " Your mother has written to Captain 
 Hooper?" 
 
 " Yes, and got word back in to-day's mail." 
 
 "Good!" 
 
 " I'm to buy a lot of things down to Carley's 
 store and then go home and start to pack up. 
 Come on." 
 
 Arm in arm, the two chums made their way to 
 the large general store, where Tom Barnstable 
 was again encountered. Here Mont purchased 
 
4 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 some extra underclothing his mother said he 
 needed. While he was at this Tom Barnstable 
 came close to him. 
 
 "When are ye goin' away?" he asked. 
 
 " Monday morning, six o'clock." 
 
 " Don't fergit the old man, Mont. We've 
 had lots of good times — fishin' an' huntin', ye 
 know." 
 
 That was Tom Barnstable, good-natured and 
 willing to do, but an absolute beggar at the 
 slightest chance. 
 
 " I won't forget you, Tom, not I," said the 
 merry-hearted lad. " Here you are," and he 
 slipped a shining dollar into the man's hand. A 
 moment later he called one of the store clerks 
 aside. 
 
 " Have you any of those April-fool cigars 
 left? " he whispered. 
 
 " Yes— just four." 
 
 " I'll take them." 
 
 The cigars bought and paid for, the boy put 
 three of them in an inside pocket and then turned 
 the fourth over to Tom Barnstable. 
 
 " Here, Tom, put the pipe away and have a 
 
INTRODUCING OUR HEROES. $ 
 
 real Havana to celebrate the parting," he said, and 
 the old man immediately did as requested. 
 
 The cigar burnt all right for just half a minute. 
 Then something began to bulge at the end. It 
 kept growing larger and larger, forming into 
 what is called a Pharaoh's serpent, three or four 
 feet long. 
 
 Tom Barnstable's eyes began to blaze. He 
 stared at Mont wildly. 
 
 " Who — what — what is that? " he stammered. 
 " Great Scott ! I've got 'em ! " 
 
 And, dashing the weed to the floor, he rushed 
 from the country store, with the boys' laugh ring- 
 ing in his ears. 
 
 " He'll remember you now, no doubt of that! " 
 said Link merrily. 
 
 The day was Saturday, and it was a busy one 
 for both Mont and Link, with packing trunks and 
 bags, and getting ready otherwise. 
 
 The Sabbath passed quietly enough, and five 
 o'clock Monday morning found the two boys on 
 their way to Nautical Hall. 
 
 The run of the train was to New York, and 
 here they fell in with their mutual chum, Carl 
 
6 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Barnaby, a rich young fellow from their town, 
 and several others who will be introduced as our 
 story progresses. 
 
 From the Metropolis the boys took another 
 train directly for the seacoast. At Pemberton 
 they had to change cars, and here they met several 
 more scholars of Nautical Hall. 
 
 " There is Ike Brosnan and Hoke Ummer ! " 
 cried Link. " Two of our fellows." 
 
 The newcomers were quickly introduced. Ike 
 Brosnan looked a whole-souled fellow and full of 
 fun. Hoke Ummer, on the other hand, seemed 
 of a decidedly sour turn of mind. 
 
 " Hoke is a good deal of a bully," whispered 
 Link, later on. " You want to steer clear of him." 
 
 " Thanks; he'll not step on my toes," returned 
 Mont firmly. " The first man who tries to haze 
 or bully me will get his fingers burnt." 
 
 " Oh, the boys will be sure to want a little fun. 
 You mustn't be too particular." 
 
 " I don't mean that — I mean they mustn't go 
 too far," replied Mont. 
 
 Little did he dream of all the hazings and larks 
 to be played ere that school term should be over. 
 
INTRODUCING OUR HEROES. 7 
 
 The journey to the seacoast was devoid of any- 
 special incident. The ride on the train was mag- 
 nificent, and all enjoyed it thoroughly. 
 
 Towards nightfall a landing was made not 
 many miles from Eagle Point. Here at the dock 
 a long stage was in waiting to take them to the 
 Hall. The four boys, along with a dozen others, 
 got aboard, and they moved off rapidly for Nau- 
 tical Hall, two miles distant. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. 
 
 Nautical Hall was a large building of brick, 
 stone, and wood situated at the top of a small hill. 
 In front was a level parade ground, and to one 
 side the grounds sloped down to the edge of a 
 small bay, while at the other they were flanked by 
 a heavy wood. 
 
 The institution was owned and managed by 
 Captain Hooper, an ex-army and -navy officer, 
 who looked to the military drill of the boys and 
 left the educational department to an able corps of 
 assistants. With the assistants and the gallant 
 captain himself we will become better acquainted 
 as our tale proceeds. 
 
 Mont soon became acquainted with nearly all 
 of the one hundred and odd boys who attended 
 Nautical Hall, and became the leader of a set com- 
 posed of himself, Link Harmer, Barry Powell, 
 another lively lad, Carl Barnaby, his old-time 
 
A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. 9 
 
 chum, Piggy Mumps, a fat youth, and Sam 
 Schump, a German pupil, as good-natured as can 
 possibly be imagined. 
 
 As soon as the boys arrived they were assigned 
 to their places. Mont was put in the room with 
 the crowd above mentioned. This room con- 
 nected with another, in which were installed the 
 bully, Hoke Ummer; Bill Goul, his toady, and 
 half a dozen of the bully's cronies. 
 
 " This room will get into a free fight with that 
 gang some day," was Barry Powell's comment, 
 after Schump, the German boy, had related how 
 the bully had treated him. 
 
 " Dot's it, mine gracious," replied Sam 
 Schump. " Ve vill git togedder an' show dem 
 vot ve can do., aint it ! " 
 
 Several days were spent in getting ready for the 
 term. Mont was placed in the first class, with 
 twenty others, and he was likewise put in an awk- 
 ward squad to learn the steps and manual of arms, 
 for the boys had regular military and naval exer- 
 cises. 
 
 As luck would have it, our hero was placed 
 under one of the assistant teachers, and fared very 
 
IO THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 well, but poor Piggy Mumps was put in a squad 
 under Hoke Ummer, who did all he could to make 
 the fat boy miserable. 
 
 " Eyes right ! Eyes left ! Front ! " shouted 
 Hoke. " Why don't you mind, you clown ! " he 
 added to poor Piggy, who was in a sweat to do 
 as ordered. 
 
 " Vot you say, eyes right an' den eyes left, ven 
 da vos right ? " asked Piggy innocently. 
 
 " Silence ! Eyes right ! Eyes left ! You 
 clown, can't you twist your eyes, or are you too 
 fat? " roared Hoke. 
 
 " Ton't vos call me a clown, you — you un- 
 chentlemanly poy ! " cried Piggy wrathfully, 
 when without warning Hoke fell upon him and 
 hit him a blow on the neck. 
 
 This was too much for Piggy, and he ran out 
 of the line and closed with the bully. But he was 
 no match for the big boy, and Piggy would have 
 been severely punished had not Hoke been caught 
 by the shoulder and hurled backward against a 
 wall. 
 
 " Let him alone ! " came in the voice of Mont. 
 " You have no right to touch him, Hoke Ummer." 
 
A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. II 
 
 " Haven't I, though ? " sneered the bully. " Do 
 you suppose I'm going to be made a fool of by a 
 lump of fat like that ? You clear out, or I'll give 
 you a dose, too ! " 
 
 " You can try it on any time you please," re- 
 plied our hero quietly. 
 
 " A fight ! A fight ! " exclaimed half a dozen at 
 once, and the awkward squad was broken up on 
 the instant. 
 
 " A fight? " repeated the bully. " He'll get a 
 thrashing — that's all it will amount to. Come 
 on down to the woods if you want to have it 
 out." 
 
 " I'm willing to meet you," returned Mont, and 
 started along, followed by Piggy, Link, and a 
 dozen others. 
 
 But scarcely had the boys gone a rod before the 
 belfry bell rang out loudly five times. 
 
 That was the signal for assembly on the parade 
 grounds. 
 
 " Hullo, we can't go now ! " cried Link. 
 " Boys, you'll have to postpone that mill till 
 later." 
 
 " I'll meet you after assembly," growled Hoke 
 
12 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Ummer, under his breath, as Captain Hooper put 
 in an appearance. 
 
 " I'll be ready any time," rejoined our hero. 
 
 " Boys, we are to have visitors in fifteen 
 minutes ! " shouted out Captain Hooper. " Atten- 
 tion ! The captains will form their companies on 
 the campus and a salute will be fired as the visi- 
 tors enter the grounds." 
 
 Orders were quickly passed, and inside of five 
 minutes the boy cadets were drawn up in long 
 lines, with the officers of the two companies in 
 their proper places. 
 
 The visitors were old friends of the captain 
 who had come to the Hall merely out of curiosity. 
 As their carriages approached, a cannon was run 
 out, and Link and several others were detailed to 
 fire it off. 
 
 Link chose Mont to assist, and before long all 
 was in readiness to touch her off. 
 
 " Here they come! " shouted somebody. 
 
 " Stand ready to fire ! " sang out Captain 
 Hooper, in true military style. " Steady, boys, 
 now — I expect all to make the best possible ap- 
 pearance. Fire!" 
 
A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. 13 
 
 Link touched the cannon off, while our hero 
 and several others stood close at hand. 
 
 Bang! 
 
 The report was terrific. The old cannon was 
 overcharged, and was blown into a thousand 
 pieces, which flew in all directions. 
 
 Both Link and Mont were hurled flat, and 
 while the former was seen to stagger up again, 
 our hero lay as one dead ! 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE GREAT FIGHT. 
 
 "He is dead!" 
 
 "Run for the doctor!" 
 
 " A piece struck me, too ! " 
 
 " The cannon must have been overloaded ! " 
 
 Such were some of the cries which went up 
 after the awful explosion. 
 
 Captain Hooper stood close at hand, and in- 
 stantly went to our hero's assistance. 
 
 He caught the youth up in his arms and carried 
 him to a shady spot. 
 
 " Bring some water," he commanded, but water 
 was already at hand. With it he bathed Mont's 
 head. 
 
 For a minute there was an intense silence. 
 Then, with a quiver, the lad opened his eyes. 
 
 " Wha — what Did the cannon burst?" 
 
 he asked feebly. 
 
THE GREAT FIGHT. 1 5 
 
 " Hurrah! He's all right! " shouted Link joy- 
 fully, and inside of five minutes more Mont stood 
 up and gazed about him in wonder. 
 
 But he was too weak to take part in the review, 
 and while this went on sat in a rustic chair under 
 the oak tree, with several of the lady visitors by 
 his side. 
 
 The reception to the guests over, the cadets 
 were dismissed, and the crowd lost no time in dis- 
 persing. 
 
 Link remained with his chum, and both walked 
 towards the lake. 
 
 " How do you feel? " asked Link anxiously. 
 
 " Rather faint in the legs, to tell the truth," 
 was the reply. " But I guess I'll soon get over 
 it." 
 
 "Ready to do that fighting?" demanded a 
 rough voice at their elbow, and Hoke Ummer 
 ranged up at their side. 
 
 " For shame, Hoke, Mont isn't in condition, 
 and you know it," said Link. 
 
 " Oh, nonsense ! " growled the bully. " That 
 cannon affair was only a fake. He wasn't hurt a 
 bit." 
 
16 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA, 
 
 This remark angered our hero, and, stepping- 
 up, he faced the bully defiantly. 
 
 " I will fight you whenever you say," he said 
 stoutly. 
 
 A boy standing near heard the remark, and the 
 news spread like magic. 
 
 " A fight between Hoke and Mont. Come on 
 down to the woods." 
 
 The schoolboy cadets needed no second invita- 
 tion. A score started from the campus instantly. 
 
 They were about evenly divided as to who 
 would win. 
 
 The bully was known to be heavy and strong. 
 
 Yet our hero had shown lots of pluck. 
 
 In a corner of the grounds, shut out from view 
 from the school windows by a belt of trees, the 
 boys assembled to witness the conflict. 
 
 Mont prepared for the encounter, assisted by 
 Link. 
 
 Ummer, satisfied of an easy victory, placed him- 
 self in the hands of his toady and backer, Bill 
 Goul. 
 
 When the combatants were declared ready they 
 faced each other. 
 
THE GREAT FIGHT. 1 7 
 
 As Hoke looked into the unflinching eyes of 
 his opponent the smile of satisfaction he had 
 worn for the past few hours suddenly faded. 
 
 He could see he must do his best to win. 
 
 " But I'll mash him, see if I don't," he said to 
 his toadies. 
 
 "That's right, Hoke!" 
 
 " Show him what you can do." 
 
 Mont said nothing. 
 
 " He's a tough one," whispered Link. " Be- 
 ware of a foul." 
 
 " I'll have my eyes open." 
 
 The boys took off their coats and vests. 
 
 A ring was formed and our hero and the bully 
 got into position. 
 
 " Time ! " cried one of the older boys, and the 
 great fight began. 
 
 At first Mont was cautious, for he wanted to 
 take his opponent's measure, so to speak. 
 
 Sure of victory, the bully rushed at him, and 
 aimed a blow at Mont's nose. 
 
 Our hero ducked, and Hoke's fist only sawed 
 the air. 
 
 " That was a clean duck." 
 
1 8 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Land him one, Hoke ! " 
 
 " Go for him, Folsom ! " 
 
 Around and around the ring went the two 
 boys. 
 
 Then the bully aimed another blow at our hero. 
 
 As quick as a flash our hero warded it off. 
 
 Then out shot his fist, and the bully of Nautical 
 Hall got a crashing blow in the chin that knocked 
 him clean off his feet. 
 
 What a yell went up ! 
 
 " Hoke is knocked out ! " 
 
 " Did you ever see such a blow ? " 
 
 Wild with rage, the bully was assisted to his 
 feet by several friends. 
 
 The blood flowed from his chin and from a cut 
 lip. 
 
 " I'll show you yet ! " he hissed, and again went 
 at Mont. 
 
 But our hero was cool and collected, while the 
 bully was excited. 
 
 The bully got in one little body blow, but that 
 was all, while our hero fairly played all over his 
 face. 
 
 " Better give it up, Hoke! " 
 
THE GJREA T FIGHT. 1 9 
 
 "You are outclassed against Mont Folsom!" 
 
 " Let me be ! " howled the bully. 
 
 With every blow that our hero delivered Um- 
 rr.er's anger increased. 
 
 His reputation, he felt, was at stake. 
 
 If he was beaten that would be the end of him, 
 so far as bossing the boys was concerned. 
 
 At last Mont hit him a stinging blow on the ear 
 that caused him to roll over and over. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ON THE ROAD. 
 
 The bully was knocked out completely, and had 
 to acknowledge Mont the victor of the encounter. 
 
 This he did with very bad grace, and a minute 
 later sneaked off with his toady. 
 
 " I'll get even for that," he growled. " He'll 
 be sorry he ever tackled me." 
 
 " You'll have to watch Hoke Ummer," said 
 Link, some time later, when the crowd had dis- 
 persed. " He is a treacherous fellow." 
 
 " I'll have my eyes open," returned our hero. 
 
 Yet little did he dream of the dastardly way in 
 which the bully would try to get even. 
 
 It did not take Mont long to settle down at 
 Nautical Hall. The fight had made him many 
 friends, and established him as a sort of leader 
 among a certain set. 
 
 On the following Saturday Link proposed that 
 he, Barry Powell, and Mont take a stroll down to 
 the village. 
 
ON THE ROAD. 21 
 
 The others were willing, and soon the party 
 was on the way. 
 
 " I'll get some stuff for a midnight feast while 
 I am at it," said Mont. 
 
 Soon the school was left behind, and they came 
 out on the village highway. 
 
 " Hark ! " cried Barry suddenly. 
 
 " What is it? " demanded Mont. 
 
 Barry was listening intently to a dull, heavy 
 tramping sound, which was wafted faintly toward 
 them on the breeze. 
 
 " Do you hear that ? " he asked excitedly. 
 
 Link and Mont listened, and could distinctly 
 hear a low thud, thud, thud in the distance. 
 
 " What does it mean ? " Link asked. 
 
 " It means that a pair of ponies, or horses, have 
 run away, and are coming along at a tearing 
 gallop." 
 
 As if in corroboration of Barry's words, at that 
 moment a light phaeton, drawn by two high- 
 spirited ponies, which were pounding along at the 
 top of their speed, burst round the bend of the 
 road. 
 
 The vehicle was rocking from side to side, and 
 
22 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 every moment threatened to hurl it into one of the 
 deep ditches which lined the road. 
 
 As the boys gazed at the approaching carriage 
 Mont's heart seemed to stand still. 
 
 " Fellows ! " he cried, " there is someone in the 
 phaeton — a lady, I believe." 
 
 " So there is ! " gasped Link, in tones of horror. 
 "What shall we do?" 
 
 " We must stop them." 
 
 With his face whiter than usual, and his lips 
 tightly compressed, our hero ran down the road. 
 
 " He is courting death," said his chum, beneath 
 his breath, " but we may be of some use." 
 
 And both started after their companion. 
 
 Mont was running at the top of his speed, for he 
 saw that the occupant of the carriage was only a 
 young girl, and utterly helpless, and that every 
 second's delay endangered her life. 
 
 On and on he went, until he was within a score 
 of yards of the maddened steeds. 
 
 Then he planted himself firmly in the middle of 
 the road and prepared for a spring. 
 
 Fiercely the ponies dashed onward. 
 
 Nearer and nearer they came, until it seemed 
 
ON THE ROAD. 23 
 
 they must inevitably trample him beneath their 
 iron-shod hoofs. 
 
 But our hero never wavered. 
 
 Motionless he crouched there until the end of 
 the pole almost touched his cheek. 
 
 Then he leaped up and caught both the bridles 
 in his strong, nervous grip. 
 
 The ponies, with loud whinnies of rage, tossed 
 up their heads and lifted him from his feet, but he 
 clung tenaciously to them. 
 
 They dragged him along the ground for a few 
 yards, and then their speed began to slacken. 
 
 Link now came up, and the vicious little brutes 
 were brought to a standstill. 
 
 Then Mont, thoroughly exhausted, sank in a 
 heap upon the ground. 
 
 As soon as the carriage was stopped in its wild 
 career, a fair and beautiful girl sprang out. 
 
 " Oh, is he very much hurt ? " she cried, as she 
 raised her clasped hands in despair. 
 
 Our hero staggered to his feet, and as he gazed 
 on the fairy-like form and sweet, delicate face his 
 cheeks flushed and his heart beat quickly. 
 
 " I am not hurt at all," he said stoutly, 
 
24 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 although his arms and legs and every portion of 
 his body ached as though he had been upon the 
 rack. 
 
 "How can I thank you?" she exclaimed. 
 " If it had not been for you, I shudder to think 
 what might have happened. You saved my life." 
 
 At this praise our hero blushed more than ever. 
 
 " I require no thanks," he said. " I am re- 
 warded enough by knowing I have been of some 
 service to you, but I think you are scarcely strong 
 enough to be trusted with such high-spirited 
 animals." 
 
 " My father would never have thought of such 
 a thing," she replied. " He alighted at a cottage 
 to visit one of his old friends, and while he was 
 inside the ponies bolted. But here he comes, and 
 I know he will be better able to thank you than I 
 am." 
 
 She pointed to the figure of a tall, elderly gen- 
 tleman, of upright carriage and aristocratic bear- 
 ing, who was coming up the road at a rapid 
 pace. 
 
 "It's Judge Moore," whispered Link; "he 
 owns a fine place a couple of miles from here." 
 
ON THE ROAD. 25 
 
 In another moment our hero found himself 
 being presented to the judge, who overwhelmed 
 him with praise. 
 
 " You must come and dine with us, you and 
 your friends," said the judge; " there will only be 
 myself and my daughter Alice. Nay, you must 
 make no excuses. I shall call upon Captain 
 Hooper and tell him all about it, and if ever you 
 require a friend do not forget to come to me." 
 
 Mont would have respectfully declined the in- 
 vitation, but a glance from Alice Moore prevented 
 him from doing so. 
 
 He therefore thanked the judge for his kind- 
 ness, and then the boys took their leave. 
 
 Our hero simply raised his cap, but Alice put 
 out her hand. 
 
 " You will be certain to come? " she asked in 
 a low tone. 
 
 " Certain," he replied. 
 
 The news of Mont's heroism spread through 
 Nautical Hall, and he speedily found himself a 
 decided hero. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 HOKE UMMER'S TREACHERY. 
 
 Our hero succeeded on the following Monday 
 in getting a quantity of cake, pie, and other stuff 
 from town and hiding them in an unoccupied 
 bedroom. 
 
 He was also promised a dozen bottles of root 
 beer and soda water, but these he was unable to 
 smuggle into the school, owing to the watchful- 
 ness of Captain Hooper and his assistants. 
 
 Accordingly, he hid the stuff in the bushes near 
 the lake, and decided to go after it late at night. 
 
 He unfolded his plan to Link, Barry, and Carl 
 Barnaby, and this plan was overheard by Hoke 
 Ummer. 
 
 Next to the empty bedroom was a window 
 overlooking the side playground. From this win- 
 dow Mont decided to reach the ground by aid of 
 a long rope. 
 
 This was the only way to get out, as after nine 
 
 26 
 
HOKE UMMER'S TREACHERY. 27 
 
 o'clock all the doors and windows below were 
 locked in such a fashion they could not be opened. 
 
 That evening our hero, with a light heart, re- 
 paired to the empty bedroom. 
 
 Opening the boxful of stuff, he spread out upon 
 a tablecloth of newspapers a prettily decorated 
 ham, a couple of cold roast chickens, a fine apple 
 pie, a quantity of mince pies, and a varied assort- 
 ment of choice fruits and cake. 
 
 All these arranged to his satisfaction, he looked 
 at his watch, and then sat down and waited. 
 
 It was just half-past eight, and in another 
 half-hour servants and masters would all have re- 
 tired for the night. 
 
 After what appeared to the watcher to be an 
 age the great school clock tolled solemnly out the 
 hour of nine. 
 
 Then Mont drew out a thick rope from beneath 
 the bed and left the room. 
 
 Soon he was at the window. 
 
 Throwing up the lower sash, our hero fastened 
 one end of the rope securely and threw the other 
 out. 
 
 " Just the right length," he said, and then he 
 
«8 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 swung himself over the window sill. " I'll soon 
 have the rest of the stuff up." 
 
 The door of one of the spare bedrooms was 
 opened, and Ummer stepped into the corridor. 
 
 As the light of the moon fell upon his face it 
 looked strangely white and ghastly. 
 
 His lips were tightly compressed and his eyes 
 had in them a horrible glare as he stepped 
 stealthily but quickly to the window. 
 
 Arrived there, he crouched low down that he 
 might not be seen by any person outside. 
 
 Then, with deft ringers, he untied the knot by 
 which the rope was secured. 
 
 There was heard a loud, wild cry, followed by 
 a dullj heavy thud. 
 
 Then all was still. 
 
 The bully crept away along the corridor and 
 down the stairs, his heart beating as though it 
 would burst its bounds. 
 
 A little before twelve o'clock that night several 
 dark figures might have been seen stealing 
 cautiously along the corridors. 
 
 All these figures made their way to one com- 
 mon spot 
 
HOKE UMMER'S TREACHERY. 29 
 
 This was the bedroom Mont had mentioned. 
 
 Arrived there, they found everything prepared 
 for the feast, but no host. 
 
 " What a strange thing for Mont to do," said 
 Carl Barnaby; " to invite us all here and not be 
 present." 
 
 " It isn't very gentlemanly of him," submitted 
 Barry. 
 
 " You talk like a fool," said Link. " Some- 
 thing must have happened to him." 
 
 " I saw him at supper, and he was all right 
 then." 
 
 " Perhaps some of the tramps have waylaid him 
 on the road," suggested another boy, who had 
 been sitting very white and very quiet, in one cor- 
 ner of the room. 
 
 Everyone turned to the speaker. 
 
 " Mine cracious, dot's so," put in Sam Schump. 
 " Besser we go an' see? " 
 
 Without delay a search was begun. 
 
 A rope was procured, and Link was the first 
 person out of the window. 
 
 "Hullo!" 
 
 " What's up? " asked those above. 
 
30 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Bring a light. Mont has fallen and hurt him- 
 self." 
 
 A light was quickly procured, and one after 
 another the boys came down the rope. 
 
 Our hero lay at the foot of a large lilac bush. 
 
 It was this bush which had saved his life. 
 
 When the rope gave way, had he fallen on the 
 ground he would most likely have been killed. 
 
 Link brought some water, and he was soon 
 revived. 
 
 In the meantime, from another window, over- 
 head, Hoke Ummer watched proceedings. 
 
 When he saw Mont get up his hateful face 
 plainly showed his chagrin. 
 
 " How was it you didn't fasten the rope 
 tightly?" asked Link. 
 
 " I thought I did," returned our hero. " In 
 fact, I am certain I did," he added. 
 
 " But it gave way and let you down." 
 
 Our hero shook his head. He couldn't under- 
 stand it at all. 
 
 In a few minutes he was able to go with his 
 friends and show them where the root-beer and 
 soda-water bottles were hidden. 
 
HOKE UMMER' S TREACHERY. 31 
 
 Loaded down with the stuff, the crowd re- 
 turned to the Hall, and the feast began. 
 
 Nearly all of the boys of Mont's age had been 
 invited in a general way, and a lively time was 
 had for fully an hour. 
 
 Hoke Ummer could not stand it to see his rival 
 triumph over him, and so slipped down to the 
 room occupied by Moses Sparks, one of the under 
 teachers. 
 
 " Mont Folsom and his crowd are having a 
 feast in one of the upper rooms," he said. 
 
 At once Moses Sparks prepared to investigate. 
 
 The feast was at its height when a footstep was 
 heard. 
 
 " Scatter ! " whispered Carl Barnaby, who 
 caught the sounds first, and all of the boys hurried 
 from the bedroom by side doors and managed to 
 get to their own rooms. 
 
 When Moses Sparks came up they seemed to 
 be sleeping like so many lambs. 
 
 " Ummer has been fooling me," muttered the 
 under teacher. " Or else he was mistaken." And 
 he went off and left the boys to finish the feast in 
 peace. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OUT ON THE BAY. 
 
 In a general way Mont suspected Hoke 
 Ummer, not of the dastardly trick he had played, 
 but of playing the sneak and telling Moses Sparks. 
 
 " I'll get square," he said to Link and Carl. 
 
 Out in the fields he had picked up a dead snake, 
 and he now resolved to make use of it in a truly 
 original manner. As soon as it was time to retire 
 that night Mont slipped upstairs and into the 
 dormitory occupied by Hoke Ummer, Goul, and 
 their chums. 
 
 He had the dead snake with him, and put the 
 reptile in the bully's bed. 
 
 Five minutes later he was in his own room 
 awaiting developments. 
 
 They were not long in coming. 
 
 A murmur of voices ended in a wild shriek of 
 terror. 
 ; 32 
 
 VI 
 
OUT ON THE BAY. 33 
 
 " A snake ! " yelled Hoke. " It's in my bed ! 
 Save me ! I'm a dead boy ! " 
 
 His cry aroused everyone, and soon Nautical 
 Hall was in a commotion. 
 
 " What's the matter with Hoke? " 
 
 "He's got 'em bad!" 
 
 "A snake!" roared the bully. "Take it 
 away." 
 
 He ran out into the corridor, and soon a crowd 
 began to collect. 
 
 In the meantime Mont slipped into the room 
 and threw the dead reptile out of the window. 
 
 Captain Hooper tried to get at the bottom of 
 the affair, but failed. 
 
 " You must have been dreaming, Ummer," he 
 said at last, and sent all of the boys off to bed. 
 
 During the following week Nautical Hall was 
 closed up, and the schoolboy cadets marched to 
 the head of the bay. 
 
 Here they went into camp for a month, part of 
 the time being spent on the bay and the ocean be- 
 yond in learning how to sail both large and small 
 boats. 
 
 The sailing of the boats particularly interested 
 
34 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Mont and Carl Barnaby. Link did not care very 
 much for the water, for when the sea was rough 
 he was inclined to grow seasick. 
 
 One day Mont and Carl obtained permission to 
 hire a slooop at the town, and go out for an all- 
 day cruise over the bay and back. 
 
 They took with them a young fellow from 
 Nautical Hall named John Stumpton, a handy lad 
 who generally went by the name of Stump. Since 
 Mont had arrived at the Hall, Stump had taken 
 to him greatly, and would do almost anything 
 that Mont asked of him. Stump was also a great 
 friend to Carl. 
 
 They sailed out of sight of the camp, and 
 gradually crept up to a large excursion boat 
 which was just leaving one of the docks of the 
 town. 
 
 The steamboat was overcrowded, every deck 
 being full of humanity bent on having a good 
 time. 
 
 Some musicians were playing on the forward 
 deck, and they drew quite close to hear what was 
 going on. 
 
 Suddenly a cry of horror arose. 
 
OUT ON THE BAY. 35 
 
 A young girl had been standing close to the 
 rail on a camp chair at the bow of the boat. 
 
 It was Alice Moore. 
 
 As the steamboat swung around the girl lost 
 her balance. 
 
 She tried to save herself, and, failing, pitched 
 headlong into the water. 
 
 Our hero saw her go under the waves. 
 
 " She'll be struck by the paddle wheel," he 
 yelled, and then, splash! he was overboard him- 
 self. 
 
 Bravely he struck out to save the maiden. 
 
 The order was given to back the steamboat. 
 
 The wheels churned up the water into a white 
 foam, but still the momentum carried the large 
 craft on. 
 
 In the meantime our hero came up and struck 
 out valiantly for the girl, who was now going 
 down for a second time. 
 
 " Save her ! Save her ! " shrieked Judge 
 Moore, who was with his daughter. 
 
 Half a dozen life-preservers were thrown over- 
 board, but none came to where the girl could 
 reach them. 
 
3<5 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 The judge wanted to join his daughter in the 
 water. 
 
 Strong hands held him back. 
 
 " The young fellow will save her, judge." 
 
 " He's a true hero ! " 
 
 Life-lines were thrown over, but even these did 
 no good. 
 
 The steamboat swung around, but the run of 
 the water washed the girl closer and closer to the 
 paddle wheel. 
 
 She now came up a second time. 
 
 Should she sink again all would be over. 
 
 Mont was swimming with all the strength and 
 skill at his command. 
 
 At last he was within a yard of the struggling 
 girl. 
 
 The maiden threw up her hands and went 
 under. As quick as a flash our hero dove 
 down. 
 
 A second passed. Then up came our hero with 
 the girl clinging to his shoulder. 
 
 But now the current was apparently too strong 
 for both of them. 
 
 "Help us— quick!" 
 
OUT ON THE BAY. 37 
 
 Carl and Stump heard the ery, and immediately 
 put about in their sloop. 
 
 Mont was swimming along on his side. 
 
 The girl was too weak to support herself, and 
 he was holding her up well out of the water. 
 
 It took the sloop but a moment to run up along- 
 side of the pair. 
 
 Carl reached over and caught hold of the girl 
 and placed her on deck. 
 
 In the meantime our hero caught hold of a rope 
 thrown by the old boatman and pulled himself up. 
 
 A cheer arose from those on the excursion 
 boat. 
 
 " She is safe now., sure! " 
 
 The girl was too exhausted to move, and 
 Carl rubbed her hands and did what he could 
 for her. 
 
 Stump ran up alongside of the steamboat, and a 
 little later the girl was placed on board. 
 
 The judge clasped his child to his breast. 
 
 " Go ahead/' said Mont in a low voice. " I 
 don't want the crowd to stare at me." 
 
 " But the judge wants to thank you," began 
 Carl; but our hero would not listen. 
 
38 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 He was too modest, and made Stump actually 
 run away from the excursion boat. 
 
 But five hundred people cheered Mont and 
 waved their handkerchiefs. 
 
 And this was not the end of the matter. 
 
 The next day Judge Moore called at the camp, 
 and insisted on presenting Mont with a gold 
 watch and chain. With this gift came a sweet 
 letter from Alice Moore which made our hero 
 blush a good deal when he read it. 
 
 After this, nearly a week passed without spe- 
 cial incident. Link was called home on account 
 of the death of a relative, and Mont and Carl be- 
 came closer chums than ever. 
 
 One day Hoke Ummer was caught abusing one 
 of the small boys so greatly that the boy had to be 
 placed under a doctor's care. 
 
 The boy's father had Hoke arrested. The case, 
 however, never came to trial. 
 
 The consequence of the arrest was that the 
 bully was dismissed from the school; and that 
 was the last Mont saw of him. 
 
 " We are well rid of him," he said, and Carl 
 and the others agreed with him. 
 
OUT ON THE BAY. 39 
 
 One day Mont and Carl went out for an all-day 
 cruise on the bay, taking John Stumpton with 
 them. 
 
 When the two schoolboys started out with the 
 hired lad they did not intend to remain away 
 longer than sunset, and not one of them dreamed 
 of the marvelous adventures in store for each ere 
 he should be permitted to see his native land 
 again. 
 
 The start was made in a fair breeze, and it 
 looked so nice overhead that Mont proposed they 
 take a short run directly into the ocean. 
 
 " All right — I'll go you," answered Carl 
 slangily, and away they skimmed. 
 
 By noon they were almost out of sight of 
 land, and while they were eating the repast 
 Stump had prepared Carl proposed that they 
 turn back. 
 
 This was hardly accomplished when it sud- 
 denly grew dark, and they found themselves 
 caught in a squall. 
 
 " By gracious ! I didn't bargain for this ! " 
 cried Carl. " If we don't take care, we'll go to the 
 bottom ! " 
 
40 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Don't worry — yet," answered Mont. " I 
 guess we'll get back all right." 
 
 Blacker and blacker grew the sky, until abso- 
 lutely nothing could be seen. Every sail was 
 closely reefed, and the boys strained their eyes to 
 pierce the gloom which hung over them. 
 
 Suddenly Stump set up a yell. 
 
 " Look out; there is a ship ! " 
 
 He got no further. A large form loomed up 
 in the darkness. There was one grinding, smash- 
 ing crash, and then came a shock that split the 
 light-built sloop from stem to stern. 
 
 All of the boys were hurled into the boiling sea. 
 But none was hurt; and, coming to the surface, all 
 struggled to cling to the wreckage floating about, 
 meanwhile crying loudly for help. 
 
 When they were picked up they were thor- 
 oughly exhausted, and Carl lost his senses com- 
 pletely. 
 
 The ship that had run them down was the 
 Golden Cross. The captain's name was Savage, 
 and he was bound for the Bermudas. 
 
 He refused to stop anywhere to put the boys 
 off, saying he had not the time to do so. 
 
OUT ON THE BAY. 4* 
 
 In reality he was afraid he would be brought to 
 account for wrecking the sloop. 
 
 He would not believe that Mont and Carl were 
 rich, and that their parents would willingly pay 
 him for any trouble he might take on their 
 behalf. 
 
 " I'll keep 'em on board and make 'em work 
 their passage," he said to his mate, a mean chap 
 by the name of Slog. " We are rather short of 
 hands." 
 
 A night's rest did wonders for the boys. 
 
 By morning the storm cleared off, and the 
 Golden Cross proceeded swiftly on her way, 
 favored by a good breeze. 
 
 Mont found himself in the ill-smelling fore- 
 castle. He was awfully hungry, and the first 
 thing he did was to make his way to the cook's 
 galley. The cook smiled as Mont appeared. 
 " Got around, eh ? " he said. " Good for you. I 
 thought you would be sick for the rest of the trip 
 after such an adventure." 
 
 " I am pretty tough," answered Mont. 
 
 " You look a bit like a sailor." 
 
 " Oh, I know a thing or two about the water," 
 
42 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 replied Mont modestly. " But tell me," he went 
 on, " what sort of a captain have you? " 
 
 " Oh, he's a caution, and so is Slog, the first 
 mate," laughed the cook. " The captain is the 
 toughest man this line of ships ever had." 
 
 " Humph ! That's not encouraging," mused 
 our hero. " Why do the owners keep him? " 
 
 " Because he's clever. He may be out in all 
 weather, but he's never lost a ship." 
 
 " This seems like an old tub," observed Mont, 
 looking around him. 
 
 " Yes, she isn't worth much. She pitches and 
 tosses in a gale awful. It's the oldest ship the 
 firm's got." 
 
 " Is it insured ? " 
 
 " Yes. I know the insurance is very heavy, 
 and it wouldn't be a bad job for the owners if she 
 went down," replied the cook. 
 
 " Bad job for us, though," remarked Mont. 
 " I don't want to be drowned." 
 
 "Have you had any breakfast?" asked the 
 cook good-naturedly. 
 
 " Not a bit." 
 
 " I don't expect the regular hands will give you 
 
OUT ON THE BAY. 43 
 
 a chance of getting much. There's Sam Holly 
 and Jerry Dabble. One's a bully and the other's 
 a sneak." 
 
 " I haven't seen them yet." 
 
 " Fight shy of both of them. They're no good. 
 They'll make you and your chums do all the work, 
 now you've come on board." 
 
 " I'll bet a dollar they won't get a stroke of 
 work out of me," returned Mont decidedly. 
 
 "You will?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Well, you're a plucky lad," exclaimed the 
 cook admiringly, " and from your size and looks 
 I should think you could box." 
 
 " Just a little bit," answered Mont smilingly. 
 
 " The captain favors Jerry Dabble, and listens 
 to all he says. He's a regular sneak. You look 
 out for him." 
 
 " I will." 
 
 " Will you have a bit of breakfast along with 
 me? I can give you a nice bit I've cut off the 
 skipper's ham and a couple of eggs." 
 
 " I'm with you," said Mont readily, " and I'll 
 return your kindness on the first opportunity." 
 
44 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 In a moment our hero was supplied with a good 
 breakfast, which was washed down with a cup of 
 coffee. 
 
 The sea was rather high, although the wind had 
 gone down. 
 
 It was not difficult to perceive, when Mont 
 came to examine her, that the ship was a very old 
 one and had seen her best days. 
 
 Mont thought a trip to the Bermudas would be 
 very nice, but at the same time he did not mean to 
 be the captain's slave, or the first mate's either. 
 
 He had not shipped with them, and they could 
 not legally make him work, though he did not 
 mind lending a hand if he was asked in a friendly 
 manner. 
 
 His mother would pay for his passage if she 
 was asked. 
 
 The officers evidently took him, Carl, and 
 Stump to be three sons of fishermen, and had 
 made up their minds to treat them accordingly. 
 
 When he left the galley, Mont went to where 
 the regular hands slept and messed, and where he 
 and his companions had slept. 
 
 There was a great outcry as he came in. 
 
OUT ON THE BAY. 45 
 
 "Leave off, I say," Carl was exclaiming; "I 
 won't have it. Two of you onto me at once isn't 
 fair." 
 
 In a moment Mont was there. He found the 
 two young men, Sam Holly and Jerry Dabble, 
 standing over his chum with two ropes' ends, with 
 which they were hitting him. 
 
 " What are you licking him for ? " asked Mont, 
 his eyes flashing. 
 
 " Because he won't get the breakfast," said 
 Holly. 
 
 " He's not your servant — why should he ? " 
 
 " He'll have to do it, or you will," said Sam the 
 bully, setting his arms akimbo and staring impu- 
 dently at Mont. 
 
 " My good fellow," said the latter, " don't you 
 make any error. Neither my friend nor myself 
 means to do anything on board this ship unless 
 we're asked civilly." 
 
 Jerry Dabble laughed. " You're a fool to talk 
 that way ! " he roared. 
 
 Mont immediately gave him a cuff on the ears 
 which sent him rolling over a bunk. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A LIVELY ENCOUNTER. 
 
 The two sailors were astonished beyond meas- 
 ure at Mont's quick action. 
 
 " Good for you, Mont ! " cried Carl Barnaby, 
 while Stump grinned with intense delight. 
 
 " I'll go and tell the captain," growled Jerry, as 
 he got up slowly. 
 
 Sam Holly, who was a thick-set, heavy-looking 
 fellow, turned to Mont. " I have had enough of 
 this nonsense. Do you mean to do your work or 
 not?" 
 
 " Certainly not; do it yourself." 
 
 " Do you want a good hiding? " 
 
 " You can't give it to me." 
 
 " I can try, can't I ? " said Holly. 
 
 " So can any other fool; but it doesn't follow 
 he will do it." 
 
 " Look here, I've been two voyages before this. 
 
 You're a green hand compared to me, and I'm boss 
 
 46 
 
A LIVELY ENCOUNTER. 47 
 
 here. We are short-handed. Do the work, and 
 I'll make things easy for you; if not, it will be 
 worse for you." 
 
 " I'll chance that," said Mont. 
 
 " Do you mean to risk a sound thrashing? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, I'm game for a rough-and-tumble. 
 It's sure to come sooner or later, and we may as 
 well get it over at once." 
 
 " Mind your eye, then," yelled Holly. 
 
 His ugly face glowed with passion, and his 
 great, stupid-looking ears seemed to stick out like 
 cabbage leaves. 
 
 " Come on," he said. 
 
 " I'm ready," returned Mont. 
 
 The fight commenced in the little cabin, and it 
 was evident that the combatants were in earnest. 
 
 Our hero found his opponent as strong as a 
 young bull, but he had not very much skill. 
 
 Parrying his blows and hitting hard when he 
 had a good chance, Mont punished him severely. 
 
 But he was knocked down first. 
 
 " Will that do for you," said Holly, " or do you 
 want any more? " 
 
 " More, please," exclaimed Mont, getting up. 
 
43 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 And then he clipped Holly two heavy ones that 
 knocked him nearly down a ladder. 
 
 Holly foamed with rage. " Come on ! " he ex- 
 claimed, in a husky voice. 
 
 The fight continued for ten minutes, with vary- 
 ing success. At last Mont saw a good chance, 
 and, pretending to strike Holly's face, he dropped 
 his hand and hit him in the stomach. 
 
 As the bully fell back, gasping for breath, Mont 
 exclaimed : 
 
 " How do you like it now, you bully ? Do you 
 want any more ? " 
 
 " Not this voyage," rejoined Holly dismally; 
 " you're best man." 
 
 " It's a pity you didn't find that out before," re- 
 marked Mont. " However, it's never too late to 
 learn. Perhaps you will get our breakfast ready. 
 I'm master now. Do you understand that, Mr. 
 Bully?" 
 
 " Don't crow. I'm licked this time, but my 
 turn may come. Sit down and have your 
 grub." 
 
 Mont was quite satisfied with his victory. 
 
 He shook hands with Holly, and they all sat 
 
A LIVELY ENCOUNTER. 49 
 
 down together, making a comfortable breakfast, 
 though the fare was not luxurious. 
 
 Carl and our hero went on deck afterward, and, 
 hearing an altercation forward, ran in that direc- 
 tion. 
 
 Captain Savage was beating a sailor with a 
 marlinspike for some breach of discipline. 
 
 The crew looked on without interfering. 
 
 The sailor was a fine, handsome fellow, and in 
 vain begged the tyrant to desist. The poor fel- 
 low's face was streaming with blood, and Mont's 
 anger arose instantly. 
 
 Rushing forward, he seized the captain's arm, 
 and exclaimed : 
 
 " Stop that — I won't have it ! " 
 
 The next moment he was alarmed at his rash- 
 ness. 
 
 Turning upon him with incredible fury, the 
 captain exclaimed : 
 
 " How dare you speak to me, youngster ! I'll 
 break every bone in your body ! " 
 
 At a sign from the first mate, on whose face sat 
 a smile of malicious satisfaction, four men fell 
 upon Mont, whose arms were pinioned, and he 
 
5© THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 was thrown on his back, where he lay perfectly 
 helpless. 
 
 " Take him away," continued Captain Savage. 
 " I will deal with him presently. It's a pity I 
 took the young whelp on board; he should have 
 drowned if I'd have known what he was made of." 
 
 Strong arms lifted Mont up, and he was forced 
 into a dark hole, near the cook's galley, where he 
 was half stifled with the heat and smell of tar. 
 
 Mont felt he was now in for it, and no mistake. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 MONT IS PUNISHED. 
 
 " Hang the luck, anyway ! " 
 
 In a miserable state of mind, but still very 
 angry, Mont sat down in his gloomy prison, and 
 wondered what would happen next. 
 
 An hour later the captain called up the first 
 mate. 
 
 " Let the prisoner be brought forward, and call 
 the hands to witness punishment; muster them 
 all. I mean to make an example." 
 
 The mate summoned the crew, all of whom 
 trooped forward with a sullen and discontented 
 air. 
 
 The first mate went to Mont, and personally 
 conducted him on deck. 
 
 " Now, .my lad," said the captain, with a brutal 
 air, " I'm going to let you know what discipline 
 is. Strip!" 
 
52 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Looking around him defiantly, Mont did not 
 move. 
 
 "Do you hear me?" thundered the captain. 
 "Strip!" 
 
 " Captain Savage," said Mont quietly, " I pro- 
 test against this treatment. You saved my life 
 and the lives of my companions, for which I 
 thank you. We would leave your ship at once if 
 we could. As it is, we are unwilling passengers." 
 
 " You are a part of the crew, and must work 
 out your passage." 
 
 " Not at all. We have not signed articles, and 
 you have no power over us so long as we conduct 
 ourselves properly." 
 
 " Why did you interfere between me and one of 
 my crew? But I'll waste no words with you," 
 replied the captain. " Tie him to the fore- 
 mast." 
 
 He caught up the rope's end and hit Mont a 
 single blow. 
 
 He was about to go on, when the sailors ad- 
 vanced in a body, and formed a line between him 
 and Mont. 
 
 " Back, you scoundrels ! Back, mutinous 
 
MONT IS PUNISHED. 53 
 
 dogs ! " exclaimed the captain in a greater rage 
 than ever. 
 
 The solid line remained immovable, and Mont 
 was set free. 
 
 Both mates put themselves by the captain's side, 
 as they feared a crisis was approaching, and they 
 determined to side with the skipper. 
 
 " Look'ee here, cappen," said an old, grizzled 
 sailor. " I've shipped aboard o' many vessels, 
 and I've seen a few skippers, but never the likes o' 
 you. We don't want to do you no harm, but we 
 aint a-goin' to stan' by and see that poor lad 
 flogged half to death because he interfered for one 
 o' us." 
 
 " I'll have you all tried at the first port I come 
 to ! " exclaimed the captain. 
 
 Slog, the mate, caught the captain's arm. 
 
 " For Heaven's sake, go below, and leave them 
 to me ! " he said. 
 
 " Not I. Where are my pistols ? I'll shoot 
 some of the dogs." 
 
 " Be guided by me, sir. Let them alone this 
 time, and tackle them one by one. If you don't, 
 they'll do something desperate." 
 
54 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 The captain mumbled something which was in- 
 audible. He was almost speechless with rage. 
 
 Suddenly the voice of the lookout man rang out 
 clearly : 
 
 " A strange sail." 
 
 " Where away ? " asked the captain. 
 
 " On the larboard bow, sir." 
 
 The captain took his telescope, and began to 
 examine the strange sail. 
 
 Everyone crowded to the side to have a look, 
 and every eye was soon searching the horizon. 
 
 Even Mont shared the excitement. 
 
 He had a pocket glass, and brought it into use. 
 
 " Perhaps we'll be taken off," he said to Carl. 
 
 " I sincerely hope so," replied his chum. " I've 
 had enough of this ship." 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 DOCTOR HOMER WODDLE. 
 
 It was soon discovered that the sail was noth- 
 ing more or less than a man clinging to a chicken 
 coop, who had taken off his shirt and hoisted it on 
 high to attract attention. 
 
 When he was neared, a boat was lowered, and 
 the unfortunate man picked up and brought on 
 board. 
 
 He was a little, wiry man, about forty-five years 
 of age, with sharp, intelligent face, and an expres- 
 sion of anything but good temper. 
 
 " Which is the captain of this vessel ? " he asked 
 on coming aboard. 
 
 " I am," replied Captain Savage. 
 
 " You've been a long time picking me up. 
 What do you mean by it ? " said the little man. 
 
 " That's a cool remark," said the captain, " con- 
 sidering we have, in all probability, saved your 
 life." 
 
 55 
 
56 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " And if you have, you only did your duty. 
 Where is your cabin? Give me some fresh 
 clothes immediately, and something to eat and 
 drink." 
 
 " You've got a nerve," said the captain, in- 
 clined to be angry. " I've a good mind never to 
 save anyone again." 
 
 " That will not matter much to me. You are 
 not likely to save me twice." 
 
 "Who are you?" 
 
 " My name is Homer Woddle, sir. 
 
 " You speak loud enough," replied the captain. 
 
 " Bah ! it's evident you are not a man of science, 
 or you would have heard of me. I have written 
 books, sir — books ! " 
 
 "What then?" 
 
 " I am a famous man. My position in life is 
 that of Secretary to the Society for the Explora- 
 tion of the Unknown Parts of the World, sir, and 
 I am making my third voyage." 
 
 " How were you wrecked ? " 
 
 " That is the strangest thing. But give me 
 to eat and drink, clothe me, and you shall 
 hear." 
 
DOCTOR HOMER WODDLE. 57 
 
 " Speak first, and then I'll think of it, Mr. 
 Woddle," said the captain. 
 
 The conversation was audible enough to be 
 heard by all on board, who crowded round the 
 speakers in a way that showed how severely disci- 
 pline on board the ship had been interfered with 
 by the late occurrence. 
 
 " Well, well, well," cried the little man, irri- 
 tably, " what a boy you are ! I left Boston last 
 week on board the Comet. Well, sir, that ship 
 was fitted up at a great expense in order that we 
 might make discoveries. Do you see? " 
 
 " Not clearly as yet," answered the captain. 
 
 " Tush, be quiet," exclaimed the irritable little 
 man ; " don't interrupt me. This morning about 
 eight o'clock we were struck amidships, but be- 
 low the water line, by a wonderful sea monster, 
 which nearly cut us in two." 
 
 "Did the ship sink?" 
 
 " She did almost directly afterward. I seized 
 a chicken coop, and here I am." 
 
 "A monster cut you in two!" exclaimed the 
 captain, opening his eyes. *' WMt sort of a mon- 
 ster? Did you see it? " 
 
58 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " We did for a few minutes. It was black and 
 long, like a gigantic eel, and threw out phosphor- 
 escent light." 
 
 " Then there was something electric about it? " 
 remarked the first mate. 
 
 " Undoubtedly." 
 
 " That's a strange yarn," observed the captain. 
 
 He took Dr. Homer Woddle, the Secretary of 
 the Society for the Exploration of the Unknown 
 Parts of the World, into his cabin, gave him dry 
 clothes, and provided him with the best dinner the 
 resources of the ship could afford. 
 
 Mont had listened curiously to the conversation 
 between Captain Savage and the newcomer. 
 
 Taking Carl's arm, he said : 
 
 " That's a wonderful yarn of that fellow who 
 has just come on board." 
 
 " Very." 
 
 " I don't know what to make of it, exactly. A 
 fish is a fish, and unless it has a big horn, it can't 
 sink a ship." 
 
 " Perhaps he's cracked." 
 
 " Not he. I have heard of him. There is 
 something in it. The man is sane enough. He 
 
DOCTOR HOMER WODDLE. 59 
 
 has been wrecked, and he has told his story plainly 
 enough, only I don't believe in the strange 
 animal." 
 
 "What is it, then?" 
 
 " That's the mystery. There can't be any rocks 
 in the middle of the sea. It isn't a rock." 
 
 " Then it must be a wonderful fish." 
 
 A couple of hours passed when Dr. Woddle 
 came on deck, arm in arm with Captain Savage. 
 
 After a time the scientist left the captain, and 
 met Mont. 
 
 " Nice weather, my lad," he exclaimed. 
 
 " Who are you calling ' my lad ' ? " asked 
 Mont. 
 
 " You're one of the crew, I suppose, and you 
 needn't be so snappish." 
 
 " I'm a passenger," replied Mont, " and my 
 name is Mont Folsom. Sorry I haven't got a 
 card, but I was wrecked yesterday, and that will 
 account for it. I and my companions come from 
 Nautical Hall." 
 
 " Indeed ! I presume you were picked up as I 
 was? Did you meet with the singular animal 
 that destroyed my ship ? " 
 
60 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Can't say I did. What was he like? " 
 
 " A huge, long thing, covered with scales, half 
 in, half out of the water." 
 
 " Are we likely to meet with him again? " 
 
 " I should think so," answered the scientist. 
 "Look there!" 
 
 " Where? " exclaimed Mont. 
 
 " To the right. I don't understand those con- 
 founded sea terms, and I don't know larboard 
 from starboard, but on my right is the creature." 
 
 " The dreaded animal ? " asked Mont, with a 
 laugh. 
 
 "Yes. Look!" 
 
 Our hero followed the direction of the out- 
 stretched arm, and beheld a curious sight. 
 
 Not far from the ship was a long, black-looking 
 thing, lying like a great round log on the water. 
 
 It was the submarine monster. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE SUBMARINE TERROR. 
 
 Captain Savage at once came to the rail, and 
 was soon busily engaged in looking at the wonder- 
 ful creature which Homer Woddle declared had 
 sunk the ship in which he had been sailing. 
 
 The crew were much agitated, for seamen are 
 at all times superstitious, and, never having heard 
 of such a strange monster, they fancied its appear- 
 ance boded no good. 
 
 The monster, which had been perfectly inert up 
 to this time, threw out a marvelous light, which 
 illuminated the depths of the sea. 
 
 The magnificent irradiation was evidently the 
 result of electricity, and it revealed the shape of 
 the strange fish, if fish it was, very distinctly. 
 
 Its form was what we may call a lengthened 
 oval, tapering off at the head and tail, which were 
 under the water, only part of the scaly back being 
 exposed to the air. 
 
 61 
 
62 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Dr. Woddle called the captain. 
 
 " Sir," he said, " the monster is again close to 
 us. I ask you, in the interest of science, to cap- 
 ture it." 
 
 " Who's going to do it, and how is it to be 
 done ? " said Captain Savage. 
 
 " This thing is a scourge of the ocean. It de- 
 stroys ships, therefore it is your duty to destroy 
 it," persisted the man of science. 
 
 " We will harpoon it, if you like, though I do 
 not know why I should risk the lives of my crew. 
 Where's Bowline ? Pass the word for Bowline," 
 said the captain. 
 
 When Bill Bowline made his appearance he 
 was trembling like a leaf. 
 
 " Get your harpoon, my man," said the captain. 
 
 " Not me, sir," said the sailor firmly. " I 
 wouldn't harm a scale of the critter's back, were it 
 ever so near. We shall all be sent to the bottom 
 of the sea if I do." 
 
 Turning to Homer Woddle, the captain said : 
 
 " You see the feeling of my men; what can I 
 do?" 
 
 " I'll do it myself," said the man of science 
 
THE SUBMARINE TERROR. 63 
 
 grandly. "If no one will attack this monster, 
 the honor and the glory of the task shall belong to 
 me. Give me a boat and loaded guns. It will 
 be hard, indeed, if I cannot put a bullet in him, 
 and lay the mighty brute low. Who will volun- 
 teer for this splendid task? " 
 
 There was no response. 
 
 " What ! Are you all cowards ? Will no one 
 volunteer? " continued the man of science scorn- 
 fully. 
 
 Mont stepped forward. 
 
 " I'm with you, sir ! " he exclaimed. " Can't 
 stand by and see a gentleman left alone. I'm 
 not afraid of the creature." 
 
 Carl, as a matter of course, took his place by 
 our hero's side, and so did Stump. 
 
 Where Mont went his devoted friend and 
 equally attached follower felt bound to go as a 
 matter of duty. 
 
 " Three of you. Bravo ! " cried the scientist. 
 " Now, we are four, and we shall triumph. 
 Lower a boat, if you please." 
 
 The order was given to put the ship about, and 
 a spot favorable for the enterprise being selected 
 
64 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 near the monster, a boat was lowered, into which 
 the volunteers descended. 
 
 Carl and Stump took the oars, Mont grasped 
 the tiller, and Dr. Woddle stood in the bows with 
 a loaded gun under each arm. 
 
 " My four troublesome customers," said the 
 captain, in a low tone to the first mate, " stand a 
 very good chance of never returning." 
 
 " It will be a cheap way to get rid of them, al- 
 though it may cost us the boat," said the mate in 
 the same tone. 
 
 " Steady, my lads," said the scientist. " Easy 
 all; keep the head before the wind, Mr. Folsom, if 
 you please." 
 
 " Steady she is," answered Mont. 
 
 The boat stopped at a short distance from the 
 monster, and Homer Woddle stood up, placed a 
 gun to his shoulder, and fired. 
 
 The ball struck the huge slumbering beast, but 
 glided off its back as if it had struck a piece of 
 polished steel. 
 
 " Hard as the hide of a rhinoceros," said the 
 man of science; " we must try again, Steady, 
 boys," 
 
The submarine terror. 65 
 
 The monster, however, did not seem to approve 
 of being- shot at, and seemed to tremble violently 
 for a moment. 
 
 Then with incredible velocity it darted past the 
 rowboat, which was upset in a moment, and pro- 
 ceeded to strike the ship. 
 
 It struck the unfortunate vessel a terrific blow 
 directly back of the bow. 
 
 The crash was distinctly audible, and amid the 
 noise of falling masts and flapping sails were 
 heard the cries of the sailors and the moans of the 
 dying. 
 
 After the concussion the monster retired as it 
 had come. 
 
 A cloud obscured the surface of the ocean, and 
 it was difficult to tell where it had gone, or what 
 had become of the ship. 
 
 Mont found himself struggling in the sea, and 
 wondered what had become of his companions. 
 
 " Hang those monsters of the deep," he said to 
 himself; " I don't like them." 
 
 Swimming gently, he got hold of one of the 
 oars of the boat, and so kept himself afloat with- 
 out much exertion. 
 
66 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 It was not a hopeful position to be in. 
 
 Struggling alone in the middle of a vast ocean, 
 ignorant of the fate of his companions, and doubt- 
 ful of succor, it was not to be wondered at if he 
 felt inclined to despair. 
 
 Would he sink or swim? The question wa6, 
 jusf then, a hard one to answer. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 ON THE BACK OF THE MONSTER. 
 
 Mont was alone on the ocean with nothing but 
 water in sight. 
 
 Yet his heart did not fail him. 
 
 " Well," he said aloud, " I like adventures, and 
 now I have met with a beautiful one. Perhaps I 
 shall be picked up. Perhaps not." 
 
 Five minutes passed. To our hero they seemed 
 an age. 
 
 "Hullo! Hi! What cheer? Ship ahoy!" 
 he cried. 
 
 He had scarcely closed his lips, after this ap- 
 peal for help, when he felt his arm seized vigor- 
 ously. 
 
 " Who are you? " he asked. 
 
 " If you will lean upon my shoulder," was the 
 reply, " you will soon gain strength and swim 
 better." 
 
 67 
 
68 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Is it you, Stump ? " said Mont, recognizing 
 the voice of his faithful friend. 
 
 " At your service, Master Mont. I have been 
 swimming about everywhere looking for you ever 
 since that submarine beast swamped us. Ugh! 
 What a terrible brute it is ! It laughs at bullets, 
 and cares no more for sinking a ship than I should 
 for kicking over a stool." 
 
 " Is no one saved ? " 
 
 " I can't tell any more than you; all I thought 
 of was to swim after you." 
 
 The situation was as terrible a one as can well 
 be imagined. 
 
 Those on board the vessel were in too much 
 trouble, if they were yet living, to think of the 
 perils of the others who had courted destruction 
 by going in the boat to attack the monster. 
 
 Nor would Captain Savage feel very friendly 
 disposed toward them, because it was Dr. Wod- 
 dle's shot that caused the slumbering creature to 
 rush madly upon the vessel. 
 
 Mont began to calculate the chances of safety. 
 If the ship had not foundered the crew might 
 lower another boat in the morning to search for 
 
ON THE BACK OF THE MONSTER. 69 
 
 them. The sun would not rise for about eight 
 hours. Could they exist so long in the water 
 without fainting or becoming cramped by the 
 sluggish circulation of the blood? 
 
 In vain he tried to pierce the dense darkness 
 which surrounded them, for now the moon had 
 disappeared, and bad weather seemed imminent 
 again. 
 
 "•to 1 
 
 About two o'clock in the morning our hero was 
 seized with extreme fatigue; his limbs were a prey 
 to an agonizing cramp. 
 
 Stump put his arm around him, but he drew his 
 breath with difficulty, and evidently required all 
 his strength for himself. 
 
 " Let me go, boy," said Mont; " save yourself." 
 
 " Certainly not," said Stump quickly. " We're 
 not going down just yet." 
 
 At that moment the moon appeared again from 
 under the edge of a thick cloud which had con- 
 cealed it for a time, and the surface of the sea 
 sparkled under its rays. 
 
 This fortunate light put new strength into the 
 boys, and Mont searched the horizon with eager, 
 careful gaze. 
 
7© THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 He saw the ship, or what appeared to be her, 
 about two miles off, looking like a somber, inert 
 mass, but there was no sign of a boat. 
 
 At first he was inclined to cry for help, but of 
 what use would it have been at that distance? 
 
 "Here, this way! Hi! help, help!" shouted 
 Stump. 
 
 Was it one of those delusive sounds which the 
 anxious mind sometimes conjures up, or did an 
 answer really come to the lad's cry for help ? 
 
 " Did you hear anything? " asked Mont. 
 
 " Yes, I thought so," said Stump, and he began 
 to cry out again. 
 
 "Help, help!" 
 
 This time there was no mistake. A human 
 voice clearly responded through the darkness. 
 
 Stump lifted himself as high out of the water 
 as he could, and taking a look, fell back exhausted, 
 clinging desperately to the oar. 
 
 "Did you see anything?" asked Mont anx- 
 iously. 
 
 "Yes; don't talk, sir; we want all our 
 strength." 
 
 There was a hopeful ring in his voice which in- 
 
ON THE BACK OF THE MONSTER. 7 1 
 
 spired Mont, who, however, fancied he heard the 
 boy sigh almost directly afterward. 
 
 He thought of the monster. Was it still near 
 them ? But, if so, whence came the voice ? 
 
 They began to swim with all the strength they 
 had left, and after some minutes of continued 
 exertion, for moving was a painful task in their 
 state, Stump spoke again. 
 
 " Are you far off? " he said. 
 
 " Not far — push on," replied the voice, which 
 Mont fancied he knew. 
 
 Suddenly an outstretched hand seized him; he 
 was pulled violently out of the water, just as his 
 senses were going, and, after someone had rubbed 
 his hands vigorously, he opened his eyes and mur- 
 mured : 
 
 " Stump." 
 
 " Here, sir," replied the lad. 
 
 By the rays of the moon our hero saw a figure 
 which was not that of Stump, but which he recog- 
 nized easily. 
 
 "Dr. Woddle?"hesaid. 
 
 " Right, my lad," answered the man of science. 
 
 "Where is Carl?" 
 
72 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Here," answered our hero's chum. " The 
 doctor and I stuck together, and our only con- 
 cern has been for yon." 
 
 " Where are we? " asked Mont puzzled; " this 
 thing I am sitting on seems firm enough." 
 
 " It's a floating island," answered Woddle. 
 
 A horrible thought crossed Mont's mind to 
 which he could not give expression. 
 
 " To put you out of your misery at once," con- 
 tinued Dr. Woddle, " we are on the back of the 
 gigantic creature at whom I shot, and I know 
 now why I did not kill him." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Because he is ironclad, or something very like 
 it. I can make no impression upon the scaly mon- 
 ster with my knife." 
 
 These words produced a strange feeling in 
 Mont's mind. He found that he was really with 
 his friends on the back of the monster, which con- 
 tinued to float on the surface, after causing the 
 partial destruction of the ship. 
 
 He got up and stamped his foot. It was cer- 
 tainly a hard, impenetrable body, and not the soft 
 substance of which all the marine inhabitants that 
 
ON THE BACK OF THE MONSTER. 73 
 
 fie had heard of were made, such as whales, 
 sharks, walruses, and the like. If anything, it 
 more resembled a tortoise or an alligator. A hol- 
 low sound was emitted when it was struck, and it 
 appeared to be made of cast-iron plates secured 
 together. 
 
 " What is your opinion of the creature, sir ? " 
 asked Mont. 
 
 " You want my candid opinion as a man of 
 science ? " said the doctor. 
 
 " Certainly, sir." 
 
 " I should say, then, that this peculiarly con- 
 structed monster is the result &f human hands and 
 ingenuity." 
 
 " In that case, it is not a monster at all." 
 
 " By no means; I am very much in the dark at 
 present, but I am positive that there is some won- 
 derful mystery about this thing, which to my 
 mind is a sort of submarine ship, ingeniously con- 
 structed to sail under the water for a time, and to 
 come to the surface for a supply of fresh air from 
 time to time. In short, an electric submarine 
 boat." 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 INSIDE OF THE " SEARCHER."" 
 
 All three of the boys were greatly astonished. 
 
 " It beats the Dutch ! " cried Carl. 
 
 " If that is so," said Mont, " there must be some 
 internal mechanism to make it work about." 
 
 " Evidently." 
 
 " It gives no sign of life." 
 
 " Not at present," answered the man of science. 
 " But we have seen it move. It has appeared and 
 disappeared. Consequently, it must have hidden 
 machinery." 
 
 " Of course." 
 
 " So that we come to the conclusion, which is 
 inevitable, that there must be a man or men in- 
 side to direct the ship." 
 
 " Hurrah! " cried our hero; " I didn't think of 
 that. We are saved if that is so, and it must be as 
 you say." 
 
 "Hum!" muttered the professor; "I don't 
 
 74 
 
INSIDE OF THE " SEARCHER" 75 
 
 know so much about that. If, when it makes a 
 start, it glides along the surface of the water, we 
 are all right; but if it goes down, we are lost." 
 
 " I've got an idea," said Mont, after a pause. 
 " We must knock at the door, and see if we can 
 find anyone at home." 
 
 His companions laughed. 
 
 " I have searched carefully," said Carl, " but I 
 can't find even a manhole." 
 
 There was nothing to do but to wait until 
 morning. 
 
 Mont wanted to keep his feet warm, so he 
 amused himself by kicking his heels upon the 
 body beneath him. 
 
 "I'll wake 'em up," he said. "They shan't 
 sleep if they won't let me in." 
 
 Their safety depended absolutely upon the ca- 
 price of the mysterious steersman who inhabited 
 the ironclad, fish-shaped machine. 
 
 It seemed to the professor that before those in- 
 side descended again they would have to open 
 some hole to obtain air. 
 
 All were now very tired, wet, and hungry, and 
 soon a raging thirst began to attack them. 
 
76 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Our hero fancied he heard vague sounds be- 
 neath him, but could not be sure. 
 
 Who were the strange beings that lived in the 
 floating iron shell? 
 
 Kicking angrily upon the iron surface, Mont 
 said: 
 
 " You are very inhospitable inside. I am hun- 
 gry and thirsty. Do you want 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 him- 
 self dragged over the railing and down into the 
 interior of the iron shell. 
 
 A cry of terror broke from his companions, an- 
 swered 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 accom- 
 plished with the rapidity of lightning. 
 
 Dr. Woddle felt his hair stand on end, and as 
 
INSIDE OF THE ''SEARCHER." 77 
 
 for Carl and Stump they were chilled to the mar- 
 row 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 at- 
 tracted the attention of Carl, who could not re- 
 frain from laughing, miserable though he was. 
 
 " My turn next," muttered the youth. 
 
78 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 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're not going to eat us. 
 This isn't an oven, and I think we are better here 
 than up above." 
 
 " At least we had our liberty," continued the 
 
INSIDE OF THE " SEARCHER." 79 
 
 doctor, who was never satisfied or happy unless 
 he was at work or grumbling. 
 
 " I've got a knife," said Stump boldly, " and I'll 
 stick the first that comes near me. It's a regular 
 pig-sticker, my knife, and I'll bet they feel it." 
 
 "Don't you do anything of the sort!" cried 
 Mont. " You might get us all killed." 
 
 " It's very hard if a poor boy can't do some- 
 thing." 
 
 " You'll get it hot if anyone is listening to you. 
 If you don't care for yourself, think of us." 
 
 Stump grumbled inaudibly, and Mont began to 
 take the dimensions of the prison in which they 
 were. 
 
 This he did by walking about, and he made it 
 twenty feet long by ten wide. The walls were of 
 iron, made of plates riveted together. 
 
 Half an hour passed. At the expiration of that 
 time, the cabin was illuminated by a flood of light 
 so vivid and blinding that it was difficult to bear 
 the intensity. 
 
 Mont recognized the electric light that had 
 floated round the ship when he first saw it. 
 
 When he got used to its clear whiteness, he 
 
80 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 looked up and saw that it proceeded from a globe 
 which hung from the ceiling. 
 
 " Light at last; our captors are becoming more 
 civil," said the doctor, rubbing his hands gayly. 
 
 " It's about time, I think," answered our hero. 
 
 They were not much better off, however, for 
 the cabin only contained a table and five wooden 
 stools, but the light was refreshing and made them 
 more cheerful. 
 
 Not a sound reached their ears; everywhere 
 reigned the silence of the grave. 
 
 Perhaps the ship had sunk to the bottom of the 
 ocean, for it seemed to have the power of going 
 where its strange owner wished. 
 
 In a short time the door opened and two men 
 appeared. 
 
 " Visitors at last ! " murmured Mont to himself. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE OWNER OF THE SUBMARINE MONSTER. 
 
 Of the two who had entered one was a negro, 
 with intelligent but flat face, and short, woolly 
 hair. 
 
 The other was a tall, handsome white man, with 
 keen, searching eyes that looked into the very soul. 
 
 He wore a thick mustache, whiskers, and beard, 
 and appeared to be an American. 
 
 He regarded the prisoners with a fixed gaze and 
 said something to the negro in an unknown lan- 
 guage, which was so sweet and soft that it seemed 
 to be all vowels and no consonants. 
 
 At length he fixed his eyes upon the doctor, 
 who, as the eldest of the party, seemed to be the 
 leader of it. The professor made a low bow. 
 
 " I presume," he said, " that I am in the pres- 
 ence of the proprietor of this singular machine, 
 and as I am a man of science I respect one who 
 
 81 
 
82 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 could conceive and carry out the idea of a sub- 
 marine ship." 
 
 There was no answer. 
 
 " Permit me to tell you our history," continued 
 the professor. 
 
 Still no reply. 
 
 " He's remarkably polite," remarked Mont. 
 " Perhaps he don't understand our language." 
 
 " Leave him to me," said the professor; " my 
 name may have an effect upon him. I am Dr. 
 Homer Woddle, Professor of Natural History, 
 and Secretary to the Society for the Exploration 
 of the Unknown Parts of the World. I have 
 written valuable books, sir, which have been trans- 
 lated into foreign languages." 
 
 The professor paused to look proudly around 
 him. 
 
 Nothing in the face of the man before them 
 indicated that he understood one word. 
 
 Undaunted by this silence, the doctor con- 
 tinued : 
 
 " This, sir, is my friend Mr. Mont Folsom, 
 this my friend Mr. Carl Barnaby. The lad is 
 their servant." 
 
OWNER OF THE SUBMARINE MONSTER. 83 
 
 There was still no answer, and then the pro- 
 fessor grew cross. 
 
 He spoke in French, then in German, finally in 
 Greek and Latin; but with the same disheartening 
 effect. 
 
 Not a muscle of the stranger's face moved. 
 
 Turning to the right, he muttered some words 
 in his incomprehensible language, and, without 
 making any reassuring sign to the prisoners, 
 turned on his heel and walked away, the door 
 closing after him. 
 
 " Well, I'm blowed! " said Mont. " This is a 
 queer go, and no mistake." 
 
 " I know one thing," said Carl; " that is, I am 
 dying with hunger." 
 
 " If they would only give me a saucepan 
 and some fire," said Stump, " I'd make some 
 soup." 
 
 "How?" 
 
 " I've got my boots, and the Unknown who 
 came in let his sealskin cap fall. I picked it up 
 and sneaked it. The two together wouldn't make 
 bad soup." 
 
 While he spoke the door opened again, and an- 
 
84 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 other negro entered with a tray upon which were 
 four plates. 
 
 A savory smell issued from them. Knives and 
 forks were provided, and having placed the plates 
 on the table the negro raised the covers. 
 
 " Food! " said Mont; " that's good." 
 
 " Not up to much, Master Mont, I'll bet," ob- 
 served Stump. 
 
 " What do you know about it? " 
 
 "What can they give us? Porpoise stew, 
 fillets of dogfish, or stewed shark. I'd rather have 
 some salt junk on board the ship." 
 
 The negro disappeared with the covers, and all 
 but Stump sat down. 
 
 " Fire away, Stump," said Mont, looking at the 
 dishes. 
 
 " After you; I can wait," replied the boy-of -all- 
 work. 
 
 " Sit down, I tell you. When people are ship- 
 wrecked they are all equal. Pitch in," answered 
 Mont. 
 
 Stump sat down. There was no bread, tea, or 
 coffee, but a bottle of water supplied its place. 
 
 It was difficult to say what the dinner consisted 
 
OWNER OF THE SUBMARINE MONSTER. 85 
 
 of. It was a mixture of fish and vegetable mat- 
 ter, but not an atom of meat. 
 
 For some time no one spoke. The business of 
 eating was all-absorbing, for one must eat, espe- 
 cially after a shipwreck. 
 
 It was consoling to reflect they were not des- 
 tined to die of hunger. 
 
 " I think," exclaimed Stump, when he had fin- 
 ished his plate, " that they mean to fatten us be- 
 fore they kill us ! " 
 
 " Hold your tongue till you are spoken to," said 
 Mont. 
 
 " Yes, sir. I know I'm only an odd boy, 
 but " 
 
 " Shut up, I tell you. I want to go to sleep." 
 
 " Certainly, sir. Sorry I took the liberty, but 
 if I don't talk to somebody I must talk to myself." 
 
 " Try it on, that's all, and if you wake me when 
 I'm asleep, I'll give you something for yourself. 
 I'm just getting dry, and shall sleep like a top," 
 answered our hero, throwing himself in a corner. 
 
 The professor, who was worn out, had already 
 chosen his corner. 
 
 Carl followed his example, and soon all slept. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE ATTACK. 
 
 How long he slept Mont did not know. 
 
 He woke first, and saw his companions snoring 
 like those who are over-tired. 
 
 Nothing was changed in the apartment, ex- 
 cept that the remains of the dinner had been 
 removed. 
 
 It was with difficulty that he managed to 
 breathe, and he guessed that he had consumed all 
 the oxygen in his prison. His lungs were op- 
 pressed, and the heavy air was not sufficient for 
 proper respiration. 
 
 While Mont was arranging his toilet a valve 
 opened in the side of the room, and a fresh cur- 
 rent of sea air swept into the cabin. 
 
 Evidently the vessel had ascended to the sur- 
 face of the ocean and taken in a fresh supply of 
 air. 
 
 86 
 
THE ATTACK. 87 
 
 The others, influenced by this invigorating at- 
 mosphere, woke up, and rubbing their eyes started 
 to their feet. 
 
 Stump looked at Mont and asked if he had slept 
 well. 
 
 " Pretty well. How are you, Mr. Professor ? " 
 
 " I breathe the sea air, and I am content," an- 
 swered Dr. Woddle. " How long have we slept? 
 It must be four-and-twenty hours, at least, for I 
 am hungry again; I cannot tell to a certainty, for 
 my watch has stopped." 
 
 " There is one comfort," replied Mont, " we are 
 not in the hands of cannibals, and we shall be well 
 treated." 
 
 " I don't know about that," said Stump. 
 "They've got no fresh meat on board; all they 
 gave us yesterday was fishy stuff; and four fine, 
 fat, healthy fellows " 
 
 " Shut up, Stump," cried Mont; " how often 
 am I to tell you to hold your tongue? " 
 
 " I know I'm only an odd boy, but " 
 
 " Will you be quiet ? " exclaimed our hero, tak- 
 ing up a stool threateningly. 
 
 " All right; I won't say anything more." 
 
88 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 The doctor was very silent and thoughtful. 
 Mont remarked this, and said : 
 
 " How long do you think they will keep us 
 here?" 
 
 " I can't tell any more than you, Folsom," re- 
 plied the professor. 
 
 " But what is your opinion ? " 
 
 " Not a very encouraging one. We have by 
 chance become possessed of an important secret. 
 If the secret is worth more than our lives, we shall 
 either be killed or kept prisoners." 
 
 "Forever?" 
 
 " Yes, forever," answered the professor 
 gravely. "If the secret is not very serious, we 
 may be landed on some island. I advise that we 
 remain perfectly quiet and take things as they 
 come." 
 
 " May I say a word ? " exclaimed Stump. 
 
 "Well?" asked Mont. 
 
 " I'll get out of this." 
 
 " How ? It is difficult to break out of a prison 
 on earth, but to get out of one under the sea is 
 impossible." 
 
 " Suppose we kill our jailers and take the key? 
 
THE ATTACK. 89 
 
 If four Americans aren't a match for a lot of 
 niggers, and one Unknown who can't speak 
 any language, and doesn't belong to any coun- 
 try at all, it's time we shut up shop ! " went on 
 Stump. 
 
 At that moment the door opened, and the negro 
 who had before appeared entered. 
 
 Stump instantly threw himself upon him, and, 
 seizing his throat with his two hands, held him 
 so tightly as almost to strangle him. 
 
 But being a powerful man, he soon disengaged 
 himself, and a fearful struggle ensued between 
 them. 
 
 " Help, help ! " cried the negro, in excellent 
 English. 
 
 Stump let go his hold at this, and fell back 
 laughing. 
 
 " So you can talk English ! " he cried; " that's 
 all right. I only flew at you to see what country- 
 man you were. Now, then, tell us all about this 
 ship, or I'll give you another dose." 
 
 Putting his finger to his lips, the negro gave a 
 peculiar whistle — prolonged and shrill. 
 
 This was evidently a signal, for he had scarcely 
 
9© THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 finished when the Unknown appeared on the 
 threshold. 
 
 He was followed by six powerful negroes, all 
 armed to the teeth. 
 
 It looked as if Mont and his friends were to be 
 executed on the spot. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 PRISONERS. 
 
 For several minutes the master of the sub- 
 marine monster gazed in silence at those in the 
 iron-bound cabin. 
 
 Stump stood shivering in a corner. 
 
 "Please don't kill us!" he cried. " I— I— 
 didn't mean any harm." 
 
 The strange owner of the still stranger craft 
 looked at Stump for a moment, and then smiled 
 faintly. 
 
 " Depart ! " he cried to the negroes, and on the 
 instant every one of the heavily armed men van- 
 ished. 
 
 Sitting down on the edge of the table, with his 
 arms crossed on his powerful chest, this strange 
 being seemed plunged in deep thought. 
 
 Our heroes regarded him with expectation, not 
 unmixed with awe, for they were entirely in his 
 power. 
 
 9* 
 
9* THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Was he about to punish them for the indis- 
 cretion of one of their number ? 
 
 At length he spoke in English. 
 
 " Gentlemen," he said, " you see I can speak 
 your language. I did not answer you at first, be- 
 cause I was undecided what to do with you. I am 
 well acquainted with the scientific works written 
 by Dr. Woddle, and I esteem it an honor to have 
 made his acquaintance." 
 
 The professor bowed his acknowledgment of 
 this compliment. 
 
 " I am also glad to see two intelligent young 
 gentlemen like Mr. Folsom and Mr. Barnaby." 
 
 " You've forgotten me, sir," said Stump. 
 " I'm only an odd boy, but " 
 
 The captain extended his arm, and the hired 
 boy was silent. 
 
 " I'm a man," he continued, " who has broken 
 with society and renounced the world. Had you 
 not molested me and fired at my vessel, I should 
 not have crippled your ship and upset your boat. 
 The attack came from your side." 
 
 " But, sir," answered the professor, " we took 
 your ship to be some unknown creature." 
 
PRISONERS. 9$ 
 
 " Possibly, but this creature had done you no 
 harm. I saw you all take refuge outside, and I 
 hesitated a long while what to do with you. I 
 knew nothing of you. What were you to me? 
 Why should I extend my hospitality to you ? All 
 that was necessary to break off your connection, 
 was to give a signal to my engineers, and the 
 Searcher, which is the name of my vessel, would 
 have sunk to the bottom of the ocean. I had the 
 right to do it." 
 
 His hearers shuddered at this avowal. 
 
 " It seems to me that we are to be prisoners? " 
 observed the professor. 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 " But this is an outrage ! " exclaimed Mont. 
 " I demand to be put on shore at the nearest port, 
 or given up to the nearest ship we meet." 
 
 " You will none of you ever see the earth again, 
 or set foot upon it," replied the captain with much 
 emphasis. 
 
 " This floating prison is, then, our tomb — our 
 coffin, in which we must live and die ? " 
 
 " Call it what you will," replied the captain. 
 " You have obtained the secret of my existence. 
 
94 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Do you think I could ever allow you to revisit the 
 world, to let it be known through every news- 
 paper how I pass my life ? " 
 
 " How are we to address you, sir? " 
 
 " My name is Vindex. By my men I am called 
 the Wizard of the Sea." 
 
 " Very well, Captain Vindex of the Searcher," 
 said Mont, " we must make the best of our situa- 
 tion, but I will never give my word that I will not 
 attempt to escape." 
 
 " I like you, boy, for your honesty," said the 
 Wizard of the Sea, " though I warn you that if 
 you are caught in the attempt, you will be in- 
 stantly put to death." 
 
 " To death ? You dare not ! " 
 
 The captain laughed in a wild, weird manner. 
 
 " Dare not ! " he said. " Foolish lad, there are 
 no laws for me. I am the sole master here. My 
 black slaves only live to do my bidding. What is 
 your life or death to me ? I have no more to say 
 at present. Follow this negro into another cabin, 
 where a repast awaits you." 
 
 He called to someone outside, and, bowing 
 politely, went away, while the four companions 
 
PRISONERS. 95 
 
 were conducted to a dining- room handsomely fur- 
 nished and lighted by an electric lamp. 
 
 Various preparations invited their attention. 
 The dinner service was of silver, and everything 
 denoted immense wealth on the part of the owner. 
 
 The negro waited upon them attentively. 
 
 " What's your name? " asked Mont. 
 
 " Me name One, massa." 
 
 "One!" 
 
 " Yes, massa. There twelve slaves on board 
 this ship, and all have figure names, me One, 
 other nigger Two, other Three, Four, Five, Six, 
 Seven, Eight, and so on up to Twelve." 
 
 " That's a queer idea," said our hero; " fancy 
 calling out for your servant, and saying, ' Here, 
 Nine, I want you,' or ' I say, Three, do this ' ! " 
 
 "It is my opinion," exclaimed the professor, 
 " that Captain Vindex is a very remarkable man 
 — the most remarkable, in fact, that ever lived. 
 He has invented a singular ship which can go 
 under the sea at will, but why not ? Was not the 
 invention of steam engines laughed at, as well as 
 the invention of gas ? Who, a hundred years ago, 
 would have believed in the electric telegraph, by 
 
96 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 means of which we send a message to the end of 
 the earth in a minute? " 
 
 " Very true," replied Mont. " And don't for- 
 get the telephone, and the submarine boat the gov- 
 ernment is trying to build. It's a pity a man of 
 such genius should shut himself up like this, 
 though." 
 
 " It is a pity," answered the professor. 
 
 " What's worse, though," remarked Carl, " is 
 that he means to keep us as prisoners." 
 
 " If he can," said Stump. 
 
 " Don't you be so fast, Stump, my boy," said 
 Mont. " Keep your mouth shut, or you may get 
 into trouble." 
 
 " Very sorry, but I don't like such goings-on, 
 and wish I was back again on the shore." 
 
 The negro handed the professor a fresh dish. 
 
 " Will massa have some oysters stewed in 
 whale's milk?" he asked; "or some jam made 
 of sea anemones ? " 
 
 " I'd rather you'd not tell me what the dishes 
 are; it will set me against them if you do," 
 answered the professor with a wry face. 
 
 When the repast was ended, Mont jumped 
 
PRISONERS. 97 
 
 up. " I feel better," he said. " Mister Number 
 One." 
 
 " Massa call me ? " asked the black, who was 
 clearing away. 
 
 " Yes. Where are we now ? " 
 
 " We gone down, massa, and now we lie at the 
 bottom of the sea." 
 
 Mont regarded him with undisguised astonish- 
 ment. 
 
 The Searcher was indeed a wonderful craft. 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE MYSTERIES OF THE " SEARCHER/' 
 
 Many days passed. 
 
 The life of the captives were unvaried by any 
 incident. They saw nothing of Captain Vindex; 
 were well attended to, slept comfortably, and had 
 nothing to complain of but their imprisonment. 
 
 Books were freely supplied them, but they were 
 not allowed to leave their cabins. 
 
 At the expiration of a fortnight or thereabouts, 
 as well as they could reckon, negro Number One 
 entered their cabin after breakfast. 
 
 Addressing Mont, the negro observed : 
 
 " Massa Folsom to come to cappen's cabin." 
 
 "Does he want me?" inquired Mont. "All 
 right. Good-by, my friends," he added, " perhaps 
 you will never see me again. I may be the first 
 victim." 
 
 " No fear! " exclaimed Carl. " We shan't be 
 
 hurt if we keep quiet." 
 
 9 8 
 
THE MYSTERIES OF THE "SEARCHER.' 99 
 
 " I'll suggest that you're the fattest, Carl, if 
 there is any question of cooking one of us." 
 
 " Then it won't be true, for you're as fat as a 
 mole. Go on and be cooked first ! I'll have a bit 
 of you," answered Barnaby. • 
 
 Mont went away laughing. He was not really 
 alarmed, for although he did not like Captain Vin- 
 dex, he fancied he was safe as long as he did not 
 irritate this strange being. 
 
 The negro conducted him along a passage 
 which opened into a magnificent library, full of 
 books, which gave admittance to a drawing room 
 furnished with all the taste that could be found in 
 Paris or New York. 
 
 The space within the ironclad shell had been 
 made the most of, and no expense had been spared 
 to make the cabin luxurious and well appointed. 
 
 The walls were richly papered and covered with 
 valuable paintings. The ceiling was frescoed, and 
 works of art were everywhere to be seen. Rich 
 couches and chairs invited rest, and the foot sank 
 in the soft pile of a Turkey carpet. 
 
 Captain Vindex arose as our hero entered. 
 
 " Take a seat," he said, as the negro retired, 
 
ioo THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 closing the door after him. " I have taken an in- 
 terest in you, Folsom." 
 
 " Thank you," answered Mont coldly. 
 
 The captain smiled, approached the end of the 
 room, and, drawing- back a curtain, revealed a 
 splendid organ. 
 
 " Do you like music ? '' he asked. 
 
 " Very much," answered Mont. " Play us 
 something. It will enliven me a bit. I feel 
 awfully low, and I'll give you a game at dominoes 
 or checkers afterwards, if you like." 
 
 Captain Vindex smiled, and, sitting down, 
 played Sousa's " Liberty Bell March " with great 
 skill. 
 
 " Thank you," said Mont, when he had finished. 
 " Very fine. Now will you tell me how you man- 
 age for air? " 
 
 " I will not trouble you with chemical details," 
 answered the captain, " which you would not 
 understand, but when I do not take in air at the 
 surface, I have some compressed in the reservoir, 
 which, by means of an apparatus, is wafted all 
 over the ship." 
 
 " And about light and moving about ? " 
 
THE MYSTERIES OF THE "SEARCHER." IOI 
 
 " That is the result of electricity, which I make 
 myself. My motive power is electricity, and I can 
 attain a speed of thirty miles an hour. The men 
 of the world have not yet discovered half the value 
 of electricity. My machinery is of the finest kind. 
 If I want to sink to the bottom of the sea, I fill 
 certain reservoirs I have with water ; when I want 
 to rise, I lighten the ship by letting out the water. 
 In short, I have invented everything that is neces- 
 sary for my safety and comfort." 
 
 " Wonderful ! " ejaculated Mont. 
 
 " Your friend, the professor, would understand 
 me, if I were to explain to him how everything 
 were managed, but to you it all seems as strange 
 as the first railway train did to the country people 
 through whose districts it passed. Engineering 
 science is yet in its infancy. The world has great 
 discoveries to make. You are at present only on 
 the threshold of the great unknown." 
 
 " You work your ship with a screw, I sup- 
 pose? " 
 
 " Exactly. The helmsman sits in a cabin with 
 a glass front, and the electric light illumines the 
 sea for some distance, so that all is clear to him." 
 
102 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Where did you build this extraordinary ves- 
 sel ? " continued our hero. 
 
 " On a desert island in the Pacific. I had the 
 various parts brought in a vessel that belonged to 
 me from various parts of the world, and the 
 twelve negroes who are now with me were my 
 only workmen." 
 
 "You are rich, then?" 
 
 " Money was never any object to me," replied 
 the captain. " If I wanted gold even now, could 
 I not obtain millions from the bottom of the sea 
 out of ships that have sunk? And some day I 
 shall find the great million-dollar pearl for which 
 I am searching. The treasures of the deep are 
 mine; I am the Wizard of the Sea." 
 
 He spoke proudly, and his eyes dilated with 
 rapture. 
 
 "You like the sea?" 
 
 " I love it. I revel in it. Look at the solitude 
 and freedom I enjoy! What life can be compar- 
 able to mine ? " 
 
 " But you must feel weary at times," said Mont. 
 
 " Never. I read, I think, and, when I want 
 diversion, I shoot." 
 
THE MYSTERIES OF THE " SEARCHER." 103 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 " In the submarine forests. I have invented a 
 square case to strap on the back, which is attached 
 to a mask covering the head, and this will contain 
 enough compressed air to last for several hours' 
 consumption, so that I can walk under the waves 
 with ease and comfort." 
 
 " And your guns ? " 
 
 " Are air guns, also my own invention. I have 
 several, and each is prepared to fire twenty shots 
 by a mere movement of the trigger, the requisite 
 force of air being placed in a hollow of the butt 
 end; but all these mysteries will become plain to 
 you before you have been long with me," an- 
 swered Captain Vindex. 
 
 " What time is it? " asked Mont. 
 
 Looking at his watch, the captain answered : 
 
 " A quarter to twelve, or near midday." 
 
 " If you want to give me a treat," said Mont, 
 " I wish you would go up to the surface and let me 
 have a look at the sea, and breath the fresh air." 
 
 " Certainly. Come with me to the engine 
 room." 
 
 Mont rose, and followed his conductor through 
 
104 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 several iron passages to the place where the 
 machinery was fitted up. 
 
 A negro saluted the captain. 
 
 " Number Twelve," exclaimed the latter, " I 
 wish to ascend." 
 
 The engineer touched a valve, and a rush of 
 water escaping was heard. 
 
 The pumps were forcing out the water from the 
 reservoirs. 
 
 The Searcher began to ascend. After a time 
 she stopped suddenly. 
 
 " We have arrived," said the captain. 
 
 He led the way up a central spiral staircase, 
 and, raising a small door, they emerged upon what 
 may be called the deck, or what our hero and his 
 companions had taken to be the back of the 
 monster. 
 
 Touching a spring, an iron railing sprang up, 
 about five feet high. 
 
 This prevented any danger of falling into the 
 sea in rough weather, for it made a small inclosure 
 about twenty feet by ten. 
 
 Mont saw that the shape of the ship was some- 
 thing like a long cigar. 
 
THE MYSTERIES OF THE ''SEARCHER." 105 
 
 The sea was calm and the sky clear; a light 
 breeze fanned their cheeks as Mont opened his 
 lungs to take in the inviting atmosphere. 
 
 There was, however, nothing to be seen. All 
 was one vast desert. 
 
 The captain proceeded, armed with a sextant, 
 to take the height of the sun, which would give 
 him his latitude. 
 
 He waited some minutes until the sun attained 
 the edge of the horizon. 
 
 Having calculated the longitude chronometri- 
 cally, he said: 
 
 " To-day I commence a voyage of exploration 
 under the waves." 
 
 "When you like," replied Mont; "anything 
 for a little excitement." 
 
 The captain conducted him downstairs again, 
 the iron railing fell, the trapdoor closed overhead, 
 and with a bow the strange being left him to 
 join his companions. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE DEVIL FISH. 
 
 " He's about half crazy ! " 
 
 Such was Mont's conclusion as he joined his 
 companions. 
 
 While Mont was telling the others of what he 
 had seen, all were treated to a surprise. 
 
 A panel in the wall slid back. 
 
 A large sheet of very thick plate glass, quite 
 transparent, was revealed to view almost immedi- 
 ately; a flood of electric light lit up the sea for 
 some distance, and everything was as clear as day- 
 light. 
 
 It was as if they were looking at an immense 
 aquarium. 
 
 " The captain is giving us a surprise," re- 
 marked the professor; " this is charming." 
 
 Innumerable fishes of various kinds, most of 
 which were unknown, even to a naturalist of Dr. 
 Woddle's standing, passed before them. 
 
 106 
 
THE DEVIL FISH. 107 
 
 Strange, wild, fierce-looking things, with won- 
 derful tails and heads. 
 
 Some looking unmistakably voracious, others 
 being long and slimy like hideous snakes. 
 
 They were doubtless attracted by the electric 
 light. 
 
 For two hours the four companions gazed at 
 the ever-changing procession, without the least 
 abatement of their delight. 
 
 Presently the door opened, and a negro handed 
 the professor a letter. 
 
 He opened it and read its contents aloud. 
 
 " Captain Vindex presents his compliments to 
 Professor Woddle, and will be glad if he and his 
 companions will accept an invitation to shoot in 
 the weed forests under the sea to-morrow morn- 
 ing at ten o'clock." 
 
 " I'll be hanged if I go ! " exclaimed Stump. 
 " Not if I know it. I'm safe here, but I don't 
 want to be chawed up by some strange reptile." 
 
 "Silence, boy!" said the professor. "Tell 
 Captain Vindex," he continued, to the negro, 
 " that we are much obliged to him for his invita- 
 tion, which we gladly accept." 
 
108 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 The negro bowed and retired. 
 
 At the time appointed the professor and the 
 boys were conducted to a cabin, which may be 
 called the dressing-room, or arsenal, of the 
 Searcher. 
 
 Hanging on the walls were numerous helmets, 
 such as divers wear, and a number of guns re- 
 posed on hooks. 
 
 At the last moment Stump had determined to 
 accompany the party. 
 
 Captain Vindex was already there, and received 
 them graciously. 
 
 " I wish you good-day, professor," he said ; 
 " and you, too, my boys. I think we shall enjoy 
 some excellent sport among the sea otters and 
 other animals worth killing. You, Dr. Woddle, 
 will be able to add to your knowledge of natural 
 history, for we are about to traverse a forest of 
 remarkable seaweeds and plants, in which you will 
 find all kinds of submarine life." 
 
 " I am obliged to you for your kindness, sir, and 
 put myself entirely at your disposal," replied the 
 professor. 
 
 At a signal from the captain, two negroes 
 
THE DEVIL FISH. 109 
 
 assisted our heroes to put on their apparel, and 
 clothed them in thick waterproof made of India 
 rubber, which formed trousers and vest, the 
 trousers terminating in a pair of shoes with lead 
 soles; a cuirass of leather protected the chest from 
 the pressure of the water, and allowed the lungs 
 full play. 
 
 Supple gloves covered the hands, the helmet 
 was then put on, and the knapsack of compressed 
 air adjusted on the back. 
 
 To each one was given a gun, the butt of which 
 was of brass and hollow. 
 
 Here was stored the compressed air which dis- 
 charged the electric bullets, one of which fell into 
 its proper place just as the other had been shot 
 away. The whole mechanism was perfect. 
 
 When all was ready they stepped into an empty 
 cabin, the door closed behind them, and, touching 
 a knob, the captain allowed the room to fill with 
 water. 
 
 Then he opened a door and they walked out 
 into the sea. 
 
 Each had an electric lamp fastened to the waist, 
 which made their path clear and distinct, enabling 
 
HO THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 them to see every object through the glass holes 
 in their helmets. 
 
 The captain walked in front with the professor. 
 
 Carl and Mont were side by side, and Stump 
 brought up the rear. 
 
 Walking was not very difficult, and the supply 
 of air, well charged with the oxygen necessary 
 for prolonged respiration, was all that could be 
 wished. It entered as it was required from the 
 knapsack reservoir, and escaped when used 
 through a turret at the top of the circular helmet. 
 
 They proceeded along fine sand, covered with a 
 variety of shells, for at least a mile, when they 
 came to some rocks covered with beautiful 
 anemones. 
 
 Innumerable fish sported around them; long, 
 writhing eels, of a prodigious size, with ugly, flat 
 snake-like heads, glided away at their approach, 
 and thousands of jelly fish danced about their 
 heads. 
 
 They were not at a great depth, and presum- 
 ably were near some island, for Mont, looking up, 
 saw the sun overhead, guessing the depth to be 
 about thirty or forty feet. 
 
THE DEVIL FISH. Ill 
 
 The sun's rays easily penetrated the waves, and 
 made a kaleidoscope of colors inconceivably 
 beautiful. 
 
 If the party could have spoken they would have 
 given vent to their admiration in no measured 
 terms. 
 
 The least sound was transmitted easily, show- 
 ing that the sea is a better conductor of noise than 
 land. 
 
 By degrees the depth increased, and they must 
 have been a hundred yards from the surface, as 
 the pressure of the water increased. 
 
 Mont suffered no inconvenience except a slight 
 tingling in the ears and fingers. 
 
 He moved with ease, and was intensely de- 
 lighted with the wonderful bed of sea flowers 
 which gave place to the fine sand they had been 
 traversing. 
 
 A dark mass extended itself before them; and 
 Captain Vindex, extending his hand, indicated the 
 beginning of the forest. 
 
 It was composed of large seaweeds and plants, 
 which extended in a straight manner, having no 
 drooping branches; all were erect and motionless. 
 
112 THE WIZARD OF THE [SEA. 
 
 When displaced by the hand they resumed a 
 perpendicular position. 
 
 They scarcely had any roots in the sand, and 
 were evidently nourished by the water and not by 
 the earth. 
 
 Some were long and slender, others short and 
 bushy, covered with blossoms of various colors; 
 others, again, reached a height equal to our forest 
 trees. 
 
 They had not proceeded far through this dense 
 jungle of weeds, among which it was difficult to 
 pick a path, when the captain halted. 
 
 In front of him was a huge octopus, or devil 
 fish, over three feet in diameter, with long, terri- 
 ble arms. 
 
 It endeavored to seize the professor, who, sink- 
 ing on his knees, shivered in silent terror ! 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 MONT IS LOST. 
 
 It looked as if Professor Woddle's last moment 
 had come. 
 
 In a moment more the devil fish had the shiver- 
 ing man in its fearful embrace. 
 
 The captain and Mont, however, raised their 
 guns, and with one shot left it convulsed in its 
 dying agonies. 
 
 As they continued to descend into a valley, 
 bounded on each side by high rocks, the darkness 
 increased, for the sun's rays could not penetrate 
 more than a hundred and fifty yards. 
 
 It was now that the electric lamps became of 
 importance. 
 
 As they got lower and lower, Mont felt an op- 
 pression about the head, and a great desire to sleep 
 overcame him. 
 
 "3 
 
114 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 He lagged behind the others, and with diffi- 
 culty kept up with them. 
 
 Several fine sea otters were seen in front, play- 
 ing about amongst the weeds. 
 
 The captain fired, and the others followed his 
 example. 
 
 Three fell dead, one of which Stump took up 
 and threw over his shoulder. 
 
 Suddenly Mont sank down on the ground and 
 immediately fell asleep. 
 
 His companions, in the eagerness of their chase 
 after the game that had escaped, did not notice his 
 absence. 
 
 They had proceeded fully half a mile, when 
 Barnaby, looking back, was unable to discover 
 any trace of Mont. 
 
 He at once ran to the captain and made signs, 
 pointing to himself, the professor, and Stump, and 
 pointing in different directions to intimate that 
 Mont was lost. 
 
 Captain Vindex at once comprehended his 
 meaning. 
 
 He retraced his steps, going carefully over the 
 ground they had trodden. 
 
MONT IS LOST. 115 
 
 It was without success, for nowhere could they 
 find the slightest trace of their unfortunate com- 
 panion. 
 
 Carl would have given worlds had he been able 
 to speak. 
 
 He was profoundly agitated, for it was horrible 
 to think that his chum was lost under the sea, not 
 knowing his way back to the Searcher, for they 
 had come a roundabout way. 
 
 Captain Vindex was also annoyed. 
 
 If Mont chose he could climb up the rocks and 
 reach the summit. 
 
 There he might take off his helmet, and breathe 
 the free air of heaven. 
 
 But would he think of this ? 
 
 Perhaps in his confusion he would wander 
 about in the effort to meet his companions, and at 
 last be suffocated miserably. 
 
 The supply of air with which each was provided 
 was not sufficient to last more than five hours. 
 
 Two of those hours' supply had been already 
 consumed. 
 
 It was necessary that Captain Vindex and those 
 with him should think of returning to the ship. 
 
Il6 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Making a sign, he led the way back. 
 
 Carl felt inclined to stay and die in the attempt 
 to find his friend. 
 
 It would have been an immense relief to him to 
 have said something, but not a sound could he 
 make audible outside his helmet. 
 
 With sad and weary steps they traversed the 
 lovely valley, which had lost all its former attrac- 
 tions for the party. 
 
 The forest was passed and the sand re- 
 gained. 
 
 They were not more than two miles from the 
 Searcher. 
 
 Carl determined to make a last effort. 
 
 He seized the captain's arm and pointed 
 pathetically, almost imploringly, to the dense mass 
 of vegetation behind them. 
 
 His mute appeal to go back after Mont was 
 comprehended. 
 
 But it was disregarded. 
 
 Their own lives would have been in jeopardy 
 had they turned back. 
 
 The air in the reservoirs was becoming weak 
 and impure. 
 
MONT IS LOST. 1 17 
 
 Shaking his head in a negative manner, the cap- 
 tain pursued his way. 
 
 With a heavy heart Carl followed him, and in 
 time the ship was reached. 
 
 They entered the water room, closed the doors, 
 and the captain touched a bell. 
 
 Directly it sounded within the vessel, the pumps 
 were heard at work, the water gradually lowered, 
 and when it was all out they opened the inner 
 door and regained the dressing-room. 
 
 It was indeed a pleasure to have the helmets re- 
 moved, for they had retained them so long that 
 they were oppressed and ill. 
 
 The captain was the first to speak. 
 
 " I am very sorry for the misfortune that has 
 happened," he exclaimed; "you must not think 
 me hard-hearted because I returned." 
 
 "But Mont will die," answered Carl; "he is 
 lost, and does not know his way back." 
 
 " His supply of air will last another hour and a 
 half. There is yet hope." 
 
 " What can we do ? " 
 
 " I will send out a party to search for him, and 
 I will head it myself," replied Captain Vindex. 
 
Il8 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 At this generous offer Carl's heart was filled 
 with fresh hope. 
 
 The captain gave orders for three negroes to 
 accompany him. 
 
 They were soon dressed and supplied with air, 
 Captain Vindex himself taking a fresh reservoir. 
 
 Then the ceremony of going out was repeated, 
 and, as the exploring party quitted the ship, all 
 Carl could do was to pray fervently for their 
 success. 
 
 He, the professor, and Stump were very lan- 
 guid, and, in spite of their anxiety, they could not 
 shake off the somnolent effects of their long walk. 
 
 Each sank down on the floor of their cabin, and 
 was soon fast asleep. 
 
 How long they remained there they did not 
 know. 
 
 Barnaby awoke, feeling a hand laid on his 
 shoulder. It was Captain Vindex. 
 
 Springing to his feet in an instant, he said : 
 
 " Have you found him? Where is Mont? " 
 
 " Unhappily," said the captain, " we could find 
 no trace of him." 
 
 " Why did I let him go last? I ought to have 
 
MONT IS LOST. 1 19 
 
 had him in front of me," cried Carl angrily. 
 " Poor Mont ! he is lying at the bottom of the sea, 
 and I shall never see him again. Never, never ! " 
 
 He covered his face with his hands, and the 
 tears trickled down his cheeks. 
 
 " I have dispatched another party to seek for 
 him," exclaimed the captain; " I am too worn out 
 to go with them this time. If they find the body, 
 we may restore him to consciousness." 
 
 " There is no hope," said Carl sadly; " you are 
 the cause of his death. Why did you inclose us 
 in this tomb, and then take one of us in the sea to 
 die?" 
 
 " Was it my fault? You are hasty, my boy, and 
 do me great injustice. I am as much grieved as 
 yourself, for I had begun to love that lad," said 
 the captain feelingly. " We will mourn for him 
 together; there is a silent friendship in grief. 
 We are friends, for we have the same sorrow." 
 
 In a few hours the searching party came back, 
 weary and unsuccessful. 
 
 They could see nothing of Mont. 
 
 Everyone gave up all hope, and our hero was 
 mourned for as one dead. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 mont's peril. 
 
 " Where am I ? Where are you, Carl ? " 
 
 After about an hour's sleep Mont was aroused 
 by an acute sensation of pain in his right leg. 
 
 Stretching out his hand, he encountered a slimy 
 substance, and withdrew it very quickly. 
 
 Leaning on his elbow, he saw by the light of his 
 lamp that a strange fish, with a head like a frying- 
 pan and a body resembling that of a codfish, was 
 biting through his waterproof covering and try- 
 ing to eat part of his leg. 
 
 In an instant he seized his gun, and, firing at 
 its eye, wounded it grievously, causing it to splash 
 about and retreat into a mass of weeds, where its 
 struggles continued for some time. 
 
 For a moment Mont forgot where he was. 
 
 But as his senses came back to him, he recol- 
 lected everything, and, rising, looked about for his 
 companions. 
 
MONT'S PERIL. 121 
 
 As he could see nothing of them, a horrible fear 
 took possession of him, and he trembled from 
 head to foot. 
 
 They had lost him in the depths of the ocean. 
 
 Without an experienced guide like Captain Vin- 
 dex, it was impossible for him to find his way- 
 back. 
 
 The dangerous and perhaps fatal sleep which 
 had overcome him must be fought against. 
 
 For if it came on again he knew he must die. 
 
 How much precious air had he not consumed 
 already ? 
 
 To him, in his condition, air was life. 
 
 He knew that he had only a supply for a limited 
 period. 
 
 The only course that remained open to him was 
 to march as quickly as the dense mass of water 
 would let him, and try to regain the Searcher. 
 
 But though he turned round, he could not find 
 the sandy plain they had first traversed on leaving 
 the ship. 
 
 The forest of sea weeds, rising straight as 
 arrows on all sides of him, erect and motionless, 
 grew dense; animal life was everywhere. 
 
12 2 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Strange fishes glared at him, and seemed to 
 mock his misery by their quick, darting move- 
 ments and sportive gambols. 
 
 He pushed his way fiercely through the 
 vegetable growth, but only to become more 
 entangled. 
 
 All at once the ground became hilly, and it 
 seemed as if he had come to the end of the valley 
 and was ascending one of the sides. 
 
 He pushed on, thinking he would give the 
 world to be able to rise to the surface. 
 
 If he could only penetrate that thick water and 
 float on the top of the waves, breathing the free 
 air of heaven, he would have gladly done so, even 
 if he were to die an hour afterward. 
 
 Gradually he quitted the forest, and the sun's 
 rays began to be visible again. 
 
 Decidedly he must be getting higher. 
 
 Presently a great black mass appeared at his 
 side. 
 
 He could see that it was a ferocious shark, 
 whose huge mouth seemed capable of engulfing 
 him. 
 
 Instinctively he threw himself on his back. 
 
MONT'S PERIL. 123 
 
 The voracious creature had made a dart at him, 
 but shot past, disappointed of its prey. 
 
 If it had seized his arm or his leg, or even his 
 head, one snap of its mouth would have been suf- 
 ficient to cut off either. 
 
 As the animal swam around him Mont pointed 
 his gun and fired. 
 
 The shot entered its stomach, but was not 
 mortal. 
 
 Another and another followed, and at last the 
 vast mass floated slowly upward, showing that it 
 was dead. 
 
 Thanking Providence for this narrow escape, 
 and congratulating himself on his presence of 
 mind, our hero continued the ascent. 
 
 The path became steep and rugged, and it was 
 with difficulty that he made his way. 
 
 He was evidently ascending the side of a rock, 
 which became more precipitous as he went on. 
 
 Where did it lead? 
 
 Was it raised above the surface or did it fall 
 short of it? 
 
 If so, he would have his trouble for nothing. 
 
 He breathed with an effort, and his breath grew 
 
124 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 shorter and shorter every moment, for he was 
 making a great demand upon his reservoir of air 
 while undergoing strong exertion. 
 
 At length he had to stop. 
 
 It seemed as if his strength were failing 
 him. 
 
 The sleepy feeling overtook him again, and he 
 leaned back against the shining rock, which re- 
 flected the sun's rays. 
 
 He was face to face with death. 
 
 Not much longer would his lungs be supplied 
 with breathing air. 
 
 Suffocation threatened Mont with a painful 
 end, yet he was so weak and prostrate that he 
 seemed unable to make another effort. 
 
 Every moment was of priceless value. 
 
 At last he went on. 
 
 How he did it he never knew; but he managed 
 to climb the almost perpendicular rocks, which 
 afforded little or no footing. 
 
 At last the sun's rays were more vivid, and, 
 with a feeling of wonder, Mont found himself 
 moving with comparative ease. 
 
 This was because he had reached the summit of 
 
MONT'S PERIL. 1*5 
 
 the rock after climbing nearly two hundred and 
 fifty yards. 
 
 He was out of the water. 
 
 With nervous hands he tore off his helmet, and, 
 lying on his side, inhaled the air for a few minutes. 
 
 " I am saved, saved! " cried Mont delightedly. 
 
 He rose at length, and looked around him. 
 
 The rock on which he was standing was a nar- 
 row, barren peak, which just rose above the 
 surface, and that was all. 
 
 The remainder of the ledge was under water. 
 If he had not ascended in that place he must have 
 died. 
 
 Afar off was what appeared to be a small island. 
 But whether it was an arid desert or not he was 
 unable to tell. 
 
 " Perhaps I shall die of hunger and thirst," he 
 muttered; "but death is better here than in the 
 forest under the sea." 
 
 Sleep again overcame him, and he passed sev- 
 eral hours in a deep slumber. 
 
 With wakefulness came a horrible sensation of 
 hunger and thirst. 
 
 While he was gazing around him, with despair 
 
1«6 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 again attacking him, he saw something rise in the 
 sea a short distance off. 
 
 He thought he recognized the black back of the 
 Searcher, and he was not mistaken. 
 
 The trap-door opened, and two men appeared 
 on the platform. 
 
 They were Captain Vindex and Professor 
 Woddle. 
 
 Mont tried to cry out, but only a feeble sound 
 came from his lips. 
 
 He, however, waved his hands, and the signal 
 was seen. 
 
 Soon the electric boat floated gently to the rock. 
 
 He stepped on the platform, which was by this 
 time crowded with the crew, Carl, and Stump. 
 
 The next moment he was in the arms of kind 
 friends. 
 
 He sank fainting at their feet, and was carried 
 below, where he remained some days before he 
 entirely recovered his strength. 
 
 Captain Vindex had entertained an idea that 
 Mont might reach the surface by climbing up the 
 rocks, although he scarcely dared to hold this 
 opinion as a certainty. 
 
MONT'S PERIL. 1 27 
 
 But when nothing could be seen of him below 
 the surface, he resolved to look for him above. 
 
 Consequently the Searcher rose under his 
 orders, with the happy result we have described. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 THE WRECKS. 
 
 When Mont was fully recovered, the negro 
 Number One announced that they were going on 
 a long voyage. 
 
 " Massa say him start for urn South Pole/' he 
 said. " In one hour we be off, and travel for 
 many week. Travel to the Pole." 
 
 In effect, they soon heard the motion of tht 
 machinery, and the Searcher began her long sub- 
 marine cruise. 
 
 For about a week they saw nothing of the cap- 
 tain. 
 
 This mysterious man shut himself up and 
 sought intercourse with no one. 
 
 Every day, for some hours, the panel in their 
 cabin slid back, and they enjoyed the treat of look- 
 ing at the sea lighted by electricity. 
 
 The direction of the Searcher was southeast, 
 
 128 
 
THE WRECKS. 1 29 
 
 and she kept at a depth of a hundred to a hundred 
 and fifty feet. 
 
 One day, while the electric ship was stopping 
 to replenish her power, a curious incident hap- 
 pened. 
 
 Stump was looking out of the window, and he 
 suddenly exclaimed : 
 
 "What is that, sir?" 
 
 Everyone went to examine, and a ship dis- 
 mantled was seen slowly sinking to the bottom. 
 
 It had foundered a short time before with all 
 hands. 
 
 Several men were lashed to the riggings, and 
 their agonized faces testified to their late suffer- 
 ings. 
 
 A shoal of sharks followed the sinking wreck 
 with distended eyes, anticipating a feast of human 
 flesh. 
 
 As the hull passed the window, Mont read her 
 name, which was the Firefly of Savannah. 
 
 This was not an isolated case, for they fre- 
 quently saw wrecks, and remains of wrecks, such 
 as cannons, anchors, chains, and decaying hulls. 
 
 " Well, this is a lively existence," exclaimed 
 
130 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Mont; " we eat nothing but fish, and see nothing 
 but fish." 
 
 " And wrecks," put in Carl. 
 
 A heavy step was heard behind them, and all 
 turned round, to see the captain. 
 
 He placed his hand upon a map, and exclaimed : 
 
 " Do you see this island — Malonon ? It is 
 where the gallant French explorer Posterri per- 
 ished. We are close to it, and, if you please, 
 gentlemen, you shall land and explore it for your- 
 selves." 
 
 This was good news. 
 
 " But," said the professor, " if I remember 
 rightly, it is inhabited by savages." 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 " Shall we not be in danger ? " 
 
 " I fear nothing," said the captain. " I have 
 braved danger among civilized nations, and I can 
 afford to despise savages. If you do not wish it, 
 however, I will continue my voyage." 
 
 "Don't do that, sir," replied Mont. "I'll 
 chance the niggers. Let us land. I know Carl 
 and Stump would like it." 
 
 " And you, Mr. Professor ? " said the captain. 
 
THE WRECKS. 131 
 
 " I, sir, will go anywhere in the interests of 
 science," replied Homer Woddle, with a nervous 
 tremor in his voice which showed he did not like 
 savages. 
 
 The news raised the boys' spirits to the highest 
 pitch. 
 
 After confinement on board the Searcher the 
 prospect of going on land was enchanting. 
 
 No matter what danger they might encounter 
 they were ready. 
 
 Carl whispered that they might have a chance 
 of escaping. 
 
 Mont said nothing, but he was of the same 
 opinion. 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 ON LAND ONCE MORE. 
 
 The party were allowed to go on shore without 
 even promising to return, and the heart of each 
 beat high with the prospect of liberty before them. 
 
 Professor Woddle explained that they might 
 traverse the country nearby, and so get to some 
 port, but the journey would be perilous in the ex- 
 treme. 
 
 His advice was to camp in the wood, obtain 
 fresh provisions, and await the course of events. 
 
 Stump alone was in doubt. 
 
 " The captain," he remarked, " is a wonderful 
 man, and knows perfectly well what he is about. 
 He has told us we shall never again set our feet on 
 civilized ground, has he not ? " 
 
 " Yes. Everyone knows that," answered the 
 professor. 
 
 " He'll keep his word, and I'll bet a new hat we 
 are on board again to-morrow, or perhaps to-day." 
 
 *3» 
 
ON LAND ONCE MORE. 133 
 
 " I'll take you," replied Mont, " though how the 
 bet is to be paid I don't know, as there are no hat 
 shops on board the boat." 
 
 " I'd give something to find out all about our 
 skipper," said Carl. " He is the most curious 
 beggar I ever met. All four of us are not a match 
 for him." 
 
 " Speak for yourself, my young but still intelli- 
 gent friend," answered the professor. " Time 
 will show." 
 
 " We'll have some fresh meat soon," observed 
 Stump, " and if you'll trust the cooking to me, 
 Master Mont, you shall have a dinner fit for a king 
 in half an hour after running down the game." 
 
 " A little venison or wild boar, which is pork, 
 would be very acceptable," answered the pro- 
 fessor; "and my knowledge of natural history 
 enables me to tell you that we shall find both on 
 this island which we are about to visit." 
 
 " Roast pork — lovely ! It makes my mouth 
 water," said Stump. 
 
 " Do you want to have the jaw all to your- 
 self ? " asked Mont. " Go and ask when the boat 
 will be ready to take us ashore." 
 
134 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA, 
 
 Stump departed on his errand and found the 
 boat already prepared for them. 
 
 It was made of various pieces of wood, which 
 were easily put together when it was wanted and 
 taken apart when it was not required. 
 
 It would hold half a dozen men, and floated by 
 the side of the Searcher. 
 
 Each of the four companions was provided with 
 an electric gun containing the usual twenty shots. 
 
 " A pleasant excursion, gentlemen," said the 
 captain, as they emerged on the platform; " I hope 
 you do not intend to deprive me for any length of 
 time of the pleasure of your society." 
 
 " Wouldn't do such a thing for worlds, sir," an- 
 swered our hero. 
 
 " You needn't return to-night, if you prefer 
 camping out." 
 
 " We didn't mean to," replied Mont. 
 
 A peculiar smile crossed Captain Vindex's ex- 
 pressive face, as if he guessed what was passing 
 in the youth's mind. 
 
 " Remember one thing," he said; " be very care- 
 ful of your ammunition.' 
 
 "Why?" 
 
ON LAND ONCE MORE. 135 
 
 " You will find out in time. All I have to say 
 is, recollect my advice," was the answer. 
 
 They got into the boat and rowed ashore, pick- 
 ing their way carefully through the coral reefs, 
 and in five minutes the bottom of the boat grated 
 upon a sandy beach. 
 
 " Hurrah! " cried Mont, throwing up his cap; 
 " land once more ! " 
 
 Stump, who was thoroughly familiar with all 
 the tricks of boys, put down his hands and 
 " turned a wheel," after which he stood on his 
 head, to give expression to his delight. 
 
 Huge forests stretched far inland, and raised 
 their mighty heads a hundred feet from the earth. 
 
 Palms, shrubs, and creepers were mingled with 
 the trees in grand confusion, and this scene, in the 
 glowing sunshine, was indescribably beautiful. 
 
 The professor saw a cocoanut palm, and, knock- 
 ing off some of the fruit, gave it to the boys, who 
 pronounced it delicious. 
 
 " Now," he said, " we will shoot something and 
 dine as we have not dined for a long time." 
 
 " I've some salt in my pocket, and Stump has 
 lcnives," remarked Carl. 
 
136 THE WIZARD OP THE SEA. 
 
 " It looks to me," said Mont, " as if we were 
 likely to have a sirloin of tiger for dinner; that 
 forest ought to be full of wild beasts." 
 
 " No matter," answered Carl, " anything's bet- 
 ter than fish. Come on." 
 
 They skirted the forest, fearing to enter it lest 
 they might lose themselves in its dense interior. 
 
 Keeping their guns ready for instant action, 
 they proceeded about half a mile, when the pro- 
 fessor held up his hand. 
 
 In front of them was a large breadfruit tree, 
 and under its branches was a wild boar, engaged 
 in eating the tender fruit which had fallen to the 
 ground. 
 
 " Approach gently, and fire all together," said 
 the professor. 
 
 They did so, and four shots were discharged at 
 the same time. 
 
 The wild boar uttered a ferocious grunt, ran a 
 few paces, and fell down dead. 
 
 " What is it, sir? " asked Carl. 
 
 " A wild boar ; do you not see his tusks ? Now, 
 Stumpton, set to work, and cut a leg of pork off 
 piggy. You, Folsom, make a fire with the dry 
 
ON LAND ONCE MORE. 137 
 
 wood; it will kindle when I rub two sticks to- 
 gether. You, Barnaby, gather some of this 
 fruit." 
 
 " Is it good to eat, sir? " 
 
 " You will find it excellent. I recognize it as 
 the breadfruit of the tropics, and, cut up in slices 
 and toasted over the fire, nothing could be better 
 for us with our roast pork," answered the pro- 
 fessor. 
 
 They were quickly at work. The fire was 
 lighted, the leg of pork cut off and fixed to a 
 tripod, the breadfruit toasted, and plates supplied 
 by large palm leaves. Presently a delicious odor 
 of roast pork spread itself around. 
 
 After living so long on the peculiar fare pro- 
 vided by Captain Vindex, they enjoyed their din- 
 ner immensely; and, when they had satisfied their 
 appetites, they sat down under the shade of a tree, 
 sheltered from the noontide heat. 
 
 " Now, sir," said Mont, " what are we 
 to do?" 
 
 " I have no wish to return to our floating 
 prison," replied the professor. " The question is, 
 shall we go back, or shall we try to make our way 
 
138 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 to some port, risking the dangers of the way, the 
 chances of starvation? " 
 
 " That does not appear likely," answered Mont, 
 thinking of the roast pork and the breadfruit. 
 
 " When our guns are empty, we may not find it 
 so easy to kill game, however abundant it may be. 
 The savages are another danger." 
 
 " Put it to the vote, sir," said our hero. 
 
 " Certainly; all you who wish to make an effort 
 to escape from the thralldom in which we are held, 
 hold up your hands." 
 
 Every hand was extended. 
 
 "To the contrary?" 
 
 There was no response. 
 
 " Not a hand," said the professor. " I may, 
 then, conclude, that we are unanimous in our wish 
 for freedom, and it is decided that we do not re- 
 turn to the Searcher" 
 
 " Hurrah ! " cried Stump, proceeding to stand 
 on his head again. 
 
 " If you don't stop those street-arab tricks," re- 
 marked Mont, " you'll have a fit, after such a meal 
 as you've had." 
 
 Stump resumed his natural position. 
 
ON LAND ONCE MORE. 139 
 
 " There's no He, sir, about my having had a 
 filler of pork," he replied. " But though I'm only 
 an odd boy, I've got my feelings, and I'd as soon 
 be a convict as in that there prison ship." 
 
 " The youth is right," observed the professor 
 mildly; " to live and die in that ship is an awful 
 prospect, and I would rather herd with savages in 
 their wilds than do it." 
 
 And as if it was intended as an answer to his 
 speech, an arrow flew over his head. 
 
 Fortunately it missed its mark, and stuck quiv- 
 ering into the bark of the tree under which they 
 were sitting. 
 
 Everyone sprang to his feet, and stood, gun in 
 hand, on the defensive. 
 
 " Savages, by George ! " exclaimed Mont. 
 
 " Where? " asked the professor. 
 
 " To the right, sir. Fire away, and chance it, 
 or we shall all be killed." 
 
 There was an instant discharge of firearms, and 
 a scuffling was heard behind some cactus and 
 mimosa bushes. 
 
 A dozen savages, nearly naked, armed with 
 spears and bows and arrows, were seen in a state 
 
MO THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 of hesitation, whether to fly or stand their 
 ground. 
 
 Three of their number had fallen from the dis- 
 charge, and one, who was mortally wounded, was 
 crawling, in a slow, labored manner, into the bush 
 to die. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 FIGHTING THE SAVAGES. 
 
 " They are retreating ! " cried Mont joyfully. 
 
 " No ! no ! they are coming on again ! " put in 
 Carl, a few seconds later. 
 
 "At 'em again, boys; let them have it," said 
 the professor. 
 
 " Hot and strong this time, sir," said Stump, 
 advancing a step to take better aim. 
 
 Again the bullets flew, and three more savages 
 went down. 
 
 The others turned to fly to the shelter of the 
 neighboring forests. 
 
 " Hurrah ! they're bolting," said Mont. 
 
 " But they've collared what was left of our 
 bread, and the remains of the roast pork," said the 
 hired boy angrily. " Oh, the varmints ! I'll just 
 give them something." 
 
 He advanced to fire better. 
 
 An aged chief, however, turned at this moment 
 
 «4* 
 
142 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 and discharged a parting shot which took effect 
 in the calf of Stump's leg. 
 
 "Oh, dear! I'm hit," he cried. "A great 
 wooden skewer's stuck right in my leg, sir. Per- 
 haps it's poisoned, sir. Oh, dear, but I wish it 
 hadn't been me. There's the professor, now; he 
 could have borne it better than me." 
 
 " Thank you, my young friend," said the pro- 
 fessor, " the calf of my leg is as susceptible to pain 
 as yours; let us get away, as arrowheads are 
 sharp, and in certain parts of the body mortal." 
 
 " Where shall we go? " asked Mont. 
 
 " We are not safe here. The savages will re- 
 turn in larger numbers directly, and we shall prob- 
 ably lose our lives, so I propose to seek our boat? " 
 
 " And go back to the Searcher? " asked Carl. 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Never ! I for one will not go ! " cried Carl. 
 
 " And I can't crawl. I'm as lame as a dog," 
 said Stump, half crying. 
 
 " Roll, if you can't walk," said the professor 
 jokingly. 
 
 " Pull it out, sir. Give me a hand with it. It 
 hurts awful." 
 
FIGHTING THE SAVAGES. 143 
 
 Mont advanced to the boy and seized the arrow- 
 head, which he tugged at until, with a torrent of 
 blood, it came out of the wound. 
 
 It was with difficulty Stump managed to limp 
 on one leg, and seemed very grateful when Mont 
 bound up the wound and told him to lean on his 
 shoulder. 
 
 " My dear boy," said the professor, " discretion 
 is the better part of valor. I am averse to the tak- 
 ing of human life, for I am a man of science and 
 not a fighter. My advice is to check the advance 
 of those bloodthirsty savages, and when your am- 
 munition is spent, to run. As I am old, and not 
 quick of foot, I will start at once." 
 
 So saying, he ran with all speed to the boat. 
 
 " Coward ! " said Mont angrily. 
 
 " What are we to do ? " asked Carl blankly. 
 
 " Follow him, I suppose," replied Mont. 
 " Bring up the rear, Carl, while I help Stump 
 along, and if the beasts show again, call us, and 
 we will turn and fire." 
 
 They began to beat a retreat in this order, and, 
 fortunately, the natives did not again make an ap- 
 pearance. 
 
144 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 The half-mile was traversed quickly, Stump 
 groaning dreadfully as he was forced along. 
 
 When within a few paces of the boat awful yells 
 were heard behind them. 
 
 Turning to see from whence they proceeded, 
 Mont saw a horde of savages in pursuit. The 
 sands seemed to be alive with them. 
 
 Evidently the defeated party had returned to 
 obtain re-enforcements and apprise their com- 
 panions of the slaughter which had taken place, 
 urging them to avenge it. 
 
 An army of at least three hundred wild-looking 
 fiends were at their heels, and not a moment was 
 to be lost. 
 
 " Quick, for Heaven's sake ! " said Professor 
 Woddle. " The savages are upon us. Quick, 
 boys, or we are lost ! " 
 
 The boys sprang into the boat, placing Stump 
 in the bows, and pushed off. 
 
 Carl and Mont plied the oars vigorously. 
 
 Fortunately, when the savages reached the 
 beach they were some distance out. 
 
 A flight of arrows fell close to them without 
 doing them any harm. 
 
FIGHTING THE SAVAGES. 145 
 
 At least a hundred of the natives plunged into 
 the sea up to the waist, but they did not attempt to 
 swim after the boat, which soon reached the 
 Searcher. 
 
 Mont expected to see someone, but the platform 
 was deserted. 
 
 Our hero at once went to the captain, being 
 alarmed at the hostile attitude of the savages, 
 whom he did not doubt were possessed of canoes 
 and would make an attack upon the ship. 
 
 He was annoyed at being obliged to take shelter 
 so soon, but what could he do ? 
 
 All his hopes of liberty in flight were nipped in 
 the bud. 
 
 He began to see now that Captain Vindex knew 
 the character of the coast, and had calculated well 
 on their return to their captivity. 
 
 Imprisonment with him was better than death 
 or slavery among the savages of the island. 
 
 The captain was sitting in front of the organ 
 playing an exquisite air of Beethoven. 
 
 Full of excitement, Mont had no time to 
 listen. 
 
 He touched him on the shoulder. 
 
146 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 The Wizard of the Sea seemed unconscious of 
 his presence. 
 
 " Captain," said our hero. 
 
 The strange being shivered and turned round. 
 
 " Ah," he cried, " 'tis you, Mr. Folsom. Have 
 you had good sport? You have returned sooner 
 than I expected." 
 
 " The sport was not bad," replied Mont, " but 
 unfortunately we met with a troop of savages, 
 who spoilt our fun." 
 
 The captain smiled ironically. 
 
 " Savages ! " he repeated. " Were you sur- 
 prised at meeting with them ? Have you so little 
 geographical knowledge that you do not know 
 they swarm hereabouts? " 
 
 " All I know is," replied Mont, " that if you 
 don't want them on board the boat, you had better 
 look out." 
 
 " My dear fellow," said the captain, " I am not 
 likely to trouble my head about such wretches." 
 
 " But there are lots of them." 
 
 "How many?" 
 
 " Over three hundred, I should think, as well as 
 I could count." 
 
FIGHTING THE SAVAGES. 147 
 
 " We have nothing to fear from them, nothing 
 at all," said the captain. " Don't be alarmed." 
 
 Without another word he turned again to the 
 organ, and played a Scotch air which had an in- 
 describable charm about it. 
 
 He was plunged again in a reverie that Mont 
 did not think it prudent to interrupt. 
 
 He remounted to the platform without seeing a 
 single negro. 
 
 The most absolute want of precaution reigned 
 on board the Searcher, and it looked as if no one 
 knew that hundreds of howling savages were 
 within five minutes' row of them. 
 
 In the growing darkness, which came on while 
 Mont was alone, he could see the forms of the 
 natives running backward and forward on the 
 beach. 
 
 They were evidently planning an attack upon a 
 large scale. 
 
 What could account for the captain's strange 
 apathy ? 
 
 After a time he forgot the natives in admiring 
 the lovely night of the tropics. 
 
 The zodiacal stars appeared, and the moon 
 
148 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 shone brightly amidst innumerable constellations 
 of the zenith. 
 
 He wished that the moon would light the 
 Searcher to the coral bed, and that they would 
 sink to the bottom, where they would be safe from 
 their enemies. 
 
 Proceeding below again he sought his friends. 
 
 The door giving access to the interior of the 
 boat remained open, and he observed a slave stand- 
 ing at the bottom of the staircase as if on watch. 
 
 Stump had his leg plastered up, and, though in 
 pain, was much better. 
 
 Strange to say, all were pleased to return to the 
 boat, and to escape a fearful death of lifelong 
 slavery among the savages, who are known to 
 travelers as the Papouans. 
 
 Mont slept badly, for he anticipated a night 
 attack. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 ELECTRIFYING THE SAVAGES. 
 
 " What a sight ! They are going to attack 
 us, sure ! " 
 
 It was Mont who spoke, as at six o'clock in the 
 morning he ascended to the platform. 
 
 The morning mist had lifted, and he could see 
 the land distinctly. 
 
 The savages were very busy, and more numer- 
 ous than they had been the night before. 
 
 As well as he could calculate, he counted six or 
 seven hundred of them. 
 
 They were tall, handsome men, with an erect 
 bearing, their features well chiseled. 
 
 In their ears they wore rings of bone. 
 
 Their arms were bows and arrows, spears, and 
 shields made of the skins of fish stretched over 
 a wooden frame or the back of the turtle. 
 
 A chief rowed in a canoe toward the Searcher, 
 keeping at a safe distance. 
 
 He was adorned with a fantastic headdress of 
 149 
 
15° THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 feathers and leaves, and seemed to be the king of 
 the country. 
 
 Having nothing better to do, Mont got a fish- 
 ing line from the negro who usually attended upon 
 him, and amused himself with catching some of 
 the fish that swam round the ship. 
 
 No one made any preparation to repel an attack 
 of the Papouans, which alarmed Mont very much. 
 
 He had, however, so much confidence in the 
 sagacity of Captain Vindex that he believed he 
 would not be caught asleep. 
 
 For two hours he continued his sport with tol- 
 erable success, and was so wrapped up in it that he 
 forgot the natives for the time. 
 
 While he was engaged in pulling up a good bite, 
 an arrow whizzed past him. 
 
 Mont dropped his fish, and very nearly his line. 
 
 "Bother the brutes!" he exclaimed; "can't 
 they let a fellow fish in peace ? Why doesn't the 
 captain make a start and get away from them ? " 
 
 He was as eager now to leave the land as he had 
 been the day before to reach it. 
 
 It was clear that the Papouans were puzzled. 
 
 They had seen European ships before, but what 
 
ELECTRIFYING THE SAVAGES. 151 
 
 could they make of a long cylinder of iron, with- 
 out masts, almost flush with the surface of the 
 water, and no chimney like a steamer ? 
 
 But they gained confidence as they saw no at- 
 tempt made to drive them away. 
 
 They had seen some of their number killed by 
 the air-guns, yet they had heard no noise. 
 
 All at once a flotilla consisting of a score of 
 canoes, full of savages, put off from the shore, and 
 approached the ship. 
 
 Mont at once sought refuge in the interior of 
 the ship, and ran to apprise the captain of the for- 
 midable state affairs were assuming. 
 
 Clearly no orders had been given to repel 
 boarders. 
 
 Knocking at the captain's door, he was told to 
 enter. 
 
 Captain Vindex was reading. 
 
 " Do I disturb you? " asked Mont politely. 
 
 " A little," replied the captain; " but I suppose 
 you have good reason for seeking me ? " 
 
 " Rather," answered our hero. " We are sur- 
 rounded by savages, and in a few minutes we shall 
 have them on board." 
 
IS* THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Ah," said the captain, " they have got their 
 canoes, I suppose? " 
 
 " Heaps of them." 
 
 " Then we must do something." 
 
 " Shut up the shop," said Mont. 
 
 " That is easily done," replied the captain, 
 touching a bell, and adding : " In half a minute 
 the trapdoor will be closed. You need not be 
 afraid that they will break in." 
 
 " No, but to-morrow we shall want air, and 
 you must open the door again for your pumps to 
 work." 
 
 " Yes; our ship is like a great whale, and can- 
 not live without air." 
 
 " In a moment the Papouans will be on the top 
 of us, and I don't suppose they will go away in a 
 hurry," replied Mont. 
 
 " You suppose they will take possession of the 
 outside and keep it? " 
 
 " Exactly." 
 
 " Well, then," answered the captain calmly, " I 
 don't see why they shouldn't. Why should I kill 
 the poor creatures if I can help it? I know many 
 savages in the civilized world whom I would cut 
 
ELECTRIFYING THE SAVAGES. l$3 
 
 off with more pleasure. Leave them to me. If 
 it is necessary I will make a terrible example of 
 them." 
 
 " You have no cannon." 
 
 " I shall not fire a shot, and I shall not wound 
 them in any way, and yet they will fall like leaves 
 in autumn. Go to your friends, and rest perfectly 
 easy," said the captain. 
 
 This was a dismissal, and, wondering much, 
 Mont went away. 
 
 As he sought his cabin he heard the fierce cries 
 of the savages, who swarmed on the back of the 
 iron ship like flies in summer. 
 
 The night passed without any incident. Plenty 
 of oxygen still passed through the ship, but it was 
 time to renew the air, which was becoming impure. 
 
 Breakfast was served in the morning, as usual. 
 
 Eleven o'clock came, and the captain showed 
 no signs of moving. 
 
 This apathy appeared incomprehensible to 
 Mont. 
 
 Without any difficulty the vessel could have 
 gone out to sea, risen in mid-ocean, and taken in 
 fresh air. 
 
154 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " It is very odd we don't move," he remarked. 
 
 " I can't understand it," said the professor. 
 " But everything is so remarkable on board 
 this ship that I have ceased to wonder at any- 
 thing." 
 
 " I've had a taste of niggers, and don't want 
 another," said Stump, who was lying on a mat- 
 tress with his leg bound up. 
 
 " Hark at the reptiles ! What a thundering 
 row they're kicking up ! " remarked Mont. 
 
 " I never heard such a racket," answered Carl; 
 " our skipper must be out of his head not to start 
 the vipers." 
 
 The captain appeared in the doorway. 
 
 There was a pleasant smile on his face, and he 
 did not seem at all alarmed at the menacing 
 aspect of affairs. 
 
 " Gentlemen," he said, " we resume our voyage 
 at twelve o'clock exactly." 
 
 " It is now a quarter to," said the professor, re- 
 garding his chronometer. 
 
 " Precisely. I shall open the flap, and take in 
 air directly." 
 
 " And the niggers? " said Mont. 
 
ELECTRIFYING THE SAVAGES. 155 
 
 " The Papouans? " replied the captain, shrug- 
 ging his shoulders. 
 
 "Won't they get in?" 
 
 "How?" 
 
 " Easily enough, by walking down the ladder. 
 They can do that when the flap is up, and can kill 
 us all without any trouble." 
 
 " Gentlemen," said Captain Vindex, " the 
 Papouans will not descend the staircase, although 
 the flap is open." 
 
 They regarded this singular man in amazement. 
 
 " You do not understand me," he continued. 
 " Come to the bottom of the ladder, and you shall 
 see." 
 
 "Shall we take our guns?" asked the pro- 
 fessor. 
 
 " Not the slightest necessity." 
 
 " At least your slaves are armed ? " 
 
 " They are all at their work; follow me," said 
 the captain. 
 
 They obeyed his order, and walked to the foot 
 of the metal ladder. 
 
 The captain folded his arms, and stood by the 
 side of the professor. 
 
t$6 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Mont and Carl were together. 
 
 Even Stump had crawled along the passage to 
 see what would happen. 
 
 Captain Vindex made a sign to a slave, who, 
 touching a spring, caused a trapdoor in the back 
 of the Searcher to fly open. 
 
 The sunshine descended in a flood. 
 
 Terrible cries of rage and triumph were heard, 
 and a swarm of natives appeared on all sides. 
 
 At least twenty made a rush at the ladder, 
 brandishing their tomahawks and spears, while 
 they uttered fierce yells and scraps of war songs. 
 
 The first who grasped the railing, and placed 
 his foot on the ladder, gave a bound back, and 
 the most fearful shrieks burst from his quiver- 
 ing lips. A second, a third, and a fourth did 
 the same. 
 
 What invisible force was at work Mont did not 
 know. He thought the days of magic and sor- 
 cery had returned. 
 
 A score of Papouans tried to descend; but they 
 had no sooner made the attempt than they in- 
 stantly retreated, yelling dismally, and threw 
 themselves into the sea. 
 
ELECTRIFYING THE SAVAGES. 157 
 
 " Stunning," said Mont. " It's fine, but I don't 
 know how you do it." 
 
 The captain smiled. 
 
 To get a better view, Mont put one foot on the 
 staircase and one hand on the railing. 
 
 He immediately withdrew them, uttering a cry 
 which was loud enough to wake the dead. 
 
 "Oh, oh!" he cried. 
 
 " What's up? " exclaimed Carl, who could not 
 help laughing. 
 
 "I see the dodge now," said Mont; "it's an 
 electric battery applied to the metal of the stair- 
 case, and whoever touches it has a shock. I've 
 had it before at Coney Island, and at fairs. You 
 pay a dime and get electrified." 
 
 " Ah! " ejaculated the professor, upon whom a 
 light began to dawn. 
 
 " You are right," said the captain calmly. 
 " I have connected the brass staircase with the 
 powerful storage battery that gives us light 
 and power, and the ignorant savages are fright- 
 ened at they know not what. If they had per- 
 sisted in their attempt to enter the ship I should 
 have applied all my electrical force, and they 
 
158 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 would have fallen as dead as flies on a fly paper; 
 but I did not wish to harm them. They are 
 enemies unworthy of my hatred." 
 
 The news of the dreadful and mysterious pains 
 which they felt were spread by the shocked natives 
 to their friends. 
 
 Alarmed and horrified, they beat a precipitate 
 retreat, swimming and rowing back to the shore. 
 
 In half an hour the beach was deserted, and all 
 flew away from the sea fiend whose nature they 
 could not understand. 
 
 " They take us for the Old Nick," said Mont. 
 
 " Twelve o'clock," exclaimed the captain, who 
 was always as punctual as fate; " I said we should 
 sail at twelve." 
 
 At this moment the engines began to revolve, 
 and the Searcher skimmed over the surface of the 
 sea like a bird. 
 
 The air was soon taken into the reservoirs, the 
 flap or panel was closed, and sinking into the 
 bosom of the waves, she glided along, moved by 
 her powerful screw, like a big fish; only the helms- 
 man, sitting in his solitary place of lookout, being 
 responsible for her management. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 A PEARL WORTH A FORTUNE. 
 
 They traversed the ocean at a depth of about 
 a hundred yards from the surface. 
 
 The health of the captives continued good. 
 
 Stump was the only grumbler; the others read 
 and talked, resigning themselves to their fate, and 
 waiting the next adventure which should befall 
 them in their singular voyage. 
 
 " I tell you what it is, sir," exclaimed Stump 
 one day; " I wish I could get my fist near that 
 there captain. If I wouldn't give him a knockout 
 I'd let a whale come and eat me." 
 
 " What have you to grumble at, my friend ? " 
 inquired Professor Woddle. " You are com- 
 fortably housed, well fed, and have a constant 
 source of excitement in the movements of this re- 
 markable ship." 
 
 " Bother the ship. Why didn't she strike on 
 159 
 
x6o THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 a rock and bust up? " said Stump. " I'd rather 
 be back to Nautical Hall any day than here." 
 
 " Bide your time, my lad," continued the pro- 
 fessor; " something will happen some day." 
 
 " Very prob'ble, sir, but it's waiting for it to 
 turn up as I don't like. Just shove me alongside 
 of that blessed captain, and if I don't give 
 him " 
 
 " Stump," interrupted Mont, " you shut up. I 
 wouldn't mind being back to the Hall myself, but 
 finding fault won't take us there." 
 
 " Certainly, sir. I don't have much chance of 
 talking. I shall forget my own language soon; 
 but no matter, I am only a hired boy, I know, and, 
 of course, shouldn't have no feelings." 
 
 Mont took the trouble to pacify him, explain- 
 ing that to provoke a quarrel with the captain 
 would not in any way improve their position. 
 
 On the contrary, it might deprive them of the 
 little liberty and comforts they now enjoyed, and 
 make their miserable condition much worse. 
 
 Stump saw this and promised to be quiet. 
 
 He was a strong lad for his age, as hard as iron, 
 and brave as a young lion. 
 
A PEARL WORTH A FORTUNE. 161 
 
 " Just promise me this, sir," he said. 
 
 "What?" 
 
 " If I see a good chance of stepping it, you'll be 
 with me?" 
 
 " Like a shot. But we mustn't do anything 
 rash, you know, Stump," replied Mont. " Cap- 
 tain Vindex is not to be trifled with. A man who 
 can build a ship like this, make electricity take the 
 place of steam, and so store the air as to make it 
 sufficient for use for twenty-four hours, is one of 
 those great spirits who think of everything, and 
 with whom we cannot hope to cope on equal 
 terms." 
 
 " Don't know so much about that, sir," said 
 Stump. " I once had a round with a professional 
 boxer and laid him low in two minutes." 
 
 Mont laughed, and the conversation dropped. 
 
 The voyage continued to the Indian Sea, and 
 was not remarkable for anything more exciting 
 than the capture of several turtles in nets, and the 
 shooting of various sea birds, which supplied an 
 agreeable addition to the comforts of the table. 
 
 In the Indian Sea they encountered hundreds 
 of the nautilus tribe floating gracefully on the sur- 
 
l6a THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 face of the water, their tiny sails spread, catching 
 the wind, and looking like little ships. 
 
 One day Captain Vindex entered. 
 
 " Would you like to see the banks upon which 
 grow the oysters which contain the pearls?" 
 asked the captain. 
 
 " Under the sea ? " said Mont. 
 
 "An excursion, submarine?" said the pro- 
 fessor. 
 
 " Precisely so. Are you inclined to go? " 
 
 " Very much, indeed," replied all in chorus, 
 with the exception of Stump. 
 
 " This is not the time of year for the pearl 
 divers to be at work," said the captain, " though 
 we may see one or two. I will bring the ship 
 nearer land, and show you some of the treasures of 
 the deep. They fish for pearls in the Gulf of 
 Bengal, in the Indian seas, as well as those of 
 China and Japan, off the coast of South America, 
 and in the Gulf of Panama and that of California, 
 but it is at Ceylon that they find the richest 
 harvest." 
 
 "That is a fact," said the professor; "the 
 richest pearls, as you say, are found here." 
 
A PEARL WORTH A FORTUNE. 163 
 
 " Right," said the captain. " We, however, 
 shall see more than any diver ever dreams of. 
 Perhaps I shall find my pearl worth a million, for 
 which I have searched so long. I shall be at your 
 service, gentlemen, in a few hours." 
 
 When the captain had departed the professor 
 was very grave. 
 
 Carl and Mont were delighted at the prospect 
 of finding pearls, but Stump bit his nails in silence. 
 
 " I'll take home a pearl or two for luck ! " ex- 
 claimed Mont. 
 
 " If you ever get home, sir," remarked Stump, 
 half aloud. 
 
 " You'll go with us, won't you? " asked Mont. 
 
 " I'll go wherever you and Master Carl go, 
 Master Mont," replied Stump, " because it's my 
 duty to watch over you. But I aint going to 
 have no sort of friendship with that captain, not 
 by a jugful? " 
 
 " He's all right, when you know him." 
 
 " Is he? Then I don't want to know him." 
 
 Turning to the professor, Mont exclaimed : 
 
 " Shall we have good sport, sir ? " 
 
 " Most likely," answered Mr. Woddle. 
 
1 64 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Are there many sharks about ? " 
 
 " It is no use disguising the fact. The sea here- 
 abouts swarms with them. I should not like to 
 meet one under the waves. A pearl has been 
 called by poets a tear of the sea, and anything 
 more lovely around a maiden's neck cannot be 
 conceived. I have a strong wish to hunt for those 
 tears of the sea, and behold them growing in their 
 shells, but Heaven protect us from the sharks." 
 
 Stump disappeared for a brief space, and re- 
 turned with a long harpoon. 
 
 " What have you got there ? " asked Mont. 
 
 "It's a reg'lar pig-sticker, isn't it, sir?" re- 
 marked Stump, regarding it admiringly. 
 
 " It does look as if it could give an ugly prod," 
 remarked Carl. 
 
 " They call it a harpoon ; thing for sticking 
 whales. Me and Number One, that's the nigger 
 as waits on us, is friends, sir, and he's given me 
 this to fight the darned sharkses with." 
 
 " Bravo, Stump ! " exclaimed Carl. 
 
 " It would be ' Bravo Stump,' if *I could rip up 
 an inch or two of that captain, and seize the 
 blessed ship ! " rejoined the boy with a scowl. 
 
A PEARL WORTH A FORTUNE. 1 65 
 
 Mont said nothing in reply, but waited patiently 
 for the signal which would summon him and his 
 companions to the captain's side. 
 
 It came an hour or two before daybreak. 
 
 A negro summoned them to the platform, 
 near which the boat attached to the ship was 
 riding. 
 
 It was manned by four men, and when all the 
 party were on board the negroes began to row 
 toward the island. 
 
 At six o'clock the day broke. They were a few 
 miles from the land, which was distinctly visible, 
 with a few trees scattered here and there. 
 
 The captain stood up in the boat, and narrowly 
 regarded the sea. At last he gave a sign, and the 
 anchor was lowered. 
 
 " Here we are," said the captain. " Put on 
 your divers' caps, gentlemen, and follow me." 
 
 The heavy sea garments were quickly put on. 
 
 The electric lamps were not needed, because 
 the depth was not great. 
 
 Besides, the electric light would attract the 
 sharks, who were creatures they could not afford 
 to despise. 
 
1 66 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 The only arm given to each of the party was a 
 long, sharp knife. 
 
 Captain Vindex set the example of springing 
 into the sea, the others following him as soon as 
 they were thoroughly equipped. 
 
 The negroes remained in the boat awaiting their 
 return. 
 
 A depth of about three yards and a half did not 
 give them a very great submersion. 
 
 To be supplied with condensed air, to be armed, 
 and well lighted up by the sun was delightful. 
 They walked along the bottom of the sea, easily 
 seeing the smallest object on all sides of them. 
 
 After some little walking they came to several 
 oyster banks, from which the shells containing 
 the valuable pearls were dragged by the hands of 
 the divers. 
 
 There were millions of them, and the mine 
 seemed inexhaustible. 
 
 They could not stop to examine everything, 
 for it was necessary to follow the captain every- 
 where. 
 
 The road was uneven; sometimes Mont could 
 raise his arm and put his hand out of the water; 
 
A PEARL WORTH A FORTUNE. 167 
 
 at others, he was descending a slope, and the sun's 
 rays were not so vivid. 
 
 Everything became more obscure, and great 
 shells were seen sticking to curiously shaped 
 rocks. 
 
 After a time a large grotto appeared before 
 them, dimly lighted. 
 
 The captain entered, followed by the rest of the 
 party, the professor eagerly taking note of every- 
 thing. 
 
 Stump carried his harpoon, which was a good 
 deal longer than himself; and the two boys eagerly 
 looked for pearls, as if they expected to find them 
 lying at their feet. 
 
 Descending an inclined plane, Captain Vindex 
 stopped and pointed out an object which they had 
 not hitherto perceived. 
 
 It was an oyster of gigantic size. 
 
 Lying alone upon the granite rock, it took up 
 a large space, and never had the professor even 
 heard of such a huge bivalve. 
 
 The shells were open a little, as if the oyster 
 was feeding, which enabled the captain to intro- 
 duce his knife. 
 
168 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Keeping the two shells open by both ends of 
 his knife, he pushed back the flesh of the oyster 
 and revealed a pearl as big as a small cocoanut. 
 
 It was a pearl worth at least a hundred thou- 
 sand dollars. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 THE MAN OF MYSTERY. 
 
 Mont advanced to the oyster, and stretched out 
 his hand as if he would have seized the pearl, but 
 he was disappointed. 
 
 By a sudden movement the captain withdrew 
 his knife, and the two shells came together with a 
 sharp snap. 
 
 Satisfied with showing them this treasure of 
 the deep, he turned round, and retraced his steps, 
 leaving the precious pearl behind them. 
 
 Incomprehensible man, he was now more than 
 ever a mystery to our hero. 
 
 He allowed them to seek and take numerous 
 other pearls, but would not let them touch that he 
 had shown them. 
 
 Again they wandered along the bottom of the 
 sea, beholding many things worthy of observa- 
 tion. 
 
 169 
 
17° THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Sometimes the bank was so shallow that their 
 heads came above the water; at others they sank 
 several yards below. 
 
 Suddenly the captain stopped, and by a move- 
 ment of his hand ordered the party to conceal 
 themselves behind a projecting rock. 
 
 He pointed to the liquid mass in front of them, 
 and all followed with their eyes the direction in- 
 dicated. 
 
 About five yards off a shadow came between the 
 party and the rays of the sun. 
 
 Mont thought of the " sea butcher," as the 
 divers of Ceylon call the shark, and trembled a 
 little at the idea. 
 
 But he deceived himself, for this time he had 
 nothing to fear from the monster of the ocean. 
 
 A living man, an Indian, as black as ink, shot 
 through the water, doubtless an early fisher for 
 pearls. 
 
 The bottom of his canoe could be seen up above, 
 a few feet beyond his head. 
 
 Arriving at the bottom, which was about five 
 yards deep, he fell on his knees, let go the stone 
 he had held between his feet to sink with more 
 
THE MAN OF MYSTERY. 171 
 
 rapidity, and began to rake up the oysters from 
 the bank with both hands. 
 
 A cord was around his waist, the other end 
 being attached to his boat, and this he pulled at 
 when he wanted to rise. 
 
 To his loins was attached a little bag, into 
 which he put the oysters as fast as he could gather 
 them. 
 
 The Indian did not see anyone, and if he had he 
 would have been so alarmed at the strange spec- 
 tacle of curious-looking beings walking at ease at 
 the bottom of the sea that he would quickly have 
 retired. 
 
 Several times he remounted and plunged again, 
 not getting more than a dozen oysters at each 
 dip. 
 
 It appeared as if he risked his life for very lit- 
 tle return, as in a score of oysters he might not find 
 a pearl worth having. 
 
 All at once, .while on his knees, he made a 
 gesture of terror, and seized his rope to ascend to 
 the surface. 
 
 A gigantic mass appeared close to the wretched 
 diver. 
 
172 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 It was a huge shark, which advanced diagonally 
 toward him, his terrible jaws open wide. 
 
 The Indian threw himself on one side and 
 avoided the bite of the shark, but not the action 
 of his tail. 
 
 Mont thought he heard the jaws snap, but he 
 had not much time to think, as he saw the diver 
 thrown down by a blow of the animal's tail and 
 stretched upon the ground. 
 
 All this was done in a few seconds, and then the 
 shark returned, lying upon his back, in order the 
 better to bite and divide the Indian in halves. 
 
 Mont was about to rush forward to attempt to 
 save the miserable wretch's life, when he was 
 pushed rudely back by Captain Vindex. 
 
 In his hand he held a knife, and was evi- 
 dently prepared to battle for his life against the 
 shark. 
 
 The latter, just about to seize the Indian and 
 snap him up, perceived his new adversary and, 
 replacing himself upon his belly, directed himself 
 rapidly toward him. 
 
 He waited coolly the attack of the shark, which 
 was one of the largest of its species, and when it 
 
THE MAN OF MYSTERY. 173 
 
 charged him, he stepped quickly aside and 
 plunged his knife into its belly up to the hilt. 
 
 Then commenced a fearful combat. 
 
 The shark began to bleed dreadfully, tinging 
 the sea in such a manner as to hide the two in a 
 sea of blood. 
 
 As the water cleared a little, Mont saw the cap- 
 tain, caught by one of the creature's fins, stabbing 
 at it as fast as he could, but not being able to give 
 it a deathblow. The shark lashed the sea with 
 fury, and almost prevented the professor and his 
 friends from keeping their footing, though they 
 were some distance off. 
 
 Neither the professor, Mont, nor Carl dared 
 to go to the help of the captain, for it seemed as 
 if the shark would bite them in two, and they lost 
 their presence of mind for a time. 
 
 But Mont soon recovered, and then, catching 
 Stump's harpoon, he darted forward to do his 
 best. 
 
 With his teeth set, he precipitated himself to- 
 ward the shark, and struck it a terrible blow in 
 the flank. 
 
 Again the sea was saturated with blood. 
 
174 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 The shark agitated the water with indescrib- 
 able fury, for our hero had not missed his aim. 
 
 It was the death agony of the monster. 
 
 Stricken to the heart, he struggled gallantly, 
 but was powerless for further evil. 
 
 As the immense creature was dying, Mont 
 pulled the captain from under him, and at the 
 same moment the Indian, coming to himself, de- 
 tached the stone from his feet and shot upward. 
 
 Following the example of the pearl diver, the 
 captain struck the ground with his heels, as did 
 the others, and all were soon at the surface. 
 
 The Indian had regained his canoe, but he was 
 lying at the bottom in a half-fainting condition. 
 
 Satisfying himself that the poor fellow would 
 live, and was not seriously injured, the captain 
 signaled to his companions to descend, leaving 
 the Indian gazing at them with haggard eyes, 
 thinking he had seen some supernatural beings. 
 
 Walking as fast as they could along the bottom 
 of the sea, they came in time to the anchor of their 
 boat, reascended to the surface, and, taking their 
 seats, removed their head-cases with a feeling of 
 relief. 
 
THE MAN OF MYSTERY. 175 
 
 The negroes immediately began to row back 
 to the Searcher. 
 
 Captain Vindex was the first to speak. 
 
 " Thank you, my lad," he said, extending his 
 hand to Mont. 
 
 " It's nothing," rejoined our hero bluntly; 
 " you saved my life when we were wrecked, and 
 I have now saved yours with my harpoon. We 
 are equal now, and I owe you nothing." 
 
 A sickly smile sat on the captain's lips for a 
 second, and that was all. 
 
 " Lay to it ! " he cried to his men. " Pull to the 
 Searcher." 
 
 At half-past eight in the morning they were 
 again on board of the ship, having been absent a 
 little more than three hours. 
 
 To Mont the captain was more difficult fcP 
 understand than ever. 
 
 He had risked his own life to save that of a 
 poor Indian whom he had never seen before, and 
 was never likely to see again. 
 
 This showed that he could not have a bad heart. 
 
 His heart was not entirely dead, whatever his 
 faults might be. 
 
1 76 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 As if the captain guessed Mont's thoughts, he 
 observed to him at the bottom of the staircase on 
 board the ship : 
 
 " That Indian belonged to an oppressed race. 
 I also am one of the oppressed, and to my last 
 breath I shall continue to be so. You recognize 
 now the bond of union between us ? " 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 THROUGH THE EARTH. 
 
 The ship again continued her way, traveling 
 toward the Persian Gulf. 
 
 If Captain Vindex wanted to visit Europe, it 
 was clear that he would have to go around the 
 Cape of Good Hope, but that did not appear to be 
 his design. 
 
 He went direct to the Red Sea, and, as the Isth- 
 mus of Suez was not then pierced by a canal, there 
 was no outlet to the Mediterranean. 
 
 This puzzled the professor very much. 
 
 One morning the captain sought his prisoners, 
 and said to the professor : 
 
 " To-morrow we shall be in the Mediter- 
 ranean." 
 
 Mr. Woddle looked at him with astonishment. 
 
 " Does that surprise you? " he continued, with 
 a smile. 
 
 " Certainly it does, though I thought I had 
 
17^ THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 given up being astonished since I have been on 
 board your ship." 
 
 " You are a man of science; why should you be 
 astonished? " 
 
 " Because you must travel with the speed of 
 lightning almost to East Africa and round the 
 Cape of Good Hope." 
 
 " I did not say I was going to do so," replied 
 the captain. 
 
 " You can't go overland, since there is no canal 
 through the Isthmus of Suez " 
 
 " But one can go under land," interrupted the 
 captain. 
 
 " Under land," answered the professor, holding 
 up his hand. 
 
 " Undoubtedly," said Captain Vindex calmly. 
 " For a long while nature has made underneath 
 this tongue of land what men are trying to do now 
 on the surface." 
 
 " Does there exist a passage? " 
 
 " Yes, a passage or tunnel, which at fifty feet 
 depth touches a solid rock." 
 
 " How did you discover it — by chance ? " 
 
 " No," said the captain. " I guessed that such 
 
THROUGH THE EARTH. 179 
 
 a tunnel existed, and I have been through it 
 several times." 
 
 " Well," said the professor, " we live to learn. 
 Our fathers never dreamed of gas, of railways, of 
 telegraphs, and I did not suspect the existence of 
 your wonderful ship." 
 
 " Shortly, my dear sir," said the captain, " your 
 children — that is to say, the next generation — 
 will travel through the air in flying machines; 
 your railway engines will own electricity as their 
 motive power. There is no end to scientific dis- 
 covery; the world is in its infancy. We are just 
 emerging from barbarism. Wait and watch, 
 that's my motto. You must not be surprised at 
 anything in these days." 
 
 " You are right — we are on the march," said 
 the professor. 
 
 The day passed, and at half-past nine the 
 Searcher rose to the surface to receive her supply 
 of air. 
 
 Nothing disturbed the silence but the cry of the 
 pelican and other birds of the night, with the 
 occasional sound of the escaping steam of a 
 steamer traveling toward the Far East. 
 
l8o THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 Mont could not rest below, and at once ascended 
 to the platform to breath the fresh air. In the 
 darkness he saw a pale light, discolored by the fog, 
 which burned about a mile off. 
 
 " A lighthouse," he said. 
 
 The captain was by his side, and quietly re- 
 plied : 
 
 " It is the floating lightship of Suez." 
 
 " We are near the mouth of the tunnel, I sup- 
 pose ? Is the entrance easy ? " 
 
 " No," said Captain Vindex, " it is difficult. I 
 always steer the ship myself, and if you like to 
 come into the wheelhouse with me I will show 
 you the way. In a moment the Searcher will 
 sink, and we shall not rise till we are in the Medi- 
 terranean." 
 
 Mont followed the captain into the pilot's cabin, 
 which was at the bow of the vessel, the wheel 
 working the rudder by long chains carried aft. 
 
 The cabin measured six feet square, four round 
 windows of thick plate-glass enabled the helms- 
 man to see on all sides, and the electric light, 
 thrown well forward, made everything as clear as 
 day. 
 
THROUGH THE EARTH. 181 
 
 A strong negro, with an eye like a hawk, was at 
 the wheel, but he gave the spokes to the captain 
 and fell back. 
 
 " Now," exclaimed the Wizard of the Sea, 
 " let us search for our passage," 
 
 Electric wires communicated with the engine 
 room, so it was easy to communicate directly with 
 the engineers by pressing a knob of metal. 
 
 Touching this knob, the speed of the screw 
 lessened considerably. 
 
 For about an hour the ship passed by a bank of 
 sand, which was varied by rocks, on which Mont 
 saw all kinds of sea weeds, coral formations, and 
 curious fish agitating their fins in alarm at the 
 apparition of the Searcher. 
 
 At half-past ten a long and large gallery ap- 
 peared in front, black and apparently deep. 
 
 The ship entered this gloomy tunnel boldly, 
 and an unaccustomed rushing sound made itself 
 heard against the sides, which arose from 
 the waters of the Red Sea rushing into the 
 Mediterranean. 
 
 Following the current with the speed of an 
 arrow, the ship made its way, though the engines 
 
1 8a THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 were reversed and the screw went backward to 
 abate the velocity of its progress. 
 
 A single false turn of the wheel, and the 
 Searcher would have been dashed to atoms 
 against the ironlike roeks on each side, above, 
 and below. 
 
 Mont held his breath. 
 
 He could see nothing but the foaming waters, 
 made transparent by the electric light. 
 
 Half an hour later the captain gave up the helm 
 to the negro, and, turning to our hero, exclaimed : 
 
 " We are in the Mediterranean." 
 
 In less than half an hour the ship, carried by the 
 current, had traversed the Isthmus of Suez. 
 
 The next morning they came to the surface, 
 and were able to breathe the fresh air again. 
 
 Stump was in high spirits when he found that 
 they were near civilization again, because he 
 thought they had a chance of escaping, and this 
 idea was always uppermost in his mind. 
 
 He spoke to his companions about it, and they 
 all agreed to follow him if a good opportunity 
 offered. 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 THE ESCAPE — CONCLUSION. 
 
 The ship traveled leisurely along the Mediter- 
 ranean, often rising in sight of land and lying 
 like a log upon the water. 
 
 In the evening it was the custom of the pris- 
 oners to play at checkers, dominoes, or some game 
 they liked; and after the fourth day in the Medi- 
 terranean, Stump, instead of putting the games on 
 the table, shut the door, and, in a mysterious way, 
 exclaimed : 
 
 " I've squared the nigger ! " 
 
 "Which? "asked Mont 
 
 " Number One. He as waits upon us. His 
 real name's Smunko. I've found that out. Me 
 and he's firm friends. I've told him I want to 
 bolt, and he says he shan't let on to the skipper, or 
 any of them, though they are all a lot of spies." 
 
 " Perhaps he's one, too," observed the pro- 
 fessor, smiling. 
 
 183 
 
1 84 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Not he, sir," answered the boy; " Smunko's 
 right enough. He's going to keep all the other 
 chaps quiet, some dark night, when we are near 
 the land. Then we are to go on the platform and 
 swim for our lives." 
 
 " A very good arrangement, if it can be carried 
 out," remarked the professor. " But I fear your 
 friend Smunko is not to be depended upon." 
 
 Stump was indignant. 
 
 " The fact is," went on the professor, " I don't 
 want to discourage the lad, but I have no wish 
 that he should do anything rash, and involve us 
 in a mess. The captain might doom us to soli- 
 tary confinement. At present we are treated 
 liberally, if we are prisoners." 
 
 "All right, sir," replied Stump, "I'll turn it 
 up as far as you are concerned. If Master Mont 
 likes to come with me, all well and good; if not he 
 can let it alone. I know my game, and I mean to 
 stick to it." 
 
 " Don't show your nasty temper, Stump," said 
 our hero. 
 
 " Aint being cooped up here like a turkey in a 
 pen, fatting for Christmas, enough to rile a 
 
THE ESCAPE— CONCLUSION. 185 
 
 bishop ? " asked the boy. " But I shan't say no 
 more. When all's ready I'll give you one more 
 chance, and if you aint with me, I'm off alone." 
 
 It was impossible to check Stump's will. The 
 only one who had any influence over him was 
 Mont. 
 
 He was a boy rudely brought up, unaccustomed 
 to control his passions, and having a decided 
 character, but to our hero he was deeply attached. 
 
 The next day the ship floated near an island, 
 which the professor declared to be the Isle of 
 Cyprus. 
 
 In the evening Stump whispered to Mont : 
 
 " Now, sir, all's ready. Smunko's piping off 
 the other blacks; we're not a quarter of a mile 
 from the land." 
 
 Mont's heart beat high. 
 
 " Tell the others," he said. 
 
 " No; let you and I go together." 
 
 " I can't leave Carl, and the professor is one of 
 us." 
 
 In this Mont was firm. 
 
 He would not leave the Searcher without Carl 
 and the professor. 
 
186 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 So the two were told that all was ready. 
 
 " Come on, now," said Mont. " We must not 
 lose our chance." 
 
 With the valuable pearls they had secured in 
 the Indian Ocean in their pockets, the others fol- 
 lowed Mont to the deck. 
 
 All hearts beat loudly. 
 
 " There is a boat ! " whispered Carl. " Come 
 on." 
 
 He dropped into the sea, and the others did the 
 same. 
 
 Not far away floated a log, and to this they 
 clung. 
 
 They paddled with their hands, and were soon 
 some distance away from the submarine monster. 
 
 Then they cried for help. 
 
 The boat they had seen came in their direction. 
 
 They were seen, and the natives from the island 
 let out a shout. 
 
 Then suddenly Captain Vindex appeared on the 
 deck of the Searcher. 
 
 He shook his fist at the party. 
 
 Stump laughed at him; the others waved him 
 off. 
 
THE ESCAPE— CONCLUSION. 187 
 
 " She is going down ! " cried Mont. " Quick, 
 pull for the shore, before you are wrecked ! " 
 
 The natives did not like the looks of the strange 
 submarine ship, and they pulled with all strength. 
 
 By the agitation in the water the party knew 
 the Searcher was after them. 
 
 But the shore was gained, and they were safe. 
 
 Then came a fearful shock. 
 
 In his eagerness to catch them Captain Vin- 
 dex had allowed the Searcher to run into the 
 rocks. 
 
 The submarine craft shot out of the water, 
 and then 
 
 Bang ! Boom ! Crash ! 
 
 It was as if heaven and earth were splitting in 
 twain. 
 
 The whole island shook, and all in the boat fell 
 flat. 
 
 The Searcher had been blown to atoms. 
 
 The air was filled with flying bits of iron and 
 steel. 
 
 Of course all on board were instantly killed. 
 
 It was a long while before Mont and his com- 
 panions recovered. 
 
1 88 THE WIZARD OF THE SEA. 
 
 " Out of it at last, thank Heaven! " murmured 
 Professor Woddle, and all said " Amen." 
 
 A month later the little party returned to the 
 United States. 
 
 Mont's widowed mother was overjoyed to see 
 him alive, and Carl's parents were equally elated, 
 and so were the many friends at Nautical Hall. 
 
 The pearls were equally divided, and to-day 
 all of the party are rich men. 
 
 " But I wouldn't take another such trip," says 
 Mont. " No, not to pick up all the hidden treas- 
 ures of the ocean. After this I'm going to remain 
 at Nautical Hall and take the balance of my sea 
 training on land. I've had all I want of such sub- 
 marine ships as the Searcher, and such mysterious 
 men as was the Wizard of the Sea." 
 
 THE END. 
 
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