Evening star., 1939-06-11

he lieutenant was left alone, a hun
red feet down and under hundred
ot pressure.
He fought off the momentary panic
at gripped him. The water was cool
.ainst his face as he ducked out of
e compressed air pocket and groped
r the rungs of the ladder. You could
eep your eyes open in this water, if
bu chose, but Bart Forrest strained
is shut and found the escape line.
Like monkey on string. The
uoyancy of his body and that of the
ing. designed to serve as life pre-
erver once you we're at the surface.
ulled him upward. He remembered
grip the line and make the ascent
owly; the line slid through his hands.
Because he did not want to think of
he Lurline's sailing, he thought of
1aldane's decomposition tables and
Fhat happened to man if he let 60
he line and shot upward with the
ressure changing SO rapidly. That
brty-four pound pressure was equal
throughout his body; he was saturated
ith nitrogen which must be released
Fadually at each of the stops on the
bcape line by the five complete
teaths. If he shot to the surface, his
ngs would rupture.
The first wooden stop Jared his
ands. He held himself there and
dared to open his eyes. Above him the
lime struggled through green trans
|lucence. De Mars slender body was
|hunched and sliding Slowly, slowly
The five breaths were completed. He
could go on toward the top. Toward
escape - and nothing to live for His
head felt light and glddy; it was the
oxygen. of course. 1t was the oxygen
that flashed wild thought into his
mind Nothing to live for. Tear off the
|Momsen lung and let go. Such death
surely would be mcrclfully quick. He
thought of Allyne, and then he thrust
the mad idea from HIM and gripped
he line all the more tightly. On to the
next stop. When his hand struck the
wooden block, they also hit the soles
pf De Marls' feet De Mars was beng
[xtra cautious. waiting far beyond the
Interval required for five breaths. Bart
Forrest waited, too, and De Maris
didn't move
Five breaths SIX. Seven. De Marls
was still there Bart let himself up a
little and saw the boys toes, on
level with his eyes. They were Curled,
distorted. Something tore away from
the seaman's body and roCketed'
through the water. shooting bright
plume of bubbles as it diminished into
Opaque nothlngness. Bart Forrest bit
into the mouthpieCe with sudden
agonized breath. De Maris had lost his
tlomsen lung!
The lieutenant let himself slide
quickly, freeing one hand and feeling
his knuckles pass along the sailor leg.
He came to the level of De Marls' eyes
and saw them. wide and staring, frozen
with fear that had been too much
for his frailness. He was holding his
breath and clutching the line with
death grip.
Three stops more, to the precious
ness of sunlight and air. and only one
thing to do. Fight De Maris loose from
the line, and prevent him from break
ing surface too quickly. Otherwise,
ruptured lungs. or at the least. bad
case of the bends would result -
The responsibility was back; pig
boat officer is never free of it. He
pulled at De Maris' wrist with his free
hand. But the boy held on.
Bart had forgotten to count breaths,
now. De Maris couldn't hold his own
much longer. He would strangle, then,
and his hands would release their grip
too late. The lieutenant saw his fist