Year: 1872

O1OIA AAADe ~
fered very severely from pain in the leg that
had been fractured hut made up my mind
to persevere and do my best.


So far our search had been unsuccessful.
At last observed something that made me
suspect that Bleggs was playing me tricks.
Happening to make my descent after him,
somewhat more rapidly than usual, 1 found
him emerging from the hulk. He assured me
afterward that he had only gone there for
mussels, of which he was very fond, and which
were very fine on the hulk.


A day or two acknowledges having in
the meantime obtained leave to "go ashore" as
we called visiting the main-land-1 observed
that a man was constantly hanging about the
reef, fishing in an open boat. 1t was not very
good fishing ground, and it was some distance
from shore for an open boat; but [ noticed
that this stranger always remained at his
moorings till after dark. He was not very
mmunicative-indeed, he growled at our
maneuvres, saying that we drove the fish
away. At the same time discovered that he
was not native, for he did not speak the 10.
cal dialect, but what, for want of better def
milton, I may call London-English.


My suspicious were aroused at last, when
turning around suddenly one day while we
were preparing to descend, I saw Bleggs sig
mailing to the solitary fisherman. l said moth
ing, but determined to investigate without de-
lay.


All that night lay awake thinking over
this matter. I rose in the morning with
matured plan. When Bleggs and l had fin
ished our midday meal, which was cooked on
board the boat, ordered him to take off his
diving dress and 60 to the mainland to fetch
some paper, Under the pretence that l had
none in store, and must write my report to
Mr.. Turton that night. Bleggs did not seem
to like the idea, but he was obliged to 60. |
sent one of the crew with him in our small
boat; and as soon as I saw him disappear be-
hind the island jumped overheard to prose-
cute my search.


made my way to the hulk and entered it.
A very short survey suficed to show me that
it had been visited, and that the contents of
its hold had been recently disturbed. Making
my way down, was speedily engaged in clear
ing away the sand and weed, beneath which
l soon came upon some large wooden cases,
so rotted and decayed that very few blows of
my axe shivered the lid Of one, and revealed
the contents.


There lay masses of what, in spite of their
being so oxydized and, as it were, fused to-
gether by the action of the saltwater, could
see were gold and silver coins. The sight at
first surprised and delighted me; then came
an access of rage at the treachery of Bleggs,
who had, it was clear, concealed this treasure
from me, and was evidently helping himself
to the chest-somehow, though how l knew
not.


began to search the hold narrowly for
some trace of the manner in which he removed
the coin. In remote corner I came on
bundle of raw hide, and several coils of thin
but strong line. Beside these lay knife
which identified as his, and therefore took
possession of it as bit of evidence against
him. Then descended to the deck again, and
looked around me. I could seea place where
the bulwarks had been cut away quite lately,
and beyond it in the sand, which had drifted
up almost level with the deck, could see a
trail, as if heavy bodies had been dragged
along. I followed it, and was guided to
nook in the upright wall of rock, wherein l
found two large packages, consisting of raw
hide, and evidently full of coins "A line was
attached to them. I followed it With my eyes
as it went up-up toward the surface of the
water as far as I could see.


I was just about to pull it, in order to dis
cover whether it was attached to some floating
buoy, when I made out through the dim green
haze of heaving water dark object, which L
Immediately guessed was the boat of the un-
communicative fisherman.


We'll might that morose parsonage cast line
after line into the sea if this was the sort of
catches he made saw at once why he staid
out until it grew dark. 1t was to haul in his
prize unobserved. I determined he should
have his labor for nothing this once, at any
rate. I would tie his lines to mass of rock,
and let him pull thatu I should wantsome
cord for this purpose, and remembering the
coil in the hold of the vessel, [ went back to
see it.


While I was cropping my way in the hold l
felt sudden jerk at my signal line, which,
as you are aware, is attached round divers
waist. I supposed that it must have caught
on some projection on the wreck. The next
minute found that it must have broken, for
it hung loose


As put my hand behind me, to the knot
of the signal line, to make sure that this was
the case, l experienced violent push from
behind, which flung me down on my face.
Before I could recover myself; or even wonder
what was amiss, I felt my hands caught in
slip-noose, drawn forcibly together behind,
and bound fast by the wrists.


By this time had guessed who my assail-
ant was. Bleggs had managed, somehow, to
return very much sooner than he should have
done, and had come down and surprised me-


As soon as he had finished tying my hands
he turned me over on my back, and putting
his foot on my chest, stood looking at me for
a minute or two Even at that moment it
struck me how strange we must look-one
man looking at the other with triumph and
hatred, the other gazing at him with alarm
and anxiety, but the countenance of each
hidden from the other by the strange, express
sionless diving helmets.


He raised me to my feet, when a violent
struggle ensued. But he was my master; l
was powerless with my hands bound so; he
forced me back against an upright support,
and lashed me to it.


l felt sense of relief, for knew that, al
though he had cut my signal rope, my staying
down long after he had ascended would alarm
the men in our boat, and some means would
have to be taken to free me. There were one
or two men among the crew who could dive
little, and there we're two spare dresses on the
island in case of accidents.


But had miscalculated my enemy's malice.
You may have observed, in divers helmet,
two little brass discs, perforated like the rose