CHAPTER XXII--BURIED THREE FATHOMS DEEP

"Where does she lay, sir?" questioned the assistant who had come with the diver and his apparatus.

"As near as we could determine the mine should be about fifteen yards to the southwest of us. Bring your boat around to leeward and make a sounding. We did not dare move over for fear of losing our location entirely."

"May I make a suggestion, sir?" questioned Dan, touching his cap.

"Certainly; what is it?"

"I got a quick bearing when the mine went over."

"You did?"

"Yes, sir."

"What was it?"

"Taking the bearing from our present position, a line drawn from the lighthouse to the battleship, crossed by a line from our wherry to that bluff yonder, would mark the location of the mine at the crossing point, sir."

The ensign glanced at the young seaman quizzically.

"Very well done, my lad. You have the making of a first-class navigator in you. Keep on and you will do well. Always use your eyes, and your head as well, as you have done this afternoon and there will be no doubt about it."

"Thank you, sir," answered the boy, his face glowing with pride.

By this time the men were laying out the diving suit for the diver, the hideous-looking helmet having been placed on the stern seat of the cutter that had brought them over.

"Sound for that mine before you put the diver over," commanded the ensign. "No use bottling the man up until you are ready to send him down."

"This helmet is not fit to use, sir," spoke up one of the diver's assistants.

"What is the matter with it?"

"It leaks. See?" He held up the helmet, which he had partially filled with water, for the inspection of the officer.

"It has lain out on deck too long. The sun has checked it," continued the man.

"It should be your business to see that the sun did not check it. I shall have to place you on the report," replied the officer.

"I was ordered to get the apparatus on deck this morning, sir."

"Davis, signal the ship to send out another diving suit. Tell them this one is out of order."

"Aye, aye, sir."

"Ask them to send it out in a hurry, for the wind is coming up. I fear we shall have some rough water. Hickey, sit up there. Don't you know it is against the regulations to lounge about in the small boats? I am surprised at you."

Sam's face flushed. He sat up, gripping his signal staff half angrily. He made no complaint, but saluted. Sam was not in the best of humor at this moment. He took an instant and violent dislike for the young officer who had rebuked him.

Dan, in the meanwhile, was wig-wagging to the ship, sending the request for another diving suit.

A few moments later, as he peered through the spy glass, he saw a boat starting off in their direction.

"Motor boat under way. I think she is coming with the diving suit, sir," Davis called.

"Very good. Have you located that mine yet, men?"

"I think we have, sir."

"Then hold it. Do not let it get away from you. We shall remain on the anchorage here until you get your anchor down."

As soon as this had been done the wherry moved up closer, keeping just far enough away to avoid interfering with the diver when he got at his work on the bottom of the sea.

Immediately upon the arrival of the motor boat the men began hurriedly assisting Kester on with his diving suit, for it was getting late, and the wind was freshening considerably.

"All ready to put the diver overboard, sir."

"Very good. Make sure that all is well before doing so."

"All is in proper condition."

The diver, as he stood waiting for the order to descend, appeared in his diving suit like some strange and hideous monster from the deep. Sam gazed at him in wide-eyed wonder.

"Then put him over."

A splash followed, the diver disappearing beneath the water, while the diver's assistants rapidly paid out the rubber tubing and the ropes attached to the diver's costume.

"Bottom, sir," announced the man at the ropes.

"Watch his signals."

"Aye, aye, sir."

There followed several minutes of tense waiting, the rhythmic "clank!" "clank!" of the apparatus that supplied the diver with fresh air being the only sound save the lapping of the water to break the stillness.

"He's found the mine, sir," called the diver's assistant.

"Very good. Davis, signal the ship that we have located the mine."

Dan stood up, flashing the message through with a few swift dips of the signal flag. Sam wondered how they knew the man, Kester, had found what he was in search of. What he did not know was that the men in the other boat were able to hold a limited conversation with the diver by means of a signal rope, certain jerks meaning certain words or questions.

"The mine is secured, sir," called the assistant.

This meant that the diver had succeeded in making fast to the lost mine one of the ropes that he had taken down with him.

"Shall we raise the mine first before getting Kester up, sir?"

"By all means. He has not asked to be brought up, has he?"

"No, sir."

"Haul away, then, lads."

A warning signal was sent to the man below, after which the assistants in the boat began pulling and tugging at the rope attached to the mine.

Evidently the mine was imbedded in the sandy bottom, for it refused to move, the men jerking this way and that to free it from its resting place.

All at once it did come away, and with a suddenness that caused the men to sit down in the bottom of the boat, losing control of the line.

"Clumsy! Look out or you will lose it again," cautioned the ensign.

Quickly pulling themselves up, they began hauling in on the line. Very slowly the sphere moved upward, at last appearing above the surface of the water, shining and almost menacing Dan thought as he gazed at the object.

"Now be careful in getting it over the side," warned the officer.

The diver had put what he considered to be a strong hitch on the mine with the end of the hauling rope. On account of the depth at which he was working, however, the darkness compelled him to operate solely by the sense of feeling.

The mine was now swaying on the gunwale of the rolling small boat, the waves from the rising sea breaking over into the cutter as well as into the other boat, until the men were standing in the salt brine.

"Look out! There she goes!"

With a great splash the mine struck the water, having slipped its lashings, and quickly sank out of sight.

"Warn the diver!" shouted the ensign.

A jerk on the signal cord conveyed the message that the mine was falling toward him.

"Does he answer?"

"No, sir."

"Quick! Give him another warning!"

"He does not answer, sir."

"There goes the signal line! It's fouled, sir!"

A violent wrench on the supporting line with which the diver was to be hoisted to the surface tore it loose from its fastening on board the diver's boat.

"The line's gone, sir!"

All hands were standing up in the rocking boats. The sky had suddenly become overcast and spray was dashing over them in blinding sheets.

Sam stood as if dazed. He did not catch the full significance of the scene, but his mind was working. Like a flash it dawned upon him.

"There goes the air tube. That settles him, sir!"

"What does it mean?" stammered Sam.

"The diver is drowning three fathoms under the sea. Nothing can save him," groaned some one.

An instant of silence followed.

Dan threw up his flag signaling, "accident."

Then a body flashed through the air. The dazed spectators caught sight of a white service uniform, as the intrepid Dan Davis plunged into the sea, disappearing beneath the waves.

Sam's flagstaff struck the gunwale with a bang an instant later, toppled over and was quickly carried away. Ere it had reached the water, however, the second Battleship Boy had leaped to the bow of the boat and before they could utter a word of warning, he had followed his chum Davis with a long, clean dive into the ocean.