The Wizard of the Sea

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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 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 standing 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 numerous 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 feathers and leaves, and
seemed to be the king of the country.

Having nothing better to do, Mont got a fishing 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 tolerable 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 could they make of a long
cylinder of iron, without masts, almost flush with the surface of the
water, and no chimney like a steamer?

But they gained confidence as they saw no attempt 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 formidable 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 surrounded by savages, and in a few
minutes we shall have them on board."

"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 cannot 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 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.

"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 anything."

"I've had a taste of niggers, and don't want another," said Stump, who
was lying on a mattress 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, regarding his chronometer.

"Precisely. I shall open the flap, and take in air directly."

"And the niggers?" said Mont.

"The Papouans?" replied the captain, shrugging 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 professor.

"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.

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 quivering
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 sorcery had returned.

A score of Papouans tried to descend; but they had no sooner made the
attempt than they instantly retreated, yelling dismally, and threw
themselves into the sea.

"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 staircase, 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 frightened at they know not what. If
they had persisted in their attempt to enter the ship I should have
applied all my electrical force, and they 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 helmsman, 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 comfortably housed, well fed, and have a constant source of
excitement in the movements of this remarkable ship."

"Bother the ship. Why didn't she strike on 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 professor; "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, explaining 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.

"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. "Captain 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 surface 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 professor.

"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."

"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!" exclaimed 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.

"Are there many sharks about?"

"It is no use disguising the fact. The sea hereabouts 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 returned with a long harpoon.

"What have you got there?" asked Mont.

"It's a reg'lar pig-sticker, isn't it, sir?" remarked 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.

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.

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 everywhere.

The road was uneven; sometimes Mont could raise his arm and put his hand
out of the water; 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 everything.

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 introduce his knife.

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 thousand 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 observation.

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 movement 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 indicated.

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
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 spectacle 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 little 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.

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 evidently 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 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 captain, 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 toward the shark, and struck
it a terrible blow in the flank.

Again the sea was saturated with blood.

The shark agitated the water with indescribable 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, detached 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 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.

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