CHAPTER XXIII
Eureka!
"That young brother of yours has his head screwed on the right way,Beverley," observed Harborough in his blunt way, when he heard of theconversation that led to the nocturnal discovery of thetreasure-ship. "Jolly good thing we brought him along. We might havebeen groping for the wreck for weeks."
"I suppose it is the _Fusi Yama_," said Bobby.
"Of course," declared Harborough emphatically. "The boat we fished upproves that." He glanced at his watch. "In another hour and a halfwe'll put a half-Nelson on the last remaining doubts."
It was just before the breakfast-hour on the morning following theeventful night. The crew of the _Titania_, in spite of a somewhatboisterous demonstration that lasted till the small hours of themorning, were up and ready to resume operations.
For the preliminary diving-work it was arranged that a descent shouldbe made from one of the boats as before; then, the shoal watersurrounding the wreck having been surveyed, a guide-rope could bepaid out between the _Fusi Yama_ and the beach, in accordance withClaverhouse's suggestion.
At seven and a half fathoms Swaine found himself on the poop of thesubmerged vessel. There was enough natural light at that depth toenable him to dispense with his electric lamp. Objects on her deck,which was fairly well preserved in spite of a lapse of five years,were readily discernable, but over the sides of the ship the water,thick with sand and mud, was as black as ink.
He made his way for'ard with the utmost caution, lest a rotten patchin the deck should let him down into the cavernous depths below.Everything of a portable nature had vanished from the deck, even thebridge and charthouse, badly damaged by shell-fire from the Germancruiser, had gone, save for a few twisted steel girders. The jaggedstumps of the masts and the base of the funnel remained, while heldin a grotesque inverted position from the davits were three boatssimilar to the one that the grapnel had brought to the surface. Thehatches of the two cargo-holds had been removed, but whether by theprize-crew or by the action of the water Swaine could not determine.As he placed one leaden-shod foot upon the steel coaming and peeredinto the opaque depths of one of the holds, Swaine felt himselfwondering what secrets that abyss held, and whether he would besuccessful in his efforts to prise the treasure from the keeping ofthe sea.
Although he had carefully studied the plans of the scuttled ship, andknew the details of her internal arrangements by heart, Swaine madeno attempt to go below. For the present his object was to examine andreport upon the position and condition of the vessel, and the bestmeans of getting at the valuable contents of the strong-room which,according to the plans, was on the main deck just abaft the afterbulkhead of the engine-room.
As he neared the fore part of the ship Swaine felt his progresssensibly retarded. A part of the current that he knew from previousexperience set past the two wrecks had been diverted and was sweepingdiagonally across the fo'c'sle of the _Fusi Yama_, with a velocity offrom one to two miles an hour. Right aft the current was hardlyperceptible as far as the deck was concerned, but over the side thesteady ripple of running water, although inaudible, was apparent bythe drifting pieces of weed and kelp.
Leaving one end of a rope made fast to a bollard, Swaine came to thesurface and made his report. One of the boats then pulled to thebeach, paying out the line as it went. By eleven o'clock in themorning a "distance-rope" was in position between the _Fusi Yama_ andthe shore.
In the afternoon Swaine paid another visit to the wreck, this timeentering the water from the beach and following the tautened rope.For half the distance his progress was fairly rapid, judging from thediver's point of view, but towards the latter end of his submarinewalk he experienced considerable difficulty from the cross-current,having, in fact, to hold on tightly to prevent himself being sweptaway.
Close alongside the wreck, which he noticed had already sunk to herbilge-keels in the sand and mud, the current was hardly apparent,being deflected by the flare of the vessel's bows.
Examination by the aid of the portable electric lamp revealed nosigns of the hull having been damaged by internal explosion.Evidently the Huns effected the scuttling by opening the sea-cocks.
Clambering on board--a fairly-easy task owing to the buoyancy of thediving-dress, which, notwithstanding leaden weights, was only a fewpounds heavier than the water it displaced--Swaine made his way downthe main companion-ladder.
'Tween decks a weird sight presented itself. Within the limits of therays of the lamp he could see wooden articles of various descriptionspinned up against the ceilings. Other objects, heavier than water,lay about the deck, all covered with a slimy marine growth.
Progressing, he made his way to the strong-room. The massive door waspartly open. There were indications that the complicated locks hadbeen blown open by powerful explosives, but a temporary fastening,consisting of a steel bar secured by a large brass padlock, preventedthe diver from ascertaining the nature of the contents of the room.
He returned to the shore by the same way, to find his comradesanxiously awaiting him.
"I've found the strong-room," were his first words.
"Empty?" inquired half a dozen voices eagerly.
"Couldn't say," replied Swaine. "I think not, otherwise the Hunswouldn't have troubled to padlock it."
"Let's hope you're right," said Harborough. "They went off in ahurry, I understand, and the gold was stated to have been left onboard."
"At any rate, sir, they had time to open the sea-cocks, and not blowher bilges out," continued Swaine.
"Teutonic thoroughness," explained the baronet; "they were in ahurry, with Australian and Jap. cruisers at their heels, but therewas time to scuttle her methodically. They evidently hoped to raiseher after the war."
"Pity we couldn't," observed Villiers. "It would save a lot oftrouble in the long run."
"Unfortunately, that is an experienced Salvage Company's work,"rejoined Harborough. "It would mean either filling her withair-cylinders or else building a coffer-dam round her and pumping thewater out. We know our capabilities, and we won't begin cutting intoother fellow's jobs, so we'll just carry on."
During the next day an electric submarine-lamp was lowered into thehull of the wreck, the current being supplied by a dynamo worked offthe shaft of the motor-launch; while electrically-operated drillswere sent below ready to commence the task of opening the door of thestrong-room.
The work continued in almost perfect weather, the extreme heat of theday being tempered by a soft breeze. Lassitude, one of the drawbacksof the tropics, was unknown, so bracing were the sea-breezes. Evenafter a day's toil the men felt so full of energy that they indulgedin games of cricket, making rough and ready bats from pieces ofplank, and balls fashioned of rope-yarn and junk bound withseaming-twine.
"Think I'm up to scratch now, old thing?" inquired Villiers, afterhalf an hour's diving-practice.
"Not much doubt about it," replied Swaine. "You've put in five hoursaltogether. You can have a shot at the wreck to-morrow."
Jack Villiers had indeed made good progress as a diver.Constitutionally fitted, and possessing a steady nerve, he soonmastered the relatively-simple "gadgets" that made the self-containeddiving-dress admittedly superior to that of the older type, in whichthe diver is hampered by life-line and air-tube. In a case ofemergency the diver could blow himself to the surface by liberating aquantity of compressed air from a strong metal cylinder strappedimmediately beneath the air-reservoir. The compressed air would thendistend the outer fabric of the diving-suit without interfering withthe wearer's breathing, with the result that the man would rise tothe surface, his leaden sinkers notwithstanding.
Accordingly, upon the next descent to the wreck Swaine did not goalone. Close on his heels followed Villiers, keeping a firm hold onthe rope that led from the shore to the hull of the _Fusi Yama_.
With little difficulty the two divers found themselves outside thestrong-room door. The space between decks, lighted by the electricsubmarine-lamp, was shorn of most of its uncannin
ess by the powerfulrays, but a number of fish, attracted by the glare, were swimming toand fro, sometimes butting blindly against the glass fronts of themen's helmets.
Villiers was thankful that none of the fish was of a dangerousvariety. They looked hideous enough, magnified by the water. Therewere some with formidable-looking spines, others resembling skatewith ferocious, underhung jaws, some that looked like conger-eels,and one with a razor-backed body, who persisted in rubbing againstVillier's bare hands until Jack drew a knife and settled it with theawkward customer. But, he was thankful to observe, sharks,sword-fish, and cuttle-fish were not in evidence.
Both men set to work first to clear away the imprisoned and floatingdebris. Broken deck-chairs, life-belts with rotten canvas coverings,wooden buckets, and other articles that still retained their buoyancywere dragged to the companion-hatchway and liberated. This done, thedoors were drawn together and lashed, leaving room for theelectric-light cable leads to pass through the aperture. By so doingthe divers had rendered themselves secure from roaming tigers of thedeep.
The steel bar on the door of the strong-room was a formidable affair.Even by the aid of the electric drills, the metal was only cutthrough to the depth of an inch when Swaine gave the signal to knockoff and return to the beach.
One hour and twenty minutes had elapsed, and another forty minutesrepresented the total period during which a man could remainsubmerged before his air-supply became impure.
"Slow progress," reported Swaine, on their return. "With luck weought to cut through that jolly old bar in a couple of hours. How didyou like the job, Jack?"
"Not so dusty," replied Villiers guardedly.
"That is an obvious statement," rejoined his fellow-worker. "Wecertainly weren't working in a dust-laden atmosphere. By Jove, I amhungry! What's going, Pete?"
"Taro and pork-pie, sah," replied the cook, whereupon all the otherslaughed, for that sort of pie had become part of the daily routine.
"Keen on carrying on, Jack?" inquired Swaine, when, having partakenof a substantial meal, all hands were resting and enjoying a smoke.
"Rather," replied Villiers emphatically. "I'm anxious to see theother side of that strong-room door."
"Come on, then," continued Swaine, knocking out his pipe on the heelof his boot. "Now, then, fall in, the divers' attendants. There's noneed to stand there hanging on to the slack. Slap it about."
With increased confidence Villiers plunged into the water, followinghis chum. At a pre-arranged signal the electric submarine-lamp wasswitched on and the companion-doors closed.
Alternately holding the electric drill, the two divers resumed theirattack upon the steel bar, until Swaine gave the signal to desist.Then pointing to a heavy sledge hammer, he motioned to Villiers togive the _coup de gr?ce_.
It looked a simple task to break the almost severed bar. The hammer,weighing fourteen pounds in air, seemed ridiculously light, but whenVilliers tried to swing it, the result surprised him. He had notcalculated the resistance of the water.
At the third attempt Jack laid the hammer down in disgust, thenpicking up a crow-bar he applied the wedge-shaped end to the bar andbore down with all his weight, planting one leaden-soled boot againstthe door to give greater leverage.
The steel bar gave. Villiers found himself deposited gently on hisback. Agreeably surprised that he hadn't fallen violently, herealized that the resistance of the water that had rendered thehammer-blows almost useless had also let him down softly.
It took him some moments to regain a vertical position. He could seehis companion grinning at him through the plate-glass front of hishelmet. Then almost the next instant he became aware that he couldnot keep contact with the floor but was rising through the water.Inadvertently, in his struggles he had opened the release-valve tothe compressed-air reservoir, and but for the intervening roof hewould have been well on his way to the surface.
It had taken place so quickly that Swaine had no chance to come tothe luckless diver's assistance, while most of the compressed air hadfound its way into Villier's diving-dress. By the time Swainesucceeded in closing the valve Jack was pinned pretty firmly againstthe ceiling.
Vainly he strove, by pushing against the roof, to force himself down.A mild panic seized him. He struggled so violently that he rasped theskin from the knuckles of his bare hands.
Raising one arm and securing a grip on Villier's gorget, Swainepulled himself up until the metal of his helmet was in contact withthat of his companion's. By this means he could shout and beunderstood.
"Don't struggle," urged Swaine. "I'll get you out if you don't. Quitesimple."
Making his way to the companion-ladder, Swaine opened the doubledoors, then, by dint of an acrobatic feat that would have beenimpossible to perform in air, he dragged the buoyant, distended formof his companion to the opening.
Given a final push to speed him on his way, Villiers shot like anarrow to the surface. The sudden change of pressure wellnigh deprivedhim of his senses, but he was just conscious of floating faceuppermost on the surface within a few feet of the motor-boat thatsupplied the electric current to the interior of the wreck.
Great was Beverley's consternation when he saw one of the diversblown to the surface. Bobby had been having an easy task of standingby attending at intervals to the motor, when the inflateddiving-dress, and its unrecognizable occupant, suddenly emergedalongside.
By the aid of a boat-hook Villiers was brought within hand's reach,but the task of getting him on board had yet to be tackled.
Assisted by O'Loghlin, Griffiths, and Bell, Beverley passed a coupleof ropes round the distended diving-dress and carefully, yetunceremoniously, parbuckled Jack into safety, although the boatdipped until her waterways were awash.
"All right, Villiers, old thing?" inquired Beverley anxiously, whenthe first of the glass plates of the helmet was unscrewed.
"Yes--I think so," replied Jack in a voice he hardly recognized ashis own. "I'll explain later."
"And Swaine?"
"Quite O.K.," declared Villiers emphatically.
Willing hands divested him of his cumbersome diving-dress, and, aboat having put off from the shore, Jack was transhipped and taken tothe camp.
"Nothing to worry about," reported Beverley, in answer to eagerinquiries. "Let him alone, and don't worry him with questions. Hallo!here's Swaine." Swaine, having come ashore by the usual way offollowing the rope, had arrived in shoal water unwelcomed by anyone.Finding that there was no one to assist him, he trudged abovehigh-water mark and sat down, looking a hideously-grotesque figure.
Harborough and two or three others hurried to him.
"Villiers all right?" were his first words.
"Yes," replied Sir Hugh. "What happened?"
"Happened?" repeated Swaine, with a chuckle. "He wrenched open thedoor, and the result so astonished him that he went up, leaving me tofind the gold. It's there, right enough."