“For heaven’s sake, don’t yell so!” came Rawlins’ words in response to Tom’s, “Hurrah, it’s working!”
“I’ll tell the world it’s working!” continued the diver, “but don’t shout. I’m talking in my lowest tones. Here, how do you like this?”
Tom’s ears were almost split as a thunderous bellow filled his helmet, and involuntarily he clapped his hands to the outside of his helmet over his ears.
“That’s a lesson,” he said in his lowest tones. “Sorry I didn’t know, Mr. Rawlins. It won’t happen again. I guess these helmets act like sounding boards or something. Hello, there’s Frank’s voice.”
Clear and distinct they could hear Frank asking if there was trouble and Tom barely checked another outburst as he realized that the boys on shore could talk with them and could hear what was going on under the water.
“We can hear everything you say,” went on Frank’s voice. “Can you hear us and each other?”
“Gee, you bet we can!” replied Tom. “Isn’t this just great?”
“Say, are you whispering?” inquired Frank. “I can hardly hear your voice.”
“No, but don’t shout so,” answered Tom. “Down here everything just roars. We have to talk low or we’ll deafen each other. I’ll bet we don’t need head phones on our ears under water.”
“Henry’s going to talk with you,” Frank announced, “he’s just crazy to try.”