“Of hidden stores, and black nights,” said he; “and the ground giving up a sudden swarm of mushroom creatures, things squat and stealthy, shouldering kegs?”
Rampick’s chest had seemed to fall in at the first word. It was painful to hear his breathing. But he made no attempt to answer.
“Come!” said Joshua. “It’s fast confidences, man. You know what you know. These young gentlemen have given you away—but no further than to me, mind. Come! What happened underground in those days, before the sea took its toll of the vaults?”
“Why, you should know, sir—as well as me!”
Such a funny little voice, so strained and hoarse, like a cry at a great distance. Joshua himself was startled by it, moved, perhaps, by its distress. He persisted no further, but shrugged his shoulders, and turned to address us again.
In the meanwhile we were approaching the wreck, which for some time now had been visible to us. It hung oddly in the mist—suspended, as it seemed, in the mid-haze of sky and water, like a wreck painted on glass. Still, seen through that illusive medium, it appeared a phantom, far-off thing, when to our surprise, grown absorbed as we were in contemplation of it, our boatman gave a final stroke, and finished on it with his sculls poised.
“No further?” said I, rising all excitement now. “Can’t you take us any further, Mr. Rampick?”
I’ll swear that not once during our approach had he turned his head to canvass our distance or direction. Old crafty smuggler as he was, he had hit his mark blindfold as it were. Even as I spoke, I was aware of something stretching its endless length across our course—a great soft, iridescent fish-shaped bulk, as it might be a vast submarine monster floating dead and motionless on the surface. It shone sleek and fawny, and pitted with little blue scales of water; and in the instant of my recognizing it, our boat had floated on, and, with the way given it, had grated its nose softly in its flank.
Following the little shock and recoil, we were all on our feet.
“The sands!” whispered Harry, with glistening eyes. “That was clever of you, Mr. Rampick.”