“Leads have gone down as far as that before this,” said he. “Soundings of more than six miles have been obtained at sea.”
She went with him and stood near the windlass. For an hour she remained by his side, and still the reel turned steadily and the wire descended into the hole.
“Shall you surely know when it gets to the bottom?” said she.
“Yes,” he answered. “When the electric button under the lead shall touch anything solid, or even anything fluid, this bell up here will ring.”
She stayed until she could stay no longer. She knew it would be of no use to urge Roland to leave the windlass. Very early the next morning a note was brought to her before she was up, and on it was written:
“We have touched bottom at a depth of fourteen and an eighth miles.”
When Roland came to Mrs. Raleigh's house, about nine o'clock that morning, his face was pale and his whole form trembled.
“Margaret,” he cried, “what are we going to do about it? It is wonderful; I cannot appreciate it. I have had all the men up in the office this morning and pledged them to secrecy. Of course they won't keep their promises, but it was all that I could do. I can think of no particular damage which would come to me if this thing were known, but I cannot bear that the public should get hold of it until I know something myself. Margaret, I don't know anything.”
“Have you had your breakfast?” she asked.
“No,” he said; “I haven't thought of it.”