“Well, sir, it will be very easy,” said Bigley eagerly.
“Not so easy,” said my father. “We shall want a couple of men who can dive.”
“Oh no, you will not, sir,” replied Bigley. “I have thought it all out. All we shall want will be a clear day with the sea smooth.”
“Yes, highly necessary, Bigley,” said my father.
“Then we should want a very long smooth pole, and if we could not get one long enough two poles would have to be fished together.”
“And then you’d fish for the boxes?” I said.
“No,” said Bigley seriously; “you would have to sink the pole just down to where the chests lie, and rig up a block at the top, run a rope through it, hold one end of the rope in the boat to which the pole is made fast, and at the other end have a thick strong bag made of net.”
“Well, what then?” said my father.
“Why, then you would put a big pig of lead in the bag, let me take hold of the bag, let the rope run slack, and I should go down to the bottom in an instant. Then I should lift a box into the net-bag and come up, leaving it there for you in the boat to haul it up.”
“Yes, that sounds very simple,” said my father; “but could you do it?”