“Eh? What is it?” said Sir John coolly, and, followed by the doctor, he crossed to where his son stood with the mate.
“Look over here, straight down into the black water,” said Jack.
“Hah! Yes, very beautiful, looks as if we were sailing through a sea of liquid pale gold.”
“And it’s all black where it is not disturbed. As soon as the yacht’s prow rushes through, everything is flashing out with phosphorescent light, and you can see myriads of tiny stars gliding away.”
“Yes, beautiful,” said Sir John. “Grand,” cried the doctor.
“And Mr Bartlett here says it is nothing compared to what he has seen off Java and the other islands. Look now! it’s just as if the sea as deep down as we can pierce was full of tiny stars. Oh, here’s the pail.”
The sailor had returned, and way was made for him to drop the bucket at the end of a rope down into one of the brightest parts, and bring it up full of the phosphorescent water.
Just then the doctor gave Sir John a dig in the ribs with his elbow, as much as to say, “Now, who’s right?” While mentally agreeing that his friend was, Sir John moved out of the way, so as not to receive another poke.
Then followed rather a learned discourse from the doctor on the peculiarities of the wonderful little creatures which swarmed in the bucket, whose contents in the light seemed to be so much clear sea-water, but which in the darkness flamed with light as soon as it was disturbed by a hand being passed quickly through.
“Why, it makes my hand tingle and smart just slightly,” said Jack.