“I should just think not, indeed. A man’s place is in a boat floating atop of the water, and not going underneath. If man was meant to go underneath he’d have gills and fins and scales, same as these here pilchar’s.”
“Oh, yes, I know all that; but only think of trying on a diver’s suit, and being supplied with air from above, through a tube into your helmet.”
“This here dress is good enough for me, and my sou’-wester’s a sight better than any helmet I know, and the only air as I care about having through a tube’s ’bacco smoke.”
“But shouldn’t you like to go and see the diving?”
“Not I,” said Josh, staring hard at the great lighter. “’Sides, when we’ve done here, and the fish is all salted down, I want to row across to the lighthouse.”
“That will be going close by, Josh. I’ll take an oar with you, and let’s stop on the way.”
“Just couldn’t think o’ such a thing. Come, work away, lad,” cried Josh; and both he and Will did work away, the latter saying nothing more, for he knew his man, and that there was eager curiosity and also intense longing in the looks directed by the fisherman across the water from time to time.
The result was, that, armed with a couple of good-sized pollack as a present to the skipper in charge of the lighter, Josh Helston and his young companion rowed alongside the well-moored vessel before the morning was much older, and were soon on deck watching the proceedings with the greatest interest.
One of the divers was just preparing to go down as they set foot aboard; and they were in time to see the heavy leaden weights attached to his back and breast, and the great helmet, with its tail-like tube, lifted over his head and screwed on to the gorget. Then with the life-line attached he moved towards the gangway, the air-pump clanking as the crew turned the wheel; and step by step the man went down the ladder lashed to the lighter’s side. Josh involuntarily gripped Will’s hand as the diver descended lower and lower, to chest, neck, and then the great goggle-eyed helmet was covered, while from the clear depths the air that kept rapidly bubbling up rendered the water confused, so that the descending figure looked distorted and strange.
“Three fathom o’ water here, my lad,” whispered Josh, as with his companion he leaned over the side and gazed down at the rocks below.