For some days the two Brighton lads and their friend Larry Seymour remained inactive about the big shipyard at Bridgeford awaiting the call to further service. Captain Austin had told them to take things easy. Superintendent Brown and the higher officials of the company were elated at the success of the Nemo's crew in bringing up some of the treasure of the Dominion and had decreed that as part of their reward they were to loaf a while. Eventually, each lad knew, he would come in for a slice of the huge "divvy" that was sure to be tendered the company for salvaging the lost diamonds. The Brighton boys were delighted with the prospect, for it meant the money would go a long ways toward payment of their tuition for the new school year. They had expected to be assigned to the job of bringing up the gold bullion from the Dominion, but more urgent work awaited them.
Great secrecy was attendant upon the fitting out of a special ship in the yard that the boys had heard was to be used in salvage work later in the summer. With it the Bridgeford officials contemplated using some of their new apparatus and employing some of their lately developed processes for deep-sea salvage.
The ship, which they had heard referred to as the Jules Verne, was denied to everybody except the chosen men employed in putting the finishing touches on her. She was roped off in a portion of the big wet basin all to herself and armed guards kept prying eyes at a distance.
"We're apt to know sooner or later," Dick remarked as they discussed the new venture one afternoon.
"And as for me, I'm getting tired of laying around this way," said Dick. For two years they had had so much to do while serving in the Navy that inaction now palled upon them.
They had not long to wait, for one morning, a few days later, just after they had checked in the shipyard, there came a summons to them to appear in the office of Superintendent Brown. They hurried over at once, finding that official awaiting them with Captain Austin.
"Morning, boys," called out the superintendent cheerily. "I hope you are feeling in good shape again after your tussle with the old Dominion."
To which they answered they preferred getting down again into the danger zone rather than to sit around cooling their heels.
"That's the spirit, all right," remarked the official with a grin. "We are proud of you fellows who compose the crew of the Nemo for what you have already done, and we sure are going to take care of you."
Jay tried to explain that one man alone had recovered the diamonds and that he was in no sense to be credited with any of the glory.