"Right you are," continued the captain. "But now all that is done away with. When we come to a wreck now we lower the Nautilus; you chaps go down with us and from the ports of the Nautilus we inspect the wreck without one of you having to step a foot on the bottom of the sea. When we have looked her over carefully and are all ready to get down to work, then we can let you out the bottom of the Nautilus, instead of sending you over the sides of the Jules Verne. What do you think of that? Think of it! You are already down in the sea a hundred feet or more. You are not only conserving your strength, but you are much safer than when out in diving armor floundering around in quest of your prey."
"What is the Nautilus like inside, and how does she operate?" Dick, mechanically inclined, was eager to solve the whole of this riddle.
"You shall know intimately for yourselves within a very short time," answered his captain. "We are going right aboard now, and as soon as Superintendent "Montey" Brown and a number of officials higher up come along we are going to cast off and go out in the Sound to make our first practical tests."
That was good news to the Brighton boys and Larry Seymour. Headed by Captain Austin and followed by their good friend Fismes, they crossed the gangplank and stepped on the deck of the Jules Verne.
"Not made for grace or beauty, but a very practical old craft," remarked "Cap" as he led the way forward. The new recruits were anxious to learn all about the new diving operations as quickly as possible.
In a few minutes the rest of the party came aboard and the Jules Verne slipped out into Long Island Sound—ready for business!