When he awoke he started up with a queer sense of his surroundings. In a few moments, however, memory supplied the blank.
Then he looked about him in a hopeless way.
He wondered if rescue had yet come, and arose to open the door into the main cabin.
As he did so he was startled at an unexpected sight.
The hatch was open and a man’s body was just sliding down through it.
“Saved!” gasped the imprisoned man with a wild thrill. Then he ceased to speak.
He stood like one overcome with horror.
“On my word,” he finally managed to mutter, “fate has played it into Parker’s hands after all.”
For it required no second glance for him to see that the new-comer was one of the Aurelian’s crew.
The peculiar fit of his diving suit and the life lines were evidence of this.