“Judging from the size of the mast and the point at which she is broken off, I should say not more than four or five feet.”
“Why, it will take no time to dig down that far.”
“It ought not to.”
“Here goes!”
Having a spade also, Clifford began to dig with Barney. In a very few moments the blades struck something solid. The sand was scraped away, and boards were revealed.
“The ship’s deck!” cried Clifford, half insane with glee. “Hurrah! Now we have hit it!”
Quickly they cleared a space of several feet. To the surprise of all the timbers seemed as well preserved and sound as ever.
“That is remarkable!” cried Frank, “after a lapse of two centuries. There must be some preservative element in the water here!”
“Indeed I thought of that myself,” declared Clifford, “it seems to be more buoyant and of a different quality from ordinary sea water. And there is a peculiar substance in the sand which is uncommon!”
An effort would have been at once made to cut a section of the deck away had it not been for an incident quite unforeseen.