"Certainly."
"Look here, Hythe," exclaimed Kenwyn. "If you tackle the job I'm with you."
"Thanks," replied the sub. "The sooner we start the better."
Donning their diving-suits and equipping themselves with brushes, spanners, rubber-sheeting for the valves, and an electric lamp each, the two men entered No. 4a compartment, as the subdivision was designated. As soon as the water-tight doors were shut they began unbolting the man-hole cover that gave access to the faulty ballast-tank, guided in their self-imposed task solely by the rays of the lamps.
Presently the water began to ooze between the partially removed cover and side of the tank, increasing in volume till the whole of the compartment was flooded with a liquid resembling thick pea-soup. It was only by the concentrated rays of the two lamps and by keeping his helmeted head within six inches of the metal lid that Hythe was able to complete the work of opening a means of communication with the ballast-tank.
As soon as this was done the sub squeezed through the manhole. His feet touched a thick layer of stiff mud on the floor of the tank. Bringing his lamp down he carefully examined the outlet valve. The secret of the defect was his: when the "Aphrodite" had been submerged by the side of the wharf at Marromea the inrush of water had brought with it a quantity of sediment sufficiently plastic to form a layer over the outlet valve and thus prevent its action.
For an hour Hythe toiled. He had neglected to bring anything of the nature of a spade, and had to recourse to his bare hands. Handful after handful of the noxious mud he scooped up and passed through the manhole into the compartment without, till the interior of the tank was perfectly free from anything of the nature to retard the action of the pumps.
After a lapse of two hours and a half from the time of entering the compartment the two men, their diving-dresses covered in slime, gave the pre-arranged signal to start the pumps. Ten minutes later both the compartment and the tank were emptied of water, and the task of replacing the cover was proceeded with.
But even then Hythe, nothing if not practical, refused to come on deck. He asked for a couple of buckets full of strong disinfectant fluid to be sent down, and, using a mop vigorously, he thoroughly scrubbed out the interior of the compartment, finishing up by mopping his companion's dress with the liquid, while Kenwyn performed the same office for him. Thus the risk of fever from the river-mud was entirely obviated.
"I would like a cold bath," exclaimed Kenwyn as the two officers rejoined their comrades.