"They collared me too, O'Shaunessey," answered Hythe.
"Bad cess to them!" continued the gigantic Irishman, shaking his fist in the direction of half a dozen almost as powerfully built men who were imperturbably regarding their captive. "They tackled me with some insthrument, an' I couldn't raise me hand in self defence. They must have known that I could never stand being tickled, the ign'rant foreigners."
"Why foreigners, O'Shaunessey?" asked the sub, while Captain Restronguet gave a low chuckle.
"Ain't they foreigners, bedad? I prached to 'em like the blessed St. Pathrick held forth to the sarpints, an' all they did was to shake their heads."
"There is no necessity to keep up this pretence any longer, men," exclaimed Captain Restronguet. "This sailor must be treated as one of yourselves for the time being. You might reassure him, Mr. Hythe, for in spite of our electric treatment he seems inclined to be troublesome, and a good deal of damage might be done if we have to use strong measures."
"Look here, O'Shaunessey," said the sub, "we must make the best of our present position. This gentleman, Captain Restronguet, will doubtless put us ashore in good time," and with a swift look that the sailor rightly interpreted that he must keep his weather eye lifting, Hythe followed the captain out of the compartment.
"This is the for'ard double bulkhead," explained Captain Restronguet, as the pair came to the doors that Hythe had previously noticed. "The 'Aphrodite' is built in three separate sections, any of which can, in a case of emergency, be detached from the remaining portion and still remain watertight. The midship sections at the two principal bulkheads are identical. Thus if the centre compartment should happen to be holed the fore and after sections can be detached, brought together, and secured. We would then still be a submarine of two-thirds the length of the present one. In the foremost section are the offensive appliances, subsidiary motors, and certain stores. The midship portion forms the living space for the crew, main store rooms, etc.; the after section contains the officers' cabins, and underneath them the main propelling machinery. In each section is a diving-chamber capable of being flooded in order to allow the crew to leave the vessel when occasions arise. The exit in the midship section is on Number Two Platform; in the others it is on Number Three."
"Sounds like a railway station," thought Hythe; then--
"What do you mean by platforms?" he asked.
"You might prefer to call them decks, Mr. Hythe. Number One is literally on deck, and extends practically the whole length and breadth of the vessel. Her sections are, as you doubtless have observed, almost square, the ridges of the deck and the bilges being very slightly rounded off. This gives plenty of space for the crew when running on the surface, and also enables the 'Aphrodite' to rest on the bottom of the sea without any perceptible list, unless, of course, the bed shelves at all. Number Two Platform--but perhaps you are not interested?"