“All right,” replied Maxwell, who immediately afterwards slowly disappeared.
After an hour’s absence he signalled that he was coming up. In a few minutes his helmet was seen far down in the depths. Then it emerged from the surface.
“I want a crowbar,” he said on the glass being removed.
“If you’d had on a helmet with a speakin’-tube,” observed Rooney, “you might have said that without comin’ up.”
“True, lad,” growled Maxwell, “but not havin’ on a helmet with a speakin’-toobe, here I am, so please look alive.”
“Any sign of treasure?” asked Edgar.
“Not as yet, sir.”
The crowbar having been brought, the diver again went down.
For some time all went on quietly, for it was expected that, deep though the water was, Maxwell’s power of enduring pressure would enable him to remain below for at least two hours, if not longer. After looking for some time inquiringly at the spot where he had disappeared, most of the Malays resumed their various duties about the vessel, though a few remained a little to regard Ram-stam with much interest, as being one who, in a measure, held the life of a fellow-being in his hands.
Suddenly a loud hissing noise was heard over the side. It sounded to those on deck as if the great sea-serpent had put his head out of the sea close alongside and sent a violent hiss into the air.