“Yes.”
“That would be practically fatal! It—
“But look!” Dave’s voice changed. “There they are again! I never saw such a sight! Get ready for another picture!”
Johnny quickly took another picture—two—three more pictures. After that, the spots of yellow light disappeared as before, and—for what seemed a very long time—there was nothing but inky blackness.
Johnny settled back for a few, fleeting thoughts. That he was due for some unusual experiences he had never a doubt. Fancy, going far beneath the surface of the sea in a thing like this steel ball! Suppose something went wrong—even the least little thing! What then? Dave had told him it was possible to go down half a mile, perhaps more. Would they ask him to go down that far to take pictures?
Sometimes, he thought, it’s better not to know too much about what is ahead.
He had been vastly interested in their manner of taking off in that steel ball. They had crawled through a small entrance in the side, and taken their places. Then had come the bang of a steel door, swung into place. This was followed by the clang of wrenches, bolting them inside!
Dave had seen him move, restlessly. “Don’t let that bother you,” he had laughed. “I’ve been down scores of times. It—it’s just grand! Professor Casper got the thing up,” Dave had explained. “Now his doctor won’t let him go down—on account of a bad heart. So it’s up to me, on this trip. There are things we want to know. Your pictures should help.”
There hadn’t been time for any more talk. After the door had been securely bolted down, the hoist had lifted them over the rail and lowered them gently into the inky depths.
With a suddenness that was startling, Johnny awoke from his revery. Like the flash of electric bulbs, lights were appearing and disappearing before his eyes.