Doris did pray. Then they waited in silence. Ten seconds ticked their way into eternity. Twenty—thirty—sixty. The arrow of the gauge moved nearer the “maximum strain” point at the top of the dial—and stood still. Then, for a brief second, it moved forward again.
“The cable! It can never stand the torsion!” the professor groaned.
Just as all seemed lost, the arrow quivered—and began, slowly, to move the other way.
“Thank God!” exclaimed the professor, fervently. “It—it’s going down, Doris, child.”
Staring at the dial, Doris opened her lips in silent thanksgiving. She could only stand and stare.
What had happened?
That was a question that remained unanswered for weeks. Some tremendous power behind the steel ball had pushed it away and up, until its certain doom seemed inevitable.
Then, with a sudden, rolling lurch, the ball had been freed and at once began sinking to its original position. Fortunately, the resistance of the water was so great, there was no danger that the stopping of the descent would snap the cable.
As they reached bottom position, Johnny grabbed Samatan’s hand and gripped it, impulsively.
Then it was that the native said a strange thing: