Then he waited—five seconds—ten seconds—a full minute. And still the diving bell did not move.
"They have given up watching the lifeline," he reasoned. "How careless! I'll give Captain Broadbeam a talking to when they do haul us up."
"Something must be wrong," said the father, in his sign language. "Captain Broadbeam would not forget us in this fashion."
Slowly the minutes went by and each instant father and son grew more anxious.
They could not ascend of themselves, nor could they leave the diving bell and float to the surface.
Had they left the bell without their suits the water would have crushed them, for the pressure was enormous at this distance under the surface.
The air in the diving bell was anything but pure, and now of a sudden it stopped coming in altogether.
"We are lost!" cried Dave. "We shall be smothered to death!"
"I cannot believe Captain Broadbeam has forgotten us," signed Amos Fearless. "As I said before, something must be wrong!"
The old diver was right; something was very wrong on board of the Swallow.