The water glistened and sparkled like diamonds as it washed against the sides of the diving bell.
"The light is growing brighter," observed Dave, presently. "Isn't it wonderful!"
They now felt they were approaching the bottom of the Pacific, for the diving bell was moving very slowly. Soon they saw great, ribbon-like grasses, the ends floating upward past the diving bell.
At this Amos Fearless shook his head.
"We don't want to get caught in those grasses," he signed. "They may prove worse than ropes of wire."
Suddenly a slight jar on the bottom of the diving bell told them that the machine had struck something. It no longer descended, but wabbled from side to side.
At once Amos Fearless signaled through the air-tube to stop lowering. Then a small glass trap was opened in the diving bell's bottom.
Through this they saw what had caused the machine to stop. It was caught in the top-most branches of a submarine tree. Below them, upon all sides, was a regular submarine forest.
The trees were two to three hundred feet tall, twisted and gnarled in all directions, with branches stretching out of their sight.
Some of the trees boasted of most gorgeous flowers, while from others floated what looked like luscious fruits.