"Under the sea?" said Mont.
"An excursion, submarine?" said the professor.
"Precisely so. Are you inclined to go?"
"Very much, indeed," replied all in chorus, with the exception of Stump.
"This is not the time of year for the pearl divers to be at work," said the captain, "though we may see one or two. I will bring the ship nearer land, and show you some of the treasures of the deep. They fish for pearls in the Gulf of Bengal, in the Indian seas, as well as those of China and Japan, off the coast of South America, and in the Gulf of Panama and that of California, but it is at Ceylon that they find the richest harvest."
"That is a fact," said the professor; "the richest pearls, as you say, are found here."
"Right," said the captain. "We, however, shall see more than any diver ever dreams of. Perhaps I shall find my pearl worth a million, for which I have searched so long. I shall be at your service, gentlemen, in a few hours."
When the captain had departed the professor was very grave.
Carl and Mont were delighted at the prospect of finding pearls, but Stump bit his nails in silence.
"I'll take home a pearl or two for luck!" exclaimed Mont.