Descending an inclined plane, Captain Vindex stopped and pointed out an object which they had not hitherto perceived.
It was an oyster of gigantic size.
Lying alone upon the granite rock, it took up a large space, and never had the professor even heard of such a huge bivalve.
The shells were open a little, as if the oyster was feeding, which enabled the captain to introduce his knife.
Keeping the two shells open by both ends of his knife, he pushed back the flesh of the oyster and revealed a pearl as big as a small cocoanut.
It was a pearl worth at least a hundred thousand dollars.
CHAPTER XXV.
THE MAN OF MYSTERY.
Mont advanced to the oyster, and stretched out his hand as if he would have seized the pearl, but he was disappointed.