By a sudden movement the captain withdrew his knife, and the two shells came together with a sharp snap.
Satisfied with showing them this treasure of the deep, he turned round, and retraced his steps, leaving the precious pearl behind them.
Incomprehensible man, he was now more than ever a mystery to our hero.
He allowed them to seek and take numerous other pearls, but would not let them touch that he had shown them.
Again they wandered along the bottom of the sea, beholding many things worthy of observation.
Sometimes the bank was so shallow that their heads came above the water; at others they sank several yards below.
Suddenly the captain stopped, and by a movement of his hand ordered the party to conceal themselves behind a projecting rock.
He pointed to the liquid mass in front of them, and all followed with their eyes the direction indicated.
About five yards off a shadow came between the party and the rays of the sun.
Mont thought of the "sea butcher," as the divers of Ceylon call the shark, and trembled a little at the idea.