They were about to cross one of the widest crevices, and Mr. Clark was half way over on the plank, when Kit heard a startled cry.
“Silburn!”
And plank and purser went down together, Mr. Clark disappearing beneath the black water.
Kit saw in an instant what had happened. The end of the plank had slipped from the edge of the opposite bed of pitch.
Mr. Clark, he knew, could not swim; and besides he might come up beneath one of those horrible “mushrooms,” and so almost inevitably be drowned. But Kit was not long in making up his mind what to do. He instantly threw off his coat and knelt on the edge of the “mushroom” he was on, with his head close to the water, ready to dive for his companion as soon as he could get a glimpse of him.
He had no chance to dive, however. As soon as the impetus of his fall was over, the purser shot to the surface again like a cork; and catching a momentary glance at Kit’s head he grabbed at it with all the energy of a drowning man, and got his arm around the neck before Kit had time to draw back.
As he started to go down again, which he did at almost the same instant, only one result was possible. Kit was overbalanced and dragged into the water, and they went down together into the black depths, both in deadly peril from drowning, and Kit with the additional danger of the arm wound around his throat like a vise.
CHAPTER XVIII.
A VOYAGE TO BERMUDA.
IF Kit had been less at home in the water, there is little doubt that they would both have found their long rest down among the black columns of pitch. But besides being a strong swimmer he was well versed in all the arts of managing a drowning companion. He knew that without his assistance the purser at least must drown, so he quickly brought his right hand around, and seizing the struggling man’s nose with a grip of iron, he bent the purser’s head back till it seemed as if his thick neck must break. But this had the desired effect, as Kit knew from experience that it would. Mr. Clark let go his hold to save his neck, and in an instant Kit had him firmly by the waist.