TREASURES FROM THE DEEP.
It was a glorious morning. There had been no wind for nearly three weeks beyond pleasant summer breezes, and the water was as clear as crystal, which is not so very often the case on our sh.o.r.e.
My father had soon completed his preparations, there being a fine larch in the woody part of the Gap; and this was soon felled, stripped, and cleared of branch and bark. Bigley soon found a suitable rope and block in his father"s store, and a couple of boats were got ready, with a suitable bag of rough canvas, in which several holes were cut out so as to allow the water to pa.s.s readily through.
All this was got ready in a couple of hours, three pigs of lead were placed in the boat, in case one would be lost, and with the foreman to help, and a couple of men to pull, we set off from the beach with no lookers-on, and in a short time we were fast to the line that marked the spot where the boxes were supposed to lie.
Bigley gave vent to a sigh of satisfaction, for he had been in a terrible fidget, telling me over and over again that he was sure the boat-hook which served as a buoy had been washed away, and totally forgetting that the cl.u.s.ter of rocks known as the Goat and Kids were so familiar to the fishermen about that the spot could easily have been found again.
However there we were. The line was hauled tightly in over the bows of our boat, the pole thrust down straight to the bottom, but only to keep rising up until one of the pigs of lead was lashed on to the thick end, when it consented to stay. The block with its wheel had already been secured in its place, and the rest of the gear being ready nothing remained but to make the first descent, and for which Bigley was eager.
"I scarcely like to send you down, Bigley," said my father just at the last. "I hardly feel justified in doing so."
"Why not, sir?" cried Bigley. "It"s only like diving for fun."
"But if anything happened?"
"Why, nothing can happen, sir. It"s as easy as can be."
"One moment," said my father; "let"s see how the tackle works."
He gave the word, the men slackened the rope, and the bag with the pig of lead in it went down with a splash and sank rapidly to the bottom, where it was allowed to stay for a few minutes and then hauled up.
"There, sir, that goes right enough, only when it went down it would have taken me with it, and when it came up it would have brought the first chest of silver."
"If you have not been mistaken," said my father drily. "Well, sir, we shall see," said Bigley colouring; and standing up in the boat he made a spring and dived off, curving down and rising again like a seal before swimming back to the side with a mastery over the water that I never could approach, though there was a time when I could swim and dive pretty well.
"Now, then," cried Bigley, taking hold of the bag without waiting for farther orders, "let the rope run quite clear, and don"t haul till I come up and tell you."
"Do you feel sure that you can do it, my lad?" cried my father eagerly.
"Oh yes, sir!"
"Then, mind, if there is any difficulty you will give up at once."
"I will not do it, Captain Duncan, if I cannot," said Bigley laughing.
"Now, then, off!"
The bag, which with the lead inside had been resting on the gunwale, was lowered into the water; Bigley seized it, and in an instant over he turned to go down head-first, with the line running rapidly through the block, and then all at once growing slack.
My father and the foreman held the end, but like the rest they leaned over the side of the boat to watch the movements of the white figure they could indistinctly see far below, for the water was of course disturbed, and our movements in the boats kept up a series of ripples which blurred the surface.
My heart beat fast, for Bigley seemed to be down a long time, though it was only a few seconds before he rose rapidly to the surface and swam to the boat.
"Well, my lad," cried my father excitedly, "there is nothing, then?"
"I couldn"t manage it the first time," panted Bigley. "I got hold of a box, but it was awkward work getting it into the bag. I could not hold it and get the chest in too. Haul up, please."
"But are you sure you can do it?" said my father.
"I am certain, sir," replied Bigley; and the men began to haul up the bag.
As Bigley was about to give the word to let go once more there came a loud "Ahoy!" from the sh.o.r.e; and turning my head I saw that Bob Chowne had come over and was asking to be fetched.
"It is impossible," said my father--"he must wait;" and I knew as well as if I were listening to him that Bob was saying something about our always having all the fun.
"Let go," cried Bigley; and away he went again, the weight drawing him down so rapidly that I felt a little envious, and as if I should like to make one of the trips.
He was up again more quickly this time.
"Haul up," he cried; "it"s of no use. I can"t get the box into the bag.
Here, I see!" he cried, "make fast that maund to the rope and put the lead in there."
He pointed, as he held on by the boat"s edge, to a fish-basket in the stern of the boat; and as soon as the bag had been hauled aboard the rope was set free and fastened, scale-fashion, to the basket.
Bigley"s countenance brightened at this, and seizing it directly he gave the word, declaring that he was all right; and away he went once more, and came up again so quickly that we felt there was something wrong.
"What"s the matter?" I cried.
"Haul up and see," was his reply; and as the men hauled, everyone held his breath till the basket came up slowly and heavily to the surface.
"It"s a box or a stone," I cried; and then I gave a shout, in which all the men joined, for there was a square box in the basket and my father lifted it out.
"He"s right! He"s right!" cried my father excitedly. "Bigley, my dear lad, I could not believe that it was true!"
"Over with the basket, sir," cried Bigley; "quick!" and he went down again and once more rose.
"All ready!" he cried; and so it was, for another box was hauled in-- another unmistakable case of our silver, for there were the marks upon it; and my heart beat with pride and pleasure at our success.
"How do you feel?" cried my father. "Don"t go down more than you can bear."
"I feel like this, sir," cried Bigley seizing hold of the two handles of the basket and going down once more, to come up again almost as quickly, and another box was hauled up.
Just then there was a cheer from the sh.o.r.e, and on looking in that direction there was the doctor now beside Bob Chowne, and they evidently realised what was taking place, for both shouted and waved their hats.
They would have come off to us, but there was no boat to be had nearer than Ripplemouth; so they watched us while Bigley went down again and again till ten boxes had been recovered, when my father refused to let him go down any more, in spite of his prayers and declarations that he was all right and could go down as often as we liked.
My father was determined, though, and made him dress himself and help row ash.o.r.e with us so as to carry the chests up to the cottage; but as soon as they were landed my father sent up to the mine and all the men were fetched to bear the silver up, and it was placed in safety in the restored cellar.
The spot had of course been left buoyed, and a couple of men were awarded the task of watching the place till after dinner, when towards four o"clock we all went down again, Bigley declaring himself ready to dive.
By this time I had come to the conclusion that I was behaving in a very cowardly way in letting him do all the work, and without saying a word I determined to quietly undress ready, and take the next turn.
The doctor and Bob Chowne, who had said just what I antic.i.p.ated, joined us this time, while everyone occupied in the Gap came down to see the astounding fact that the Frenchmen had not got the silver after all.
We rowed out and made fast as before, and Bigley went down; but instead of paying any attention to his dive I let the others watch him, got ready, and then, as a fresh box was recovered, I leaped overboard, crying, "My turn now!" and swam to the basket.
"You, Sep?" said my father in a hesitating tone.
"Yes, father," I shouted. "Let go."