"Cowcumbers, 'cause they're so cool. Now, lookye here everybody, he's going on as right as can be. Mr Dutch keeps on giving the signal `All right,' so why should we interfere. I'm master o' this descent, and he shan't be interfered with." "But, you madman, there's a huge shark just going to dash at him," cried Mr Meldon excitedly. "Then I'm very sorry for the shark," said Rasp coolly. "Lor' bless you, Mr Dutch is too much for any shark as can swim. Madman, eh, Mr Doctor. What would you say to me if I called you a madman for not letting me interfere when you'd got your patient a-going on all right, and just because I thought he was in danger? My patient's a-going on all right. There, he says so himself," he continued, as the customary signal passed along the line. "Rasp is quite right," said Mr Parkley, who stood there with a cartridge in one hand, the wire in the other, and the battery between his feet. "A diver should never be interfered with." "There, hear that?" said Rasp, watching the tube where it descended into the water. "But look! Good heavens, it is horrible!" cried the doctor. Hester's hands dropped from her face, and she gazed down now to see a thick cloud of blood rising through the water, shutting out the figure of him she loved, and white as ashes, with eyes starting, and parted lips, but without uttering a word, she gazed on. "Well, what o' that?" said Rasp coolly, as he held the signal-line delicately in his hand, drawing in and slackening out like a man feeling with a ground line. "He's as right as a trivet, and I've felt him all along with the line here, and he's give the shark such a one-er. I felt him let go at it." "I'm afraid it is his own blood," exclaimed Mr Wilson. "For heaven's sake be silent, Wilson!" cried Mr Parkley. "There, you've made Miss Studwick faint." In fact Bessy, standing by her brother's side as he watched the whole of the proceedings, had sunk down softly on the deck; but when the doctor turned to her help, John Studwick angrily repelled him. "It was your horrible talk began it, and that long fool's finished the work," exclaimed John Studwick. "Now, go back and see the shark killed. I can attend to my sister. Send for some cold water, father," he added, as the captain came up. But it was needless, for Bessy was recovering fast, and after looking wildly about for a few moments she sat up by her brother, and held his hand with her back turned to the group on deck. "Bah!" ejaculated Rasp, coolly. "There, keep clear o' that chube," he shouted. "It's shark's blood, that's what it is, and you'll see him turn up by-and-by. Here he comes; no he ain't turned up yet. Now he's going down again. There," he cried directly after, as the line glided softly through his hand. "Mr Dutch has given him another. Look at the cloud rising again, and--ha, ha, ha! What did I tell you?"