"Silence!" cried the captain. "It great big lie, sah," cried the black. "I turn roun' and see dat ugly tief set him hoof on de tubum, and top all de wind out of Mass' Dutch Pugh, and I scruff him." "You infamous--" "Silence!" roared the captain. "Stand back, both of you. Oakum, see that no one goes near the tube. Haul in gently there; he's coming up." This was the case, for in another minute the great round top of the helmet was seen to emerge from the water; its wearer mounted the side, and was soon relieved of his casque, displaying the flushed face of Dutch, who looked sharply round. "Some one must have stepped on the tube," he said. "Who was it?" "It lies between these two," said Captain Studwick, pointing to the pair of adversaries. "It was the nigger, sir," said Tolly. "No, sah, 'sure you, sah. I too much sense, sah, to put um foot on de tubum. It was dis fellow, sah," said the black, with dignity. "I presume it was an accident," said Dutch, quietly. Then, turning to the divers--"I have been down, as you see, my men. The apparatus is in perfect working order, the water clear, the light good, and the copper easy to get at. Begin work directly. If anything goes wrong, it is the fault of your management." "But ain't this black fellow to be punished?" began the man Tolly. "Mr John Tolly, you are foreman of these divers," said Dutch quietly, "and answerable to Mr Parkley for their conduct. If one of the sailors deserves punishment, that is Captain Studwick's affair." For a moment there was dead silence, then 'Pollo spoke. "I not a sailor, sah; I de ship cook. You mind I not put de cork in de tubum, Mass' Tolly, next time you go down." "There! do you hear him?" cried Tolly. "Who's going down to be threatened like that?" "Yah, yah, yah!" laughed the black. "Him great coward, sah. He not worf notice." Then he turned and walked forward, while Tolly resumed his suit, vacated for him by Dutch, their helmets were put on by two of the men, and diving commenced, Dutch remaining on board till it was time to cease, and having the satisfaction of seeing a goodly portion of the copper hauled on the deck of the schooner, the divers fastening ropes round the ingots, which were drawn up by the sailors. "That was a malicious trick, of course," said Dutch to the captain while Tolly was below. "I'm afraid it was," said the captain, "to try and make out that the machinery was out of order." "Yes, I expected it," said Dutch; "and that's why I spoke to you. They did not mean to do me a mischief, of course--only to frighten me. I don't suspect the black, though." "What, 'Pollo!" said the captain. "Good heavens, no! He's as staunch as steel. A thoroughly trustworthy man." "I must wink at it, I suppose," said Dutch, "for it is not easy to supply vacancies in our little staff, and the men know it. They are hard fellows to manage."