“Very good. Have you located that mine yet, men?” “I think we have, sir.” “Then hold it. Do not let it get away from you. We shall remain on the anchorage here until you get your anchor down.” As soon as this had been done the wherry moved up closer, keeping just far enough away to avoid interfering with the diver when he got at his work on the bottom of the sea. Immediately upon the arrival of the motor boat the men began hurriedly assisting Kester on with his diving suit, for it was getting late, and the wind was freshening considerably. “All ready to put the diver overboard, sir.” “Very good. Make sure that all is well before doing so.” “All is in proper condition.” The diver, as he stood waiting for the order to descend, appeared in his diving suit like some strange and hideous monster from the deep. Sam gazed at him in wide-eyed wonder. “Then put him over.” A splash followed, the diver disappearing beneath the water, while the diver’s assistants rapidly paid out the rubber tubing and the ropes attached to the diver’s costume. “Bottom, sir,” announced the man at the ropes. “Watch his signals.” “Aye, aye, sir.” There followed several minutes of tense waiting, the rhythmic “clank!” “clank!” of the apparatus that supplied the diver with fresh air being the only sound save the lapping of the water to break the stillness. “He’s found the mine, sir,” called the diver’s assistant. “Very good. Davis, signal the ship that we have located the mine.” Dan stood up, flashing the message through with a few swift dips of the signal flag. Sam wondered how they knew the man, Kester, had found what he was in search of. What he did not know was that the men in the other boat were able to hold a limited conversation with the diver by means of a signal rope, certain jerks meaning certain words or questions. “The mine is secured, sir,” called the assistant. This meant that the diver had succeeded in making fast to the lost mine one of the ropes that he had taken down with him. “Shall we raise the mine first before getting Kester up, sir?” “By all means. He has not asked to be brought up, has he?” “No, sir.” “Haul away, then, lads.” A warning signal was sent to the man below, after which the assistants in the boat began pulling and tugging at the rope attached to the mine. Evidently the mine was imbedded in the sandy bottom, for it refused to move, the men jerking this way and that to free it from its resting place. All at once it did come away, and with a suddenness that caused the men to sit down in the bottom of the boat, losing control of the line. “Clumsy! Look out or you will lose it again,” cautioned the ensign. Quickly pulling themselves up, they began hauling in on the line. Very slowly the sphere moved upward, at last appearing above the surface of the water, shining and almost menacing Dan thought as he gazed at the object. “Now be careful in getting it over the side,” warned the officer.