"Sounds rather queer, doesn't it?" pondered Dick, unable to grasp the significance of Jay's remarks. They agreed, however, there surely must be some ground for Jay talking so; and, moreover, they shared similar opinions regarding one Carl Weddigen, notwithstanding the fact that Weddigen had made a game fight for the diamonds and come off victorious. "You stay here with Jay and I'll just stroll aft and look the old bird over," counseled Larry after a little further deliberation. "To my mind he's just the kind of a fellow who might put something over on us." Dick agreed, and Larry accordingly hurried away, slowing down to a leisurely gait after he had passed the conning tower and approached the group of which the much-admired diver was the central figure. As he drew near, Larry could hear Weddigen recounting his experiences on the ocean bed in the hold of the _Dominion_. And he was omitting no detail in the narration. All smiles and apparently with all friendly intent Larry eased himself into the circle of admiring friends. "How's Thacker?" queried Weddigen solicitously, breaking away from his story of the reclamation. "Coming along fine," said Larry, detailing how Jay had responded satisfactorily to treatment. "Glad of that," responded Weddigen. "I'm sorry we couldn't both have come upon the glittering goods together and yanked them out with a little teamwork. Tell him I'll be over to see him in a few minutes." Larry hung around while other members of the crew insisted that Weddigen complete his story of the salvage expedition. But Carl was in no mood to continue the yarn and said he guessed he was feeling strong enough now to take off his diving clothes and go below for a snooze. Accordingly he struggled to his feet with the aid of several members of the crew. Larry was now all attention. Following out the instructions of Jay he carefully examined the trousers of the big diver. Yes, there it was; the telltale little pocket on the side of the right leg. Larry edged up closer to get a better look at it. There was a certain bulge to it as though it was well filled. "Gee, you're a regular Beau Brummel of a diver with your fancy clothes," offered Seymour facetiously as he smiled up into the face of Weddigen. "What do you mean, fellow?" blurted the latter, turning short to survey the Bridgeford seaman whom he remembered as one of the three he had encountered the day he and Jay had come together just outside Superintendent Brown's office. "Why, with your pretty little side pockets," prattled Larry with a sickly grin. With a flourish of the hand he indicated the bulging patch on the side of Weddigen's armor, and before the latter could intervene Larry swept his hand carelessly but unerringly over the pocket, giving it such a thrust that the button slipped through the stout canvas eye-hole. At the same time Weddigen clutched the pocket as though to cover it. But he was too late!