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"The pump there is kep' goin' from a few moments before the front-glass is screwed on till the diver shows his head above water again which he'll do in quarter of an hour or so, for it don't take long to lay a charge; but our ordinary spell under water, when work is steady, is about four hours more or less with perhaps a breath of ten minutes once or twice at the surface when they're working deep."
When Rooney, standing in the room and looking at them, signalled to give "more air," they became anxious and gave him less, until his dress was nearly empty. When he signalled for "less air" they gave him more, until his dress nearly burst, and then, not having the breast-valve, he was obliged to unscrew his front-glass to prevent an explosion!
There was one of our fellows once got a comrade to let him keep his pipe in his mouth while he screwed on the front-glass; you see he couldn't have put it in his mouth after that was fixed; but he was well paid.
Not content with this he seized his lantern and passed it smartly in front of his victim's front-glass, in the hope that the unwonted and unaccountable glare might add to his consternation. That he had not failed in his intention was made plain by the shock which he immediately felt thrilling Jem's frame from head to foot.
Presently his helmet appeared like a huge round goblet ascending from the mighty deep. Then the surface was broken with a gurgle, and the goggle-eyes appeared. Rooney unscrewed the front-glass, and the Chinamen were free to cease their weary pumping. When Edgar was assisted into the boat, it was observed that he had a small peculiarly-shaped box under his arm.
While thus engaged he was watched, apparently with deep interest, by a small crab, a shrimp, and several little fish of various kinds, all of which we may add, seemed to have various degrees of curiosity. One particular little fish, named a goby, and celebrated for its wide-awake nature and impudence, actually came to the front-glass of the helmet and looked in.
At this point Rooney's heart almost failed him, but, catching sight of Maxwell's half-amused, half-contemptuous face, he stepped resolutely on the ladder, and began to descend in haste. "Hold on!" roared Baldwin, laying hold of the life-line. "Why, man alive, you're off without the front-glass!" "Och! Whirra! So I am," said Rooney, pausing.
At first he could scarcely believe his eyes, but when he cautiously held the lantern close to the man's front-glass all doubt was removed, for not only were the eyes of the sleeper tightly closed, but the opening and shutting of his nostrils, coupled with certain regular motions about the lips, gave unquestionable evidence that the man was snoring vigorously, although, of course, no sound passed the metal covering that hermetically sealed his head.
'Dog Found'? Yes very happy to oblige your aunt.... Stick it up against the front-glass yourself.... 'Won't stick of itself, won't it? Wait till I see for a wafer." She returned into the small parlour, and foraged in the drawer of her inkstand, which had probably done no service since her experiment in faussure, till it supplied Mr. Wix with a simile for the fog, ten minutes since.
You'll make a diver yet," said Baldwin, when about to readjust the glass. "I forgot to tell you that when your breath clouds the front-glass, you've only got to bend your head down, and wipe it off with your night-cap. Now, then, down you go once more." This time the pat on the head was followed by a descending motion.
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