Menhardoc | Page 5

Will thrust his arm aside and ran to the
line to help haul.
"No, no, my lad; stand aside," cried the man who seemed to be captain
of the diving-crew, and who was dressed for the work all but his helmet.
"Haul away, do you hear?"
The men were hauling hard, but the rope had come taut; and instead of
their bringing up the diver it was plain to all that the poor fellow had
got the line hitched round a piece of rock, or else one of his legs
wedged in some crevice of the rocks he was exploring.
"Shake the rope loose for a moment and haul again," cried the leader.
The men obeyed and then hauled again, but the line came taut once
more; and if they had hauled much harder it would have parted.
"Lend a hand here quick with that other helmet. Make fast there! I'll go
down and cast him loose. Here, quick, some of you!"
"He'll be a dead un afore you get to him," growled the skipper of the
lighter, "if you arn't sharp."
"I knowed it, I knowed it," whispered Josh hoarsely. "I see it all along."

"Screw that on," panted the leader; "and you, Winter, stand by the
engine. Be cool. Now, the helmet. Hah!"
There was a loud crash just then as the trembling and excited man who
was handing the second helmet let it fall upon an iron bar lying upon
the deck, so injuring the delicate piece of mechanism that the men
stared at each other aghast, and Will's hands grew wet with horror.
"Is there a man here who can dive?" shouted the skipper coming
forward with a thin coil of line. And, amidst a breathless silence Will
stepped forward.
"No, no, he can't," shouted Josh excitedly; and then he stood
open-mouthed and with one hand clasping the other as he saw Will
make a rapid hitch in the line, throw it round his waist, tighten it, and
then, after a quick glance round, seize one of the diver's leaden weights
lying on an upturned cask. Then stepping to the side he said quickly,
"Josh, look to the line!" and with the heavy weight held out at
arm's-length he leaped from the gangway, right where the air-bubbles
were still rising, and plunged headforemost into the sea.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Net-making in Cornwall is called net-breeding.
CHAPTER TWO.
JOSH DOES NOT APPROVE OF HIS PUPIL'S DIVE.
As Will made his daring plunge Josh Heist on rushed to the side, and
stood with starting eyes gazing at the disturbed water. Then turning
fiercely upon the skipper, he caught him by the shoulder, gave him a
twist, and dragged him within reach of his deformed arm, the hand of
which fastened upon his waist-belt, and held him perfectly helpless,
although he seemed to be a much stronger man.
"This was your doing!" cried Josh angrily, but with quite a wail in his
intoned words. "You drove him to do that gashly thing!"

"Don't be a fool, Josh! Here, let go! Do you hear, let go!"
"If he don't come I'll send you after him!" cried Josh, with his face
flushed with anger.
"Do you want the lad to drown for want of help?" cried the skipper; and
his words acted like magic. Josh loosed his hold, and once more ran to
the side.
Meanwhile the pumping had been kept up, and a constant stream of
air-bubbles could be seen ascending; but the men who had hauled upon
the life-line had kept it taut, and were still hauling as those who were
gazing down into the clear water, vainly trying to make out the
movements of the two divers, suddenly uttered a shout.
"Here he comes!" cried the skipper; and Josh, who had been holding his
breath in the agony of suspense, gave a loud expiration as the lad
suddenly appeared above the surface, panting for breath, and swam to
the ladder, shaking the water from his eyes and hair.
"Slack the line!" he cried; "it's round a rock. Give me one of those
leads."
Josh, who had been the first to oppose the descent, was now the first to
help, by seizing the back lead left upon the barrel head, and, with
cat-like agility, leaping to the ladder and going down to the swimmer.
A dozen voices were shouting words of advice to Will, but the lad paid
no heed; he merely drew himself up on the ladder, saw that the life-line
was slack, and, clasping the leaden back-piece with both hands, with
the life-line running loosely between his arms to act as a guide, he once
more plunged into the sea, the weight seeming to take him down with
tremendous force.
One instant the ponderous lead struck the water, the next