The door opened while he was speaking and a long arm twining round hiswaist dragged him too into the heart of this floating prison.
His legs kicking up ludicrously in the air attracted the attention ofCarl, who could not refrain from laughing, miserable though he was.
"My turn next," muttered the youth.
He was not long kept in suspense.
The long net twined, snakelike, round him, and he too descended into thebowels of the infernal machine.
Mont's experience was that of all of them.
He had descended an iron ladder and was pushed into a room, the door ofwhich shut to with a heavy bang.
In ten minutes they were all together in the same compartment.
The darkness of their prison was so intense as to prevent our heroseeing his hand before his face.
Thus it was impossible to guess where they were, or even to tell if theywere alone or not.
"This is an outrage," said the doctor. "I protest against it. Is theauthor of a dozen immortal works to be treated like a naughtyschoolboy?"
"We're prisoners," remarked Mont, "and it's no use hallooing. They'renot going to eat us. This isn't an oven, and I think we are better herethan up above."
"At least we had our liberty," continued the doctor, who was neversatisfied or happy unless he was at work or grumbling.
"I've got a knife," said Stump boldly, "and I'll stick the first thatcomes near me. It's a regular pig-sticker, my knife, and I'll bet theyfeel it."
"Don't you do anything of the sort!" cried Mont. "You might get us allkilled."
"It's very hard if a poor boy can't do something."
"You'll get it hot if anyone is listening to you. If you don't care foryourself, think of us."
Stump grumbled inaudibly, and Mont began to take the dimensions of theprison in which they were.
This he did by walking about, and he made it twenty feet long by tenwide. The walls were of iron, made of plates riveted together.
Half an hour passed. At the expiration of that time, the cabin wasilluminated by a flood of light so vivid and blinding that it wasdifficult to bear the intensity.
Mont recognized the electric light that had floated round the ship whenhe first saw it.
When he got used to its clear whiteness, he looked up and saw that itproceeded from a globe which hung from the ceiling.
"Light at last; our captors are becoming more civil," said the doctor,rubbing his hands gayly.
"It's about time, I think," answered our hero.
They were not much better off, however, for the cabin only contained atable and five wooden stools, but the light was refreshing and made themmore cheerful.
Not a sound reached their ears; everywhere reigned the silence of thegrave.
Perhaps the ship had sunk to the bottom of the ocean, for it seemed tohave the power of going where its strange owner wished.
In a short time the door opened and two men appeared.
"Visitors at last!" murmured Mont to himself.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE OWNER OF THE SUBMARINE MONSTER.
Of the two who had entered one was a negro, with intelligent but flatface, and short, woolly hair.
The other was a tall, handsome white man, with keen, searching eyes thatlooked into the very soul.
He wore a thick mustache, whiskers, and beard, and appeared to be anAmerican.
He regarded the prisoners with a fixed gaze and said something to thenegro in an unknown language, which was so sweet and soft that it seemedto be all vowels and no consonants.
At length he fixed his eyes upon the doctor, who, as the eldest of theparty, seemed to be the leader of it. The professor made a low bow.
"I presume," he said, "that I am in the presence of the proprietor ofthis singular machine, and as I am a man of science I respect one whocould conceive and carry out the idea of a submarine ship."
There was no answer.
"Permit me to tell you our history," continued the professor.
Still no reply.
"He's remarkably polite," remarked Mont. "Perhaps he don't understandour language."
"Leave him to me," said the professor; "my name may have an effect uponhim. I am Dr. Homer Woddle, Professor of Natural History, and Secretaryto the Society for the Exploration of the Unknown Parts of the World. Ihave written valuable books, sir, which have been translated intoforeign languages."
The professor paused to look proudly around him.
Nothing in the face of the man before them indicated that he understoodone word.
Undaunted by this silence, the doctor continued:
"This, sir, is my friend Mr. Mont Folsom, this my friend Mr. CarlBarnaby. The lad is their servant."
There was still no answer, and then the professor grew cross.
He spoke in French, then in German, finally in Greek and Latin; but withthe same disheartening effect.
Not a muscle of the stranger's face moved.
Turning to the right, he muttered some words in his incomprehensiblelanguage, and, without making any reassuring sign to the prisoners,turned on his heel and walked away, the door closing after him.
"Well, I'm blowed!" said Mont. "This is a queer go, and no mistake."
"I know one thing," said Carl; "that is, I am dying with hunger."
"If they would only give me a saucepan and some fire," said Stump, "I'dmake some soup."
"How?"
"I've got my boots, and the Unknown who came in let his sealskin capfall. I picked it up and sneaked it. The two together wouldn't make badsoup."
While he spoke the door opened again, and another negro entered with atray upon which were four plates.
A savory smell issued from them. Knives and forks were provided, andhaving placed the plates on the table the negro raised the covers.
"Food!" said Mont; "that's good."
"Not up to much, Master Mont, I'll bet," observed Stump.
"What do you know about it?"
"What can they give us? Porpoise stew, fillets of dogfish, or stewedshark. I'd rather have some salt junk on board the ship."
The negro disappeared with the covers, and all but Stump sat down.
"Fire away, Stump," said Mont, looking at the dishes.
"After you; I can wait," replied the boy-of-all-work.
"Sit down, I tell you. When people are shipwrecked they are all equal.Pitch in," answered Mont.
Stump sat down. There was no bread, tea, or coffee, but a bottle ofwater supplied its place.
It was difficult to say what the dinner consisted of. It was a mixtureof fish and vegetable matter, but not an atom of meat.
For some time no one spoke. The business of eating was all-absorbing,for one must eat, especially after a shipwreck.
It was consoling to reflect they were not destined to die of hunger.
"I think," exclaimed Stump, when he had finished his plate, "that theymean to fatten us before they kill us!"
"Hold your tongue till you are spoken to," said Mont.
"Yes, sir. I know I'm only an odd boy, but----"
"Shut up, I tell you. I want to go to sleep."
"Certainly, sir. Sorry I took the liberty, but if I don't talk tosomebody I must talk to myself."
"Try it on, that's all, and if you wake me when I'm asleep, I'll giveyou something for yourself. I'm just getting dry, and shall sleep like atop," answered our hero, throwing himself in a corner.
The professor, who was worn out, had already chosen his corner.
Carl followed his example, and soon all slept.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE ATTACK.
How long he slept Mont did not know.
He woke first, and saw his companions snoring like those who areover-tired.
Nothing was changed in the apartment, except that the remains of thedinner had been removed.
It was with difficulty that he managed to breathe, and he guessed thathe had consumed all the oxygen in his prison. His lungs were oppressed,and the
heavy air was not sufficient for proper respiration.
While Mont was arranging his toilet a valve opened in the side of theroom, and a fresh current of sea air swept into the cabin.
Evidently the vessel had ascended to the surface of the ocean and takenin a fresh supply of air.
The others, influenced by this invigorating atmosphere, woke up, andrubbing their eyes started to their feet.
Stump looked at Mont and asked if he had slept well.
"Pretty well. How are you, Mr. Professor?"
"I breathe the sea air, and I am content," answered Dr. Woddle. "Howlong have we slept? It must be four-and-twenty hours, at least, for I amhungry again; I cannot tell to a certainty, for my watch has stopped."
"There is one comfort," replied Mont, "we are not in the hands ofcannibals, and we shall be well treated."
"I don't know about that," said Stump. "They've got no fresh meat onboard; all they gave us yesterday was fishy stuff; and four fine, fat,healthy fellows----"
"Shut up, Stump," cried Mont; "how often am I to tell you to hold yourtongue?"
"I know I'm only an odd boy, but----"
"Will you be quiet?" exclaimed our hero, taking up a stoolthreateningly.
"All right; I won't say anything more."
The doctor was very silent and thoughtful. Mont remarked this, and said:
"How long do you think they will keep us here?"
"I can't tell any more than you, Folsom," replied the professor.
"But what is your opinion?"
"Not a very encouraging one. We have by chance become possessed of animportant secret. If the secret is worth more than our lives, we shalleither be killed or kept prisoners."
"Forever?"
"Yes, forever," answered the professor gravely. "If the secret is notvery serious, we may be landed on some island. I advise that we remainperfectly quiet and take things as they come."
"May I say a word?" exclaimed Stump.
"Well?" asked Mont.
"I'll get out of this."
"How? It is difficult to break out of a prison on earth, but to get outof one under the sea is impossible."
"Suppose we kill our jailers and take the key? If four Americans aren'ta match for a lot of niggers, and one Unknown who can't speak anylanguage, and doesn't belong to any country at all, it's time we shut upshop!" went on Stump.
At that moment the door opened, and the negro who had before appearedentered.
Stump instantly threw himself upon him, and, seizing his throat with histwo hands, held him so tightly as almost to strangle him.
But being a powerful man, he soon disengaged himself, and a fearfulstruggle ensued between them.
"Help, help!" cried the negro, in excellent English.
Stump let go his hold at this, and fell back laughing.
"So you can talk English!" he cried; "that's all right. I only flew atyou to see what countryman you were. Now, then, tell us all about thisship, or I'll give you another dose."
Putting his finger to his lips, the negro gave a peculiarwhistle--prolonged and shrill.
This was evidently a signal, for he had scarcely finished when theUnknown appeared on the threshold.
He was followed by six powerful negroes, all armed to the teeth.
It looked as if Mont and his friends were to be executed on the spot.
CHAPTER XV.
PRISONERS.
For several minutes the master of the submarine monster gazed in silenceat those in the iron-bound cabin.
Stump stood shivering in a corner.
"Please don't kill us!" he cried. "I--I--didn't mean any harm."
The strange owner of the still stranger craft looked at Stump for amoment, and then smiled faintly.
"Depart!" he cried to the negroes, and on the instant every one of theheavily armed men vanished.
Sitting down on the edge of the table, with his arms crossed on hispowerful chest, this strange being seemed plunged in deep thought.
Our heroes regarded him with expectation, not unmixed with awe, for theywere entirely in his power.
Was he about to punish them for the indiscretion of one of their number?
At length he spoke in English.
"Gentlemen," he said, "you see I can speak your language. I did notanswer you at first, because I was undecided what to do with you. I amwell acquainted with the scientific works written by Dr. Woddle, and Iesteem it an honor to have made his acquaintance."
The professor bowed his acknowledgment of this compliment.
"I am also glad to see two intelligent young gentlemen like Mr. Folsomand Mr. Barnaby."
"You've forgotten me, sir," said Stump. "I'm only an odd boy, but----"
The captain extended his arm, and the hired boy was silent.
"I'm a man," he continued, "who has broken with society and renouncedthe world. Had you not molested me and fired at my vessel, I should nothave crippled your ship and upset your boat. The attack came from yourside."
"But, sir," answered the professor, "we took your ship to be someunknown creature."
"Possibly, but this creature had done you no harm. I saw you all takerefuge outside, and I hesitated a long while what to do with you. I knewnothing of you. What were you to me? Why should I extend my hospitalityto you? All that was necessary to break off your connection, was to givea signal to my engineers, and the _Searcher_, which is the name of myvessel, would have sunk to the bottom of the ocean. I had the right todo it."
His hearers shuddered at this avowal.
"It seems to me that we are to be prisoners?" observed the professor.
"Certainly."
"But this is an outrage!" exclaimed Mont. "I demand to be put on shoreat the nearest port, or given up to the nearest ship we meet."
"You will none of you ever see the earth again, or set foot upon it,"replied the captain with much emphasis.
"This floating prison is, then, our tomb--our coffin, in which we mustlive and die?"
"Call it what you will," replied the captain. "You have obtained thesecret of my existence. Do you think I could ever allow you to revisitthe world, to let it be known through every newspaper how I pass mylife?"
"How are we to address you, sir?"
"My name is Vindex. By my men I am called the Wizard of the Sea."
"Very well, Captain Vindex of the _Searcher_," said Mont, "we must makethe best of our situation, but I will never give my word that I will notattempt to escape."
"I like you, boy, for your honesty," said the Wizard of the Sea, "thoughI warn you that if you are caught in the attempt, you will be instantlyput to death."
"To death? You dare not!"
The captain laughed in a wild, weird manner.
"Dare not!" he said. "Foolish lad, there are no laws for me. I am thesole master here. My black slaves only live to do my bidding. What isyour life or death to me? I have no more to say at present. Follow thisnegro into another cabin, where a repast awaits you."
He called to someone outside, and, bowing politely, went away, while thefour companions were conducted to a dining room handsomely furnishedand lighted by an electric lamp.
Various preparations invited their attention. The dinner service was ofsilver, and everything denoted immense wealth on the part of the owner.
The negro waited upon them attentively.
"What's your name?" asked Mont.
"Me name One, massa."
"One!"
"Yes, massa. There twelve slaves on board this ship, and all have figurenames, me One, other nigger Two, other Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven,Eight, and so on up to Twelve."
"That's a queer idea," said our hero; "fancy calling out for yourservant, and saying, 'Here, Nine, I want you,' or 'I say, Three, dothis'!"
"It is my opinion," exclaimed the professor, "that Captain Vindex is avery remarkable man--the most remarkable, in fact, that ever lived. Hehas invented a singular ship which can go under the sea at will, but whynot? Was not the invention of steam engines laughed at
, as well as theinvention of gas? Who, a hundred years ago, would have believed in theelectric telegraph, by means of which we send a message to the end ofthe earth in a minute?"
"Very true," replied Mont. "And don't forget the telephone, and thesubmarine boat the government is trying to build. It's a pity a man ofsuch genius should shut himself up like this, though."
"It is a pity," answered the professor.
"What's worse, though," remarked Carl, "is that he means to keep us asprisoners."
"If he can," said Stump.
"Don't you be so fast, Stump, my boy," said Mont. "Keep your mouth shut,or you may get into trouble."
"Very sorry, but I don't like such goings-on, and wish I was back againon the shore."
The negro handed the professor a fresh dish.
"Will massa have some oysters stewed in whale's milk?" he asked; "orsome jam made of sea anemones?"
"I'd rather you'd not tell me what the dishes are; it will set meagainst them if you do," answered the professor with a wry face.
When the repast was ended, Mont jumped up. "I feel better," he said."Mister Number One."
"Massa call me?" asked the black, who was clearing away.
"Yes. Where are we now?"
"We gone down, massa, and now we lie at the bottom of the sea."