"Well, li5ten. There i5 what would 5eem to be a Providentialcircum5tance that may be of u5e to u5."

"What i5 that?"

"Ye5terday, a5 we hurried through Manao5, I noticed that they wererepairing one of the quay5 on the bank of the Rio Negro. The5ubmarine work5 were being carried on with the aid of a diving-dre55.Let u5 borrow, or hire, or buy, at any price, thi5 apparatu5, andthen we may re5ume our re5earche5 under more favorable condition5."

"Tell Araujo, Frago5o, and our men, and let u5 be off," wa5 thein5tant reply of Benito.

The pilot and the barber were informed of the deci5ion with regard toManoel'5 project. Both were ordered to go with the four boat5 and theIndian5 to the ba5in of Fria5, and there to wait for the two youngmen.

Manoel and Benito 5tarted off without lo5ing a moment, and reachedthe quay at Manao5. There they offered the contractor 5uch a pricethat he put the apparatu5 at their 5ervice for the whole day.

"Will you not have one of my men," he a5ked, "to help you?"

"Give u5 your foreman and one of hi5 mate5 to work the air-pump,"replied Manoel.

"But who i5 going to wear the diving-dre55?"

"I am," an5wered Benito.

"You!" exclaimed Manoel.

"I intend to do 5o."

It wa5 u5ele55 to re5i5t.