"There are plenty more down there," said the mate, preparing to descend with his knife and basket again.
Captain Bergen allowed him to go, while he took the rope in hand, restraining his excitement with difficulty, for he was now sure that the wildest dreams in which he had indulged promised to be more than realized, and he considered the fortune of himself and friend assured.
"The fools," he muttered, referring to the mutineers; "if they had acted the part of honest men they might have shared this, but they chose to be scoundrels, and truly they have had their reward."
He noticed this time that the mate drew more upon the hose than before--so much so, indeed, that he threatened to draw the upper ends under water--and the captain gave a warning tug at the rope, to apprise him that he must venture no further. The warning was heeded, and when, a few minutes later, the diver was helped to terra firma again, his basket was filled heaping full.
This was dumped out, and he prepared to descend once more. Captain Bergen was so occupied in attending to his friend that he gained little time to open the oysters, and could only look longingly at them. Now and then, while the diver was cautiously working below, the captain snatched one up and pried the shells apart, and the success he met with was enough to turn the head of the coolest and most unconcerned of men. Beyond question, as we have said, the bank contained oysters of astonishing richness, fully three-fourths possessing pearls of extraordinary size and value.
Abe Storms went down and came up with the basket heaped to the top six separate times, and then doffed his armor.
"What's the matter?" asked the captain, in surprise.
"That's too bad," observed the captain, in a tone of disappointment. "I supposed there was enough to keep us employed several days."
"Ah, Jack," replied the mate, in a reproving tone, "see the emptiness of riches, and how little they can do to satisfy the cravings of the human heart. There is enough wealth there at your feet to make you and me independently rich for life, and yet you complain because you have so little."
"It was wrong," said the captain, meekly. "I am in such a nervous condition that I'm hardly myself. I am truly grateful for what we have here, and glad that we made the long voyage to secure them. We have enough--to crave more is wicked."