I04 TO DAVY JONES S LOCKER 



sphere only four and a half feet in diameter, and although 

 the longer we were in it the smaller it seemed to get, yet, 

 thanks to our adequate physique, we had room and to 

 spare. At Barton's suggestion I took up my position at 

 the windows, while he hitched himself over to the side 

 of the door, where he could keep watch on the various 

 instruments. He also put on the ear-phones. 



Miss Hollister on deck took charge of the other end 

 of the telephone and arranged the duplicate control elec- 

 tric light so that she could watch it. Mr. Tee-Van assumed 

 control of the deck crew. 



At our signal, the four-hundred-pound door was hoisted 

 and clanged into place, sliding snugly over the ten great 

 steel bolts. Then the huge nuts were screwed on. If either 

 of us had had time to be nervous, this would have been 

 an excellent opportunity — carrying out Poe*s idea of being 

 sealed up, not all at once, but little by little. For after the 

 door was securely fastened, there remained a four-inch 

 round opening in the center, through which we could see 

 and talk and just slip a hand. Then this mighty bolt was 

 screwed in place, and there began the most infernal racket 

 I have ever heard. It was necessary, not only to screw 

 the nuts down hard, but to pound the wrenches with 

 hammers to take up all possible slack. I was sure the win- 

 dows would be cracked, but having forcibly expressed our 

 feelings through the telephone we gradually got used to 

 the ear-shattering reverberations. Then utter silence set- 

 tled down. 



