Leaving his men in the first room that they entered, he
gracefully conducted his prisoners through another room to a
small cabin in the stern of the boat, and told them to make
themselves comfortable on the luxurious couches that lined the
circular glass walls.

"Our journey will be of considerable length," he said, "and as
you are no doubt fatigued, you had better take all the rest
you can get. I see that you need food and have ordered a repast
which will refresh you." As he concluded he touched a button
in the wall and instantly a table, laden with substantial food,
rare delicacies and wines, rose through a trap-door in the floor.
He smiled at the expressions of surprise on their faces and
touched a green bottle of wine with his white tapering hand.

"The greater part of our journey will be under water, and our
wines are specially prepared to render us capable of
subsisting on a rather limited quantity of air during the voyage,
so I advise you to partake of them freely; you will find them
very agreeable to the taste."

"We are very grateful," bowed Thorndyke, from his seat on a
couch. "I am sure no prisoners were ever more graciously
or royally entertained. To be your prisoner is a pleasure to be
remembered."

"Till our heads are cut off, anyway," put in the irrepressible
American.