On the whole, the Sea Lion and her appurtenances were in as perfect
condition as science and experience could make them on the day the
four boys, accompanied by a naval officer, left the train at Oakland
and proceeded to the navy yard up the bay.

By the middle of the afternoon the boys were on board, receiving their
final instructions from Lieutenant Scott, who had arranged for the
transportation of the Sea Lion from New York and attended to all other
details connected with the trip.

After a long talk regarding the perils to be encountered, Lieutenant
Scott drew forth a map of peculiar appearance and laid it on the table
in the chamber which was to serve as a general living room.

"I have retained possession of this map until the last moment," the
officer said, "because it is most important that no eyes but those of
the occupants of the Sea Lion should rest upon it. It shows where the
lost vessel went down, shows the drift there, the depths, and various
other details of great moment.

"The Cutaria, as you doubtless know, went down off the Taya Islands, a
small group to the east of the large island of Hainan, which, in turn,
is off the coast of China, being separated, if that is a good word to
use in this connection, from the eastern coast by the Gulf of Tong
King.

"Immediately following the sinking of the ship divers were sent down.
They found the lost ship resting easily in about sixty feet of water.
A few days later, however, when other divers went down, the wreck was
not at the place described by the first operators.