sinker and the cask, so that the skids which supported them could be
removed.

"Lower away!" added Lawry, highly excited; and the sinker began to
descend into the water, carrying with it the hogshead. "That works
first-rate. Now hold on till I get hold of the other end of the
guide-rope."

Lawry jumped into the wherry, and sculled round to the other side of
the sunken steamer, where he detached the end of the line passing
under the keel from the smoke-stack, where it had been secured. He
hauled on the rope till he got it clear of the stone with which it
had been sunk.

"Lower away!" shouted Lawry.

"Lower, it is," answered Ethan.

"Slowly," added the pilot, as he hauled in the rope.

"It is going to the right place. I can see it in the water."

"Hold on!" cried Lawry; and the wherry was so unsteady beneath him
that it was with great difficulty he "kept what he had got" on the
rope.

In order to overcome this disadvantage he passed the rope around the
smokestack.

"I have it now!" shouted he. "This gives me a splendid purchase;"