Ready--go!"
The next instant we were flying headlong through the air toward
the surface of the lake a hundred feet below.
Men have told me since that I never made that dive, or that I
greatly overestimated the distance, and I admit that as I look
back at it now it appears incredible. Well, they are welcome to
their opinion, but I would not advise them to try to argue the
matter with Harry.
The impact with the water all but completely stunned me; as I
struck the surface it seemed that a thousand cannons had exploded
in my ears. Down, down I went--lucky for us that the lake was
apparently bottomless!
I seemed to have gone as far below the water as I had been above
it before I was able to twist myself about and meet it with my
belly. Then, striking out with every ounce of strength in me, I
made for the surface as rapidly as possible. I had started with
my lungs full of air, but that headlong plunge had emptied them.
I made the surface at last and looked round for Harry, calling
his name. For perhaps thirty seconds I called in vain, then there
came an unanswering shout off to the left. The urns were far
above us now, and the light on the surface of the lake was very
dim, but soon I made out Harry's head.
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