"And thus," continued Manoel, "supposing the conditions continue
favorable, and Torres did not live after he fell into the water, if
the decomposition is not modified by circumstances which we cannot
foresee, he will not reappear before three days."
"We have not got three days," answered Benito. "We cannot wait, you
know; we must try again, and in some new way."
"What can you do?" answered Manoel.
"Plunge down myself beneath the waters," replied Benito, "and search
with my eyes--with my hands."
"Plunge in a hundred times--a thousand times!" exclaimed Manoel. "So
be it. I think, like you, that we ought to go straight at what we
want, and not struggle on with poles and drags like a blind man who
only works by touch. I also think that we cannot wait three days. But
to jump in, come up again, and go down again will give only a short
period for the exploration. No; it will never do, and we shall only
risk a second failure."
"Have you no other plan to propose, Manoel?" asked Benito, looking
earnestly at his friend.
"Well, listen.
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