For one thing it did not want many participants; only the actual divers and Tazzuchi himself.  For another, it would not brand the whole gang of them as criminals and pirates, but (properly managed) would make them rich without any advertised stigma or stain.  In simple words, the method was this:  the gold boxes must be removed from their original site, and hidden elsewhere under the water close at hand.  The friendly slime would bury them snugly out of sight.  The old report of “un-get-at-able” would be adhered to, and finally the steamer would give up further salvage operations as hopeless (after fishing up some useless cargo out of the holds as a conscience salve) and steam away to port.  There Tazzuchi and his friends would either desert or get themselves dismissed, charter a small vessel of their own, and go back for the plunder; and with L8,000 in clear hard cash to divide, live prosperously (from an Italian standpoint) ever afterward.

Kettle felt an unimaginative man’s complacency in ferreting out such a dramatic scheme, and began to think next upon the somewhat important detail of how to get proofs before he commenced to frustrate it.  Chance seemed to make Tazzuchi play into his hand.  The air-pump which had been damaged by the rifle bullet had been mended by the steamer’s engineers, and as there were two or three spare diving dresses on the ship, Captain Tazzuchi expressed his intention of making a descent in person to inspect progress.

“I didn’t do it before, because I didn’t want to make the men break time, but I can go down now without interrupting their work.  Will you come off in the boat with me, Captain, and hand my lifeline?”

“I’ll borrow one of those spare dresses and share the pump with you,” said Kettle.

Tazzuchi was visibly startled.  “What do you mean?”

“I mean that the pump will give air for two, and I’m coming down with you.”

“But you know nothing about diving, and you might have an accident, and I should be responsible.”

“Oh, I’ll risk that!  You must nursery-maid me a bit.”

Tazzuchi lowered his voice.  “To tell the truth, I’m going to pay a surprise visit.  I want to make sure those chaps below are doing the square thing.  If they aren’t, and I catch them, there’ll be a row, and they’ll use their knives.”

“H’m!” said Kettle, “I’ve got no use for your local weapon as a general thing.  I find a gun handiest.  But at a pinch like this I’ll borrow a knife of you, and if it comes to any one cutting my air-tube you’ll find I can use it pretty mischievously.”

“I wish you wouldn’t insist upon this,” said Tazzuchi persuasively.

“I’m going to, anyway.”

“I’m going down merely because it’s my duty.”

“That’s the very same reason that’s taking me, Captain.  I must ask you not to make any more objections.  I’m a man that never changes his mind, once it’s made up.”

Whereupon Tazzuchi shrugged his shoulders, and gave way.