diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/04tom10h.htm')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/04tom10h.htm | 6503 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 6503 deletions
diff --git a/old/04tom10h.htm b/old/04tom10h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index ba8ee6a..0000000 --- a/old/04tom10h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6503 +0,0 @@ -<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> - -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> -<head> -<title>Project Gutenberg's Etext of Tom Swift And His Submarine Boat</title> - <style type="text/css"> -/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ -<!-- - p { margin-top: .75em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .75em; - text-indent: 1em; - line-height: 115%; - } - h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - } - td {font-size: 120%; - } - body{margin-left: 8%; - margin-right: 8%; - } - // --> - /* XML end ]]>*/ - </style> - - -</head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -Project Gutenberg's Tom Swift And His Submarine Boat, by Victor Appleton -#4 in our series by Victor Appleton - -Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the -copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing -this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. - -This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project -Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the -header without written permission. - -Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the -eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is -important information about your specific rights and restrictions in -how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a -donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. - - -**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** - -**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** - -*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** - - -Title: Tom Swift And His Submarine Boat - -Author: Victor Appleton - -Release Date: June, 1997 [EBook #949] -[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] -[This file was first posted on March 4, 2003] -[Date last updated: November 5, 2005] - -Edition: 10 - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT *** - - - - -This Etext was prepared for Project Gutenberg by Anthony Matonac. - - - - - - - -</pre> - -<h1>TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT</h1> -<h2>or</h2> -<h1>Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure</h1> - -<p> </p> - -<h3>by</h3> - -<h2>VICTOR APPLETON</h2> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h3>CONTENTS</h3> - -<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="6" border="0"> -<tr> - <td align="right">CHAPTER</td> - <td> </td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">I</td> - <td><a href="#CH1">News of a Treasure Wreck</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">II</td> - <td><a href="#CH2">Finishing the Submarine</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">III</td> - <td><a href="#CH3">Mr. Berg Is Astonished</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">IV</td> - <td><a href="#CH4">Tom Is Imprisoned</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">V</td> - <td><a href="#CH5">Mr. Berg Is Suspicious</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">VI</td> - <td><a href="#CH6">Turning the Tables</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">VII</td> - <td><a href="#CH7">Mr. Damon Will Go</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">VIII</td> - <td><a href="#CH8">Another Treasure Expedition</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">IX</td> - <td><a href="#CH9">Captain Weston's Advent</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">X</td> - <td><a href="#CH10">Trial of the Submarine</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XI</td> - <td><a href="#CH11">On the Ocean Bed</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XII</td> - <td><a href="#CH12">For a Breath of Air</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XIII</td> - <td><a href="#CH13">Off for the Treasure</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XIV</td> - <td><a href="#CH14">In the Diving Suits</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XV</td> - <td><a href="#CH15">At the Tropical Island</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XVI</td> - <td><a href="#CH16">"We'll Race You For It!"</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XVII</td> - <td><a href="#CH17">The Race</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XVIII</td> - <td><a href="#CH18">The Electric Gun</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XIX</td> - <td><a href="#CH19">Captured</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XX</td> - <td><a href="#CH20">Doomed to Death</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XXI</td> - <td><a href="#CH21">The Escape</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XXII</td> - <td><a href="#CH22">At the Wreck</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XXIII</td> - <td><a href="#CH23">Attacked by Sharks</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XXIV</td> - <td><a href="#CH24">Ramming the Wreck</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td align="right">XXV</td> - <td><a href="#CH25">Home with the Gold</a></td> -</tr> -</table> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h1>TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT</h1> - -<h2><a name="CH1" id="CH1">Chapter One</a></h2> - -<h3>News of a Treasure Wreck</h3> - -<p>There was a rushing, whizzing, throbbing noise in the air. - A great body, like that of some immense bird, sailed along, - casting a grotesque shadow on the ground below. An elderly - man, who was seated on the porch of a large house, started - to his feet in alarm.</p> - -<p> "Gracious goodness! What was that, Mrs. Baggert?" he - called to a motherly-looking woman who stood in the doorway. - "What happened?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing much, Mr. Swift," was the calm reply "I think - that was Tom and Mr. Sharp in their airship, that's all. I - didn't see it, but the noise sounded like that of the Red -Cloud."</p> - -<p>"Of course! To be sure!" exclaimed Mr. Barton Swift, the - well-known inventor, as he started down the path in order to - get a good view of the air, unobstructed by the trees. "Yes, - there they are," he added. "That's the airship, but I didn't - expect them back so soon. They must have made good time from - Shopton. I wonder if anything can be the matter that they - hurried so?"</p> - -<p>He gazed aloft toward where a queerly-shaped machine was - circling about nearly five hundred feet in the air, for the - craft, after Swooping down close to the house, had ascended - and was now hovering just above the line of breakers that - marked the New Jersey seacoast, where Mr. Swift had taken up - a temporary residence.</p> - -<p>"Don't begin worrying, Mr. Swift," advised Mrs. Baggert, - the housekeeper. "You've got too much to do, if you get that - new boat done, to worry."</p> - -<p>"That's so. I must not worry. But I wish Tom and Mr. Sharp - would land, for I want to talk to them."</p> - -<p>As if the occupants of the airship had heard the words of - the aged inventor, they headed their craft toward earth. The - combined aeroplane and dirigible balloon, a most wonderful - traveler of the air, swung around, and then, with the - deflection rudders slanted downward, came on with a rush. - When near the landing place, just at the side of the house, - the motor was stopped, and the gas, with a hissing noise, - rushed into the red aluminum container. This immediately - made the ship more buoyant and it landed almost as gently as - a feather.</p> - -<p>No sooner had the wheels which formed the lower part of - the craft touched the ground than there leaped from the - cabin of the Red Cloud a young man.</p> - -<p>"Well, dad!" he exclaimed. "Here we are again, safe and - sound. Made a record, too. Touched ninety miles an hour at - times--didn't we, Mr. Sharp?"</p> - -<p>"That's what," agreed a tall, thin, dark-complexioned man, - who followed Tom Swift more leisurely in his exit from the - cabin. Mr. Sharp, a veteran aeronaut, stopped to fasten guy - ropes from the airship to strong stakes driven into the - ground.</p> - -<p>"And we'd have done better, only we struck a hard wind - against us about two miles up in the air, which delayed us," - went on Tom. "Did you hear us coming, dad?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, and it startled him," put in Mrs. Baggert. "I guess - he wasn't expecting you."</p> - -<p>"Oh, well, I shouldn't have been so alarmed, only I was - thinking deeply about a certain change I am going to make in - the submarine, Tom. I was day-dreaming, I think, when your - ship whizzed through the air. But tell me, did you find - everything all right at Shopton? No signs of any of those - scoundrels of the Happy Harry gang having been around?" and - Mr. Swift looked anxiously at his son.</p> - -<p>"Not a sign, dad," replied Tom quickly. "Everything was - all right. We brought the things you wanted. They're in the - airship. Oh, but it was a fine trip. I'd like to take - another right out to sea."</p> - -<p> - "Not now, Tom," said his father. "I want you to help me. - And I need Mr. Sharp's help, too. Get the things out of the - car, and we'll go to the shop."</p> - -<p>"First I think we'd better put the airship away," advised - Mr. Sharp. "I don't just like the looks of the weather, and, - besides, if we leave the ship exposed we'll be sure to have - a crowd around sooner or later, and we don't want that."</p> - -<p>"No, indeed," remarked the aged inventor hastily. "I don't - want people prying around the submarine shed. By all means - put the airship away, and then come into the shop."</p> - -<p>In spite of its great size the aeroplane was easily - wheeled along by Tom and Mr. Sharp, for the gas in the - container made it so buoyant that it barely touched the - earth. A little more of the powerful vapor and the Red - Cloud would have risen by itself. In a few minutes the - wonderful craft, of which my readers have been told in - detail in a previous volume, was safely housed in a large - tent, which was securely fastened.</p> - -<p>Mr. Sharp and Tom, carrying some bundles which they had - taken from the car, or cabin, of the craft, went toward a - large shed, which adjoined the house that Mr. Swift had - hired for the season at the seashore. They found the lad's - father standing before a great shape, which loomed up dimly - in the semi-darkness of the building. It was like an immense - cylinder, pointed at either end, and here and there were - openings, covered with thick glass, like immense, bulging - eyes. From the number of tools and machinery all about the - place, and from the appearance of the great cylinder itself, - it was easy to see that it was only partly completed.</p> - -<p>"Well, how goes it, dad?" asked the youth, as he deposited - his bundle on a bench. "Do you think you can make it work?"</p> - -<p>"I think so, Tom. The positive and negative plates are - giving me considerable trouble, though. But I guess we can - solve the problem. Did you bring me the galvanometer?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, and all the other things," and the young inventor - proceeded to take the articles from the bundles he carried.</p> - -<p>Mr. Swift looked them over carefully, while Tom walked - about examining the submarine, for such was the queer craft - that was contained in the shed. He noted that some progress - had been made on it since he had left the seacoast several - days before to make a trip to Shopton, in New York State, - where the Swift home was located, after some tools and - apparatus that his father wanted to obtain from his workshop - there.</p> - -<p>"You and Mr. Jackson have put on several new plates," - observed the lad after a pause.</p> - -<p>"Yes," admitted his father. "Garret and I weren't idle, - were we, Garret?" and he nodded to the aged engineer, who - had been in his employ for many years.</p> - -<p>"No; and I guess we'll soon have her in the water, Tom, - now that you and Mr. Sharp are here to help us," replied - Garret Jackson.</p> - -<p>"We ought to have Mr. Damon here to bless the submarine - and his liver and collar buttons a few times," put in Mr. - Sharp, who brought in another bundle. He referred to an - eccentric individual Who had recently made an airship voyage - with himself and Tom, Mr. Damon's peculiarity being to use - continually such expressions as: "Bless my soul! Bless my - liver!"</p> - -<p>"Well, I'll be glad when we can make a trial trip," went - on Tom. "I've traveled pretty fast on land with my motor- - cycle, and we certainly have hummed through the air. Now I - want to see how it feels to scoot along under water."</p> - -<p>"Well, if everything goes well we'll be in position to - make a trial trip inside of a month," remarked the aged - inventor. "Look here, Mr. Sharp, I made a change in the - steering gear, which I'd like you and Tom to consider."</p> - -<p>The three walked around to the rear of the odd-looking - structure, if an object shaped like a cigar can be said to - have a front and rear, and the inventor, his son, and the - aeronaut were soon deep in a discussion of the - technicalities connected with under-water navigation.</p> - -<p>A little later they went into the house, in response to a - summons from the supper bell, vigorously rung by Mrs. - Baggert. She was not fond of waiting with meals, and even - the most serious problem of mechanics was, in her - estimation, as nothing compared with having the soup get - cold, or the possibility of not having the meat done to a - turn.</p> - -<p>The meal was interspersed with remarks about the recent - airship flight of Tom and Mr. Sharp, and discussions about - the new submarine. This talk went on even after the table - was cleared off and the three had adjourned to the sitting- - room. There Mr. Swift brought out pencil and paper, and soon - he and Mr. Sharp were engrossed in calculating the pressure - per square inch of sea water at a depth of three miles.</p> - -<p>"Do you intend to go as deep as that?" asked Tom, looking - up from a paper he was reading.</p> - -<p>"Possibly," replied his father; and his son resumed his - perusal of the sheet.</p> - -<p>"Now," went on the inventor to the aeronaut, "I have - another plan. In addition to the positive and negative - plates which will form our motive power, I am going to - install forward and aft propellers, to use in case of - accident."</p> - -<p>"I say, dad! Did you see this?" suddenly exclaimed Tom, - getting up from his chair, and holding his finger on a - certain place in the page of the paper.</p> - -<p>"Did I see what?" asked Mr. Swift.</p> - -<p>"Why, this account of the sinking of the treasure ship."</p> - -<p>"Treasure ship? No. Where?"</p> - -<p>"Listen," went on Tom. "I'll read it: 'Further advices - from Montevideo, Uruguay, South America, state that all hope - has been given up of recovering the steamship Boldero, which - foundered and went down off that coast in the recent gale. - Not only has all hope been abandoned of raising the vessel, - but it is feared that no part of the three hundred thousand - dollars in gold bullion which she carried will ever be - recovered. Expert divers who were taken to the scene of the - wreck state that the depth of water, and the many currents - existing there, due to a submerged shoal, preclude any - possibility of getting at the hull. The bullion, it is - believed, was to have been used to further the interests of - a certain revolutionary faction, but it seems likely that - they will have to look elsewhere for the sinews of war. - Besides the bullion the ship also carried several cases of - rifles, it is stated, and other valuable cargo. The crew and - what few passengers the Boldero carried were, contrary to - the first reports, all saved by taking to the boats. It - appears that some of the ship's plates were sprung by the - stress in which she labored in a storm, and she filled and - sank gradually.' There! what do you think of that, dad?" - cried Tom as he finished.</p> - -<p>"What do I think of it? Why, I think it's too bad for the - revolutionists, Tom, of course."</p> - -<p>"No; I mean about the treasure being still on board the - ship. What about that?"</p> - -<p>"Well, it's likely to stay there, if the divers can't get - at it. Now, Mr. Sharp, about the propellers--"</p> - -<p>"Wait, dad!" cried Tom earnestly.</p> - -<p>"Why, Tom, what's the matter?" asked Mr. Swift in some - surprise.</p> - -<p>"How soon before we can finish our submarine?" went on - Tom, not answering the question.</p> - -<p>"About a month. Why?"</p> - -<p>"Why? Dad, why can't we have a try for that treasure? It - ought to be comparatively easy to find that sunken ship off - the coast of Uruguay. In our submarine we can get close up - to it, and in the new diving suits you invented we can get - at that gold bullion. Three hundred thousand dollars! Think - of it, dad! Three hundred thousand dollars! We could easily - claim all of it, since the owners have abandoned it, but we - would be satisfied with half. Let's hurry up, finish the - submarine, and have a try for it."</p> - -<p>"But, Tom, you forget that I am to enter my new ship in - the trials for the prize offered by the United States - Government."</p> - -<p>"How much is the prize if you win it?" asked Tom.</p> - -<p>"Fifty thousand dollars."</p> - -<p>"Well, here's a chance to make three times that much at - least, and maybe more. Dad, let the Government prize go, and - try for the treasure. Will you?"</p> - -<p>Tom looked eagerly at his father, his eyes shining with - anticipation. Mr. Swift was not a quick thinker, but the - idea his son had proposed made an impression on him. He - reached out his hand for the paper in which the young - inventor had seen the account of the sunken treasure. - Slowly he read it through. Then he passed it to Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>"What do you think of it?" he asked of the aeronaut</p> - -<p>"There's a possibility," remarked the balloonist "We might - try for it. We can easily go three miles down, and it - doesn't lie as deeply as that, if this account is true. Yes, - we might try for it. But we'd have to omit the Government - contests."</p> - -<p>"Will you, dad?" asked Tom again.</p> - -<p>Mr. Swift considered a moment longer.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Tom, I will," he finally decided. "Going after the - treasure will be likely to afford us a better test of the - submarine than would any Government tests. We'll try to - locate the sunken Boldero."</p> - -<p>"Hurrah!" cried the lad, taking the paper from Mr. Sharp - and waving it in the air. "That's the stuff! Now for a - search for the submarine treasure!"</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH2" id="CH2">Chapter Two</a></h2> - -<h3>Finishing the Submarine</h3> - -<p> - "What's the matter?" cried Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, - hurrying in from the kitchen, where she was washing the - dishes. "Have you seen some of those scoundrels who robbed - you, Mr. Swift? If you have, the police down here ought -to--"</p> - -<p>"No, it's nothing like that," explained Mr. Swift. "Tom - has merely discovered in the paper an account of a sunken - treasure ship, and he wants us to go after it, down under - the ocean."</p> - -<p> - "Oh, dear! Some more of Captain Kidd's hidden hoard, I - suppose?" ventured the housekeeper. "Don't you bother with - it, Mr. Swift. I had a cousin once, and he got set in the - notion that he knew where that pirate's treasure was. He - spent all the money he had and all he could borrow digging - for it, and he never found a penny. Don't waste your time on - such foolishness. It's bad enough to be building airships - and submarines without going after treasure." Mrs. Baggert - spoke with the freedom of an old friend rather than a hired - housekeeper, but she had been in the family ever since Tom's - mother died, when he was a baby, and she had many - privileges.</p> - -<p>"Oh, this isn't any of Kidd's treasure," Tom assured her. - "If we get it, Mrs. Baggert, I'll buy you a diamond ring."</p> - -<p>"Humph!" she exclaimed, as Tom began to hug her in boyish - fashion. "I guess I'll have to buy all the diamond rings I - want, if I have to depend on your treasure for them," and - she went back to the kitchen.</p> - -<p>"Well," went on Mr. Swift after a pause, "if we are going - into the treasure-hunting business, Tom, we'll have to get - right to work. In the first place, we must find out more - about this ship, and just where it was sunk."</p> - -<p>"I can do that part," said Mr. Sharp. "I know some sea - captains, and they can put me on the track of locating the - exact spot. In fact, it might not be a bad idea to take an - expert navigator with us. I can manage in the air all right, - but I confess that working out a location under water is - beyond me."</p> - -<p>"Yes, an old sea captain wouldn't be a bad idea, by any - means," conceded Mr. Swift. "Well, if you'll attend to that - detail, Mr. Sharp, Tom, Mr. Jackson and I will finish the - submarine. Most of the work is done, however, and it only - remains to install the engine and motors. Now, in regard to - the negative and positive electric plates, I'd like your - opinion, Tom."</p> - -<p>For Tom Swift was an inventor, second in ability only to - his father, and his advice was often sought by his parent on - matters of electrical construction, for the lad had made a - specialty of that branch of science.</p> - -<p>While father and son were deep in a discussion of the - apparatus of the submarine, there will be an opportunity to - make the reader a little better acquainted with them. Those - of you who have read the previous volumes of this series do - not need to be told who Tom Swift is. Others, however, may - be glad to have a proper introduction to him.</p> - -<p>Tom Swift lived with his father, Barton Swift, in the - village of Shopton, New York. The Swift home was on the - outskirts of the town, and the large house was surrounded by - a number of machine shops, in which father and son, aided by - Garret Jackson, the engineer, did their experimental and - constructive work. Their house was not far from Lake - Carlopa, a fairly large body of water, on which Tom often - speeded his motor-boat.</p> - -<p>In the first volume of this series, entitled "Tom Swift - and His Motor-Cycle," it was told how be became acquainted - with Mr. Wakefield Damon, who suffered an accident while - riding one of the speedy machines. The accident disgusted - Mr. Damon with motor-cycles, and Tom secured it for a low - price. He had many adventures on it, chief among which was - being knocked senseless and robbed of a valuable patent - model belonging to his father, which he was taking to - Albany. The attack was committed by a gang known as the - Happy Harry gang, who were acting at the instigation of a - syndicate of rich men, who wanted to secure control of a - certain patent turbine engine which Mr. Swift had invented.</p> - -<p>Tom set out in pursuit of the thieves, after recovering - from their attack, and had a strenuous time before he - located them.</p> - -<p>In the second volume, entitled "Tom Swift and His Motor- - Boat," there was related our hero's adventures in a fine - craft which was recovered from the thieves and sold at - auction. There was a mystery connected with the boat, and - for a long time Tom could not solve it. He was aided, - however, by his chum, Ned Newton, who worked in the Shopton - Bank, and also by Mr. Damon and Eradicate Sampson, an aged - colored whitewasher, who formed quite an attachment for Tom.</p> - -<p>In his motor-boat Tom had more than one race with Andy - Foger, a rich lad of Shopton, who was a sort of bully. He - had red hair and squinty eyes, and was as mean in character - as he was in looks. He and his cronies, Sam Snedecker and - Pete Bailey, made trouble for Tom, chiefly because Tom - managed to beat Andy twice in boat races.</p> - -<p>It was while in his motor-boat, Arrow, that Tom formed the - acquaintance of John Sharp, a veteran balloonist. While - coming down Lake Carlopa on the way to the Swift home, which - had been entered by thieves, Tom, his father and Ned Newton, - saw a balloon on fire over the lake. Hanging from a trapeze - on it was Mr. Sharp, who had made an ascension from a fair - ground. By hard work on the part of Tom and his friends the - aeronaut was saved, and took up his residence with the - Swifts.</p> - -<p>His advent was most auspicious, for Tom and his father - were then engaged in perfecting an airship, and Mr. Sharp - was able to lend them his skill, so that the craft was soon - constructed.</p> - -<p>In the third volume, called "Tom Swift and His Airship," - there was set down the doings of the young inventor, Mr. - Sharp and Mr. Damon on a trip above the clouds. They - undertook it merely for pleasure, but they encountered - considerable danger, before they completed it, for they - nearly fell into a blazing forest once, and were later fired - at by a crowd of excited people. This last act was to effect - their capture, for they were taken for a gang of bank - robbers, and this was due directly to Andy Foger.</p> - -<p>The morning after Tom and his friends started on their - trip in the air, the Shopton Bank was found to have been - looted of seventy-five thousand dollars. Andy Foger at once - told the police that Tom Swift had taken the money, and when - asked how he knew this, he said he had seen Tom hanging - around the bank the night before the vault was burst open, - and that the young inventor had some burglar tools in his - possession. Warrants were at once sworn out for Tom and Mr. - Damon, who was also accused of being one of the robbers, and - a reward of five thousand dollars was offered.</p> - -<p>Tom, Mr. Damon and Mr. Sharp sailed on, all unaware of - this, and unable to account for being fired upon, until they - accidentally read in the paper an account of their supposed - misdeeds. They lost no time in starting back home, and on, - the way got on the track of the real bank robbers, who were - members of the Happy Harry gang.</p> - -<p>How the robbers were captured in an exciting raid, how Tom - recovered most of the stolen money, and how he gave Andy - Foger a deserved thrashing for giving a false clue was told - of, and there was an account of a race in which the Red - Cloud (as the airship was called) took part, as well as - details of how Tom and his friends secured the reward, which - Andy Foger hoped to collect.</p> - -<p>Those of you who care to know how the Red Cloud was - constructed, and how she behaved in the air, even during - accidents and when struck by lightning, may learn by reading - the third volume, for the airship was one of the most - successful ever constructed.</p> - -<p>When the craft was finished, and the navigators were ready - to start on their first long trip, Mr. Swift was asked to go - with them. He declined, but would not tell why, until Tom, - pressing him for an answer, learned that his father was - planning a submarine boat, which he hoped to enter in some - trials for Government prizes. Mr. Swift remained at home to - work on this submarine, while his son and Mr. Sharp were - sailing above the clouds.</p> - -<p>On their return, however, and after the bank mystery had - been cleared up, Tom and Mr. Sharp, aided Mr. Swift in - completing the submarine, until, when the present story - opens, it needed but little additional work to make the - craft ready for the water.</p> - -<p>Of course it had to be built near the sea, as it would - have been impossible to transport it overland from Shopton. - So, before the keel was laid, Mr. Swift rented a large - cottage at a seaside place on the New Jersey coast and - there, after, erecting a large shed, the work on the - Advance, as the under-water ship was called, was begun.</p> - -<p>It was soon to be launched in a large creek that extended - in from the ocean and had plenty of water at high tide. Tom - and Mr. Sharp made several trips back and forth from Shopton - in their airship, to see that all was safe at home and - occasionally to get needed tools and supplies from the - shops, for not all the apparatus could be moved from Shopton - to the coast.</p> - -<p>It was when returning from one of these trips that Tom - brought with him the paper containing an account of the - wreck of the Boldero and the sinking of the treasure she - carried.</p> - -<p>Until late that night the three fortune-hunters discussed - various matters.</p> - -<p>"We'll hurry work on the ship," said Mr. Swift it length. - "Tom, I wonder if your friend, Mr. Damon, would care to try - how it seems under Water? He stood the air trip fairly - well."</p> - -<p> - "I'll write and ask him," answered the lad. "I'm sure - he'll go."</p> - -<p>Securing, a few days later, the assistance of two - mechanics, whom he knew he could trust, for as yet the - construction of the Advance was a secret, Mr. Swift prepared - to rush work on the submarine, and for the next three weeks - there were busy times in the shed next to the seaside - cottage. So busy, in fact, were Tom and Mr. Sharp, that - they only found opportunity for one trip in the airship, and - that was to get some supplies from the shops at home.</p> - -<p>"Well," remarked Mr. Swift one night, at the close of a - hard day's work, "another week will see our craft completed. - Then we will put it in the water and see how it floats, and - whether it submerges as I hope it does. But come on, Tom. I - want to lock up. I'm very tired to-night."</p> - -<p>"All right, dad," answered the young inventor coming from - the darkened rear of the shop. "I just want to--"</p> - -<p>Ne paused suddenly, and appeared to be listening. Then he - moved softly back to where he had come from.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" asked his father in a whisper. - "What's up, Tom?"</p> - -<p>The lad did not answer Mr. Swift, with a worried look on - his face, followed his son. Mr. Sharp stood in the door of - the shop.</p> - -<p>"I thought I heard some one moving around back here," went - on Tom quietly.</p> - -<p>"Some one in this shop!" exclaimed the aged inventor - excitedly. "Some one trying to steal my ideas again! Mr. - Sharp, come here! Bring that rifle! We'll teach these - scoundrels a lesson!"</p> - -<p>Tom quickly darted hack to the extreme rear of the - building. There was a scuffle, and the next minute Tom cried - out:</p> - -<p>"What are you doing here?"</p> - -<p>"Ha! I beg your pardon," replied a voice. "I am looking - for Mr. Barton Swift."</p> - -<p>"My father," remarked Tom. "But that's a queer place to - look for him. He's up front. Father, here's a man who wishes - to see you," he called.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I strolled in, and seeing no one about I went to the - rear of the place," the voice went on. "I hope I haven't - transgressed."</p> - -<p>"We were busy on the other side of the shop, I guess," - replied Tom, and he looked suspiciously at the man who - emerged from the darkness into the light from a window. "I - beg your pardon for grabbing you the way I did," went on the - lad, "but I thought you were one of a gang of men we've been - having trouble with."</p> - -<p>"Oh, that's all right," continued the man easily. "I know - Mr. Swift, and I think he will remember me. Ah, Mr. Swift, - how do you do?" he added quickly, catching sight of Tom's - father, who, with Mr. Sharp, was coming to meet the lad.</p> - -<p>"Addison Berg!" exclaimed the aged inventor as he saw the - man's face more plainly. "What are you doing here?"</p> - -<p>"I came to see you," replied the man. "May I have a talk - with you privately?"</p> - -<p>"I--I suppose so," assented Mr. Swift nervously. "Come - into the house."</p> - -<p>Mr. Berg left Tom's side and advanced to where Mr. Swift - was standing. Together the two emerged from the now fast - darkening shop and went toward the house.</p> - -<p>"Who is he?" asked Mr. Sharp of the young inventor in a - whisper.</p> - -<p>"I don't know," replied the lad; "but, whoever he is, dad - seems afraid of him. I'm going to keep my eyes open."</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH3" id="CH3">Chapter Three</a></h2> - -<h3>Mr. Berg is Astonished</h3> - -<p> - Following his father and the stranger whom the aged - inventor had addressed as Mr. Berg, Tom and Mr. Sharp - entered the house, the lad having first made sure that - Garret Jackson was on guard in the shop that contained the - sub marine.</p> - -<p>"Now," said Mr. Swift to the newcomer, "I am at your - service. What is it you wish?"</p> - -<p>"In the first place, let me apologize for having startled - you and your friends," began the man. "I had no idea of - sneaking into your workshop, but I had just arrived here, - and seeing the doors open I went in. I heard no one about, - and I wandered to the back of the place. There I happened to - stumble over a board--"</p> - -<p> - "And I heard you," interrupted Tom.</p> - -<p>"Is this one of your employees?" asked Mr. Berg in rather - frigid tones.</p> - -<p>"That is my son," replied Mr. Swift.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I beg your pardon." The man's manner changed quickly. - "Well, I guess you did hear me, young man. I didn't intend - to hark my shins the way I did, either. You must have taken - me for a burglar or a sneak thief."</p> - -<p>"I have been very much bothered by a gang of unscrupulous - men," said Mr. Swift, "and I suppose Tom thought it was some - of them sneaking around again."</p> - -<p>"That's what I did," added the lad. "I wasn't going to - have any one steal the secret of the submarine if I could - help it."</p> - -<p>"Quite right! Quite right!" exclaimed Mr. Berg. "But my - purpose was an open one. As you know, Mr. Swift, I represent - the firm of Bentley & Eagert, builders of submarine boats - and torpedoes. They heard that you were constructing a craft - to take part in the competitive prize tests of the United - States Government, and they asked me to come and see you to - learn when your ship would be ready. Ours is completed, but - we recognize that it will be for the best interests of all - concerned if there are a number of contestants, and my firm - did not want to send in their entry until they knew that you - were about finished with your ship. How about it? Are you - ready to compete?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Mr. Swift slowly. "We are about ready. My - craft needs a few finishing touches, and then it will be - ready to launch."</p> - -<p>"Then we may expect a good contest on your part," - suggested Mr. Berg.</p> - -<p>"Well," began the aged inventor, "I don't know about - that."</p> - -<p>"What's that?" exclaimed Mr. Berg.</p> - -<p>"I said I wasn't quite sure that we would compete," went - on Mr. Swift. "You see, when I first got this idea for a - submarine boat I had it in mind to try for the Government - prize of fifty thousand dollars."</p> - -<p>"That's what we want, too," interrupted Mr. Berg with a - smile.</p> - -<p>"But," went on Tom's father, "since then certain matters - have come up, and I think, on the whole, that we'll not - compete for the prize after all."</p> - -<p>"Not compete for the prize?" almost shouted the agent for - Bentley & Eagert. "Why, the idea! You ought to compete. It - is good for the trade. We think we have a very fine craft, - and probably we would beat you in the tests, but--"</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't be too sure of that," put in Tom. "You have - only seen the outside of our boat. The inside is better - yet."</p> - -<p>"Ah, I have no doubt of that," spoke Mr. Berg, "but we - have been at the business longer than you have, and have had - more experience. Still we welcome competition. But I am very - much surprised that you are not going to compete for the - prize, Mr. Swift. Very much surprised, indeed! You see, I - came down from Philadelphia to arrange so that we could both - enter our ships at the same time. I understand there is - another firm of submarine boat builders who are going to try - for the prize, and I want to arrange a date that will he - satisfactory to all. I am greatly astonished that you are - not going to compete."</p> - -<p>"Well, we were going to," said Mr. Swift, "only we have - changed our minds, that's all. My son and I have other - plans."</p> - -<p>"May I ask what they are?" questioned Mr. Berg.</p> - -<p>"You may," exclaimed Tom quickly; "but I don't believe we - can tell you. They're a secret," he added more cordially.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I see," retorted Mr. Berg. "Well, of course I don't - wish to penetrate any of your secrets, but I hoped we could - contest together for the Government prize. It is worth - trying for I assure you--fifty thousand dollars. Besides, - there is the possibility of selling a number of submarines - to the United States. It's a fine prize."</p> - -<p>"But the one we are after is a bigger one," Cried Tom - impetuously, and the moment he had spoken the wished he - could recall the words.</p> - -<p>"Eh? What's that?" exclaimed Mr. Berg. "You don't mean to - say another government has offered a larger prize? If I had - known that I would not have let my firm enter into the - competition for the bonus offered by the United States. - Please tell me."</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry," went on Tom more soberly. "I shouldn't have - spoken. Mr. Berg, the plans of my father and myself are such - that we can't reveal them now. We are going to try for a - prize, but not in competition with you. It's an entirely - different matter."</p> - -<p>"Well, I guess you'll find that the firm of Bentley & - Eagert are capable of trying for any prizes that are - offered," boasted the agent. "We may be competitors yet."</p> - -<p>"I don't believe so," replied Mr. Swift</p> - -<p>"We may," repeated Mr. Berg. "And if we do, please - remember that we will show no mercy. Our boats are the - best."</p> - -<p>"And may the best boat win," interjected Mr. Sharp. - "That's all we ask. A fair field and no favors."</p> - -<p>"Of course," spoke the agent coldly. "Is this another son - of yours?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"No but a good friend," replied the aged inventor. "No, - Mr. Berg, we won't compete this time. You may tell your firm - so."</p> - -<p>"Very good," was the other's stiff reply. "Then - I will bid you good night. We shall carry off the - Government prize, but permit me to add that I - am very much astonished, very much indeed, that - you do not try for the prize. From what I have - seen of your submarine you have a very good - one, almost as good, in some respects, as ours. - I bid you good night," and with a bow the man - left the room and hurried away from the house.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH4" id="CH4">Chapter Four</a></h2> - -<h3>Tom is Imprisoned</h3> - -<p> "Well, I must say he's a cool one," remarked Tom, as the - echoes of Mr. Berg's steps died away. "The idea of thinking - his boat better than ours! I don't like that man, dad. I'm - suspicious of him. Do you think he came here to steal some - of our ideas?"</p> - -<p>"No, I hardly believe so, my son. But how did you discover - him?"</p> - -<p>"Just as you saw, dad. I heard a noise and went back there - to investigate. I found him sneaking around, looking at the - electric propeller plates. I went to grab him just as he - stumbled over a hoard. At first I thought it was one of the - old gang. I'm almost sure he was trying to discover - something."</p> - -<p> - "No, Tom. The firm he works for are good business men, and - they would not countenance anything like that. They are - heartless competitors, however, and if they saw a legitimate - chance to get ahead of me and take advantage, they would do - it. But they would not sneak in to steal my ideas. I feel - sure of that. Besides, they have a certain type of submarine - which they think is the best ever invented, and they would - hardly change at this late day. They feel sure of winning - the Government prize, and I'm just as glad we're not going - to have a contest."</p> - -<p>"Do you think our boat is better than theirs?"</p> - -<p>"Much better, in many respects."</p> - -<p>"I don't like that man Berg, though," went on Tom.</p> - -<p>"Nor do I," added his father. "There is something strange - about him. He was very anxious that I should compete. - Probably he thought his firm's boat would go so far ahead of - ours that they would get an extra bonus. But I'm glad he - didn't see our new method of propulsion. That is the - principal improvement in the Advance over other types of - submarines. Well, another week and we will be ready for the - test."</p> - -<p>"Have you known Mr. Berg long, dad?"</p> - -<p>"Not very. I met him in Washington when I was in the - patent office. He was taking out papers on a submarine for - his firm at the same time I got mine for the Advance. It is - rather curious that he should come all the way here from - Philadelphia, merely to see if I was going to compete. There - is something strange about it, something that I can't - understand."</p> - -<p>The time was to come when Mr. Swift and his son were to - get at the bottom of Mr. Berg's reasons, and they learned to - their sorrow that he had penetrated some of their secrets.</p> - -<p>Before going to bed that night Tom and Mr. Sharp paid a - visit to the shed where the submarine was resting on the - ways, ready for launching. They found Mr. Jackson on guard - and the engineer said that no one had been around. Nor was - anything found disturbed.</p> - -<p>"It certainly is a great machine," remarked the lad as he - looked up at the cigar-shaped bulk towering over his head. - "Dad has outdone himself this trip."</p> - -<p>"It looks all right," commented Mr. Sharp. "Whether it - will work is another question."</p> - -<p>"Yes, we can't tell until it's in the water," con ceded - Tom. "But I hope it does. Dad has spent much time and money - on it."</p> - -<p>The Advance was, as her name indicated, much in advance of - previous submarines. There was not so much difference in - outward construction as there was in the means of propulsion - and in the manner in which the interior and the machinery - were arranged.</p> - -<p>The submarine planned by Mr. Swift and Tom jointly, and - constructed by them, with the aid of Mr. Sharp and Mr. - Jackson, was shaped like a Cigar, over one hundred feet long - and twenty feet in diameter at the thickest part. It was - divided into many compartments, all water-tight, so that if - one or even three were flooded the ship would still be - useable.</p> - -<p>Buoyancy was provided for by having several tanks for the - introduction of compressed air, and there was an emergency - arrangement so that a collapsible aluminum container could - be distended and filled with a powerful gas. This was to be - used if, by any means, the ship was disabled on the bottom - of the ocean. The container could be expanded and filled, - and would send the Advance to the surface.</p> - -<p>Another peculiar feature was that the engine-room, dynamos - and other apparatus were all contained amidships. This gave - stability to the craft, and also enabled the same engine to - operate both shafts and propellers, as well as both the - negative forward electrical plates, and the positive rear - ones.</p> - -<p>These plates were a new idea in submarine construction, - and were the outcome of an idea of Mr. Swift, with some - suggestions from his son.</p> - -<p>The aged inventor did not want to depend on the usual - screw propellers for his craft, nor did he want to use a jet - of compressed air, shooting out from a rear tube, nor yet a - jet of water, by means of which the creature called the - squid shoots himself along. Mr. Swift planned to send the - Advance along under water by means of electricity.</p> - -<p>Certain peculiar plates were built at the forward and aft - blunt noses of the submarine. Into the forward plate a - negative charge of electricity was sent, and into the one at - the rear a positive charge, just as one end of a horseshoe - magnet is positive and will repel the north end of a compass - needle, while the other pole of a magnet is negative and - will attract it. In electricity like repels like, while - negative and positive have a mutual attraction for each - other.</p> - -<p>Mr. Swift figured out that if he could send a powerful - current of negative electricity into the forward plate it - would pull the boat along, for water is a good conductor of - electricity, while if a positive charge was sent into the - rear plate it would serve to push the submarine along, and - he would thus get a pulling and pushing motion, just as a - forward and aft propeller works on some ferry boats.</p> - -<p>But the inventor did not depend on these plates alone. - There were auxiliary forward and aft propellers of the - regular type, so that if the electrical plates did not work, - or got out of order, the screws would serve to send the - Advance along.</p> - -<p>There was much machinery in the submarine There were - gasolene motors, since space was too cramped to allow the - carrying of coal for boilers. There were dynamos, motors and - powerful pumps. Some of these were for air, and some for - water. To sink the submarine below the surface large tanks - were filled with water. To insure a more sudden descent, - deflecting rudders were also used, similar to those on an - airship. There were also special air pumps, and one for the - powerful gas, which was manufactured on board.</p> - -<p>Forward from the engine-room was a cabin, where meals - could be served, and where the travelers could remain in the - daytime. There was also a small cooking galley, or kitchen, - there. Back of the engine-room were the sleeping quarters - and the storerooms. The submarine was steered from the - forward compartment, and here were also levers, wheels and - valves that controlled all the machinery, while a number of - dials showed in which direction they were going, how deep - they were, and at what speed they were moving, as well as - what the ocean pressure was.</p> - -<p>On top, forward, was a small conning, or observation - tower, with auxiliary and steering and controlling apparatus - there. This was to be used when the ship was moving along - on the surface of the ocean, or merely with the deck awash. - There was a small flat deck surrounding the conning tower - and this was available when the craft was on the surface.</p> - -<p>There was provision made for leaving the ship when it was - on the bed of the ocean. When it was desired to do this the - occupants put on diving suits, which were provided with - portable oxygen tanks. Then they entered a chamber into - which water was admitted until it was equal in pressure to - that outside. Then a steel door was opened, and they could - step out. To re-enter the ship the operation was reversed. - This was not a new feature. In fact, many submarines to-day - use it.</p> - -<p>At certain places there were thick bull's-eye windows, by - means of which the under-water travelers could look out into - the ocean through which they were moving. As a defense - against the attacks of submarine monsters there was a steel, - pointed ram, like a big harpoon. There were also a bow and a - stern electrical gun, of which more will be told later.</p> - -<p>In addition to ample sleeping accommodations, there were - many conveniences aboard the Advance. Plenty of fresh water - could be carried, and there was an apparatus for distilling - more from the sea water that surrounded the travelers. - Compressed air was carried in large tanks, and oxygen could - be made as needed. In short, nothing that could add to the - comfort or safety of the travelers had been omitted. There - was a powerful crane and windlass, which had been installed - when Mr. Swift thought his boat might be bought by the - Government. This was to be used for raising wrecks or - recovering objects from the bottom of the ocean. Ample - stores and provisions were to be carried and, once the - travelers were shut up in the Advance, they could exist for - a month below the surface, providing no accident occurred.</p> - -<p>All these things Tom and Mr. Sharp thought of as they - looked over the ship before turning in for the night. The - craft was made immensely strong to withstand powerful - pressure at the bottom of the ocean. The submarine could - penetrate to a depth of about three miles. Below that it was - dangerous to go, as the awful force would crush the plates, - powerful as they were.</p> - -<p>"Well, we'll rush things to-morrow and the next day," - observed Tom as he prepared to leave the building. "Then - we'll soon see if it works."</p> - -<p>For the next week there were busy times in the shop near - the ocean. Great secrecy was maintained, and though - curiosity seekers did stroll along now and then, they - received little satisfaction. At first Mr. Swift thought - that the visit of Mr. Berg would have unpleasant results, - for he feared that the agent would talk about the craft, of - which he had so unexpectedly gotten a sight. But nothing - seemed to follow from his chance inspection, and it was - forgotten.</p> - -<p> - It was one evening, about a week later, that Tom was alone - in the shop. The two mechanics that had been hired to help - out in the rush had been let go, and the ship needed but a - few adjustments to make it ready for the sea.</p> - -<p>"I think I'll just take another look at the water tank - valves," said Tom to himself as he prepared to enter the big - compartments which received the water ballast. "I want to be - sure they work properly and quickly. We've got to depend on - them to make us sink when we want to, and, what's more - important, to rise to the surface in a hurry. I've got time - enough to look them over before dad and Mr. Sharp get back."</p> - -<p>Tom entered the starboard tank by means of an emergency - sliding door between the big compartments and the main part - of the ship. This was closed by a worm and screw gear, and - once the ship was in the water would seldom be used.</p> - -<p>The young inventor proceeded with his task, carefully - inspecting the valves by the light of a lantern he carried. - The apparatus seemed to be all right, and Tom was about to - leave when a peculiar noise attracted his attention. It was - the sound of metal scraping on metal, and the lad's quick - and well-trained ear told him it was somewhere about the - ship.</p> - -<p>He turned to leave the tank, but as he wheeled around his - light flashed on a solid wall of steel back of him. The - emergency outlet had been closed! He was a prisoner in the - water compartment, and he knew, from past experience, that - shout as he would, his voice could not be heard ten feet - away. His father and Mr. Sharp, as he was aware, had gone to - a nearby city for some tools, and Mr. Jackson, the engineer, - was temporarily away. Mrs. Baggert, in the house, could not - hear his cries.</p> - -<p>"I'm locked in!" cried Tom aloud. "The worm gear must have - shut of itself. But I don't see how that could be. I've got - to get out mighty soon, though, or I'll smother. This tank - is airtight, and it won't take me long to breath up all the - oxygen there is here. I must get that slide open."</p> - -<p>He sought to grasp the steel plate that closed the - emergency opening. His fingers slipped over the smooth, - polished surface. He was hermetically sealed up--a captive! - Blankly he set his lantern down and leaned hopelessly - against the wall of the tank.</p> - -<p>"I've got to get out," he murmured.</p> - -<p>As if in answer to him he heard a voice on the outside, - crying:</p> - -<p>"There, Tom Swift! I guess I've gotten even with you now! - Maybe next time you won't take a reward away from me, and - lick me into the bargain. I've got you shut up good and - tight, and you'll stay there until I get ready to let you - out."</p> - -<p>"Andy Foger!" gasped Tom. "Andy Foger sneaked in here and - turned the gear. But how did he get to this part of the - coast? Andy Foger, you let me out!" shouted the young - inventor; and as Andy's mocking laugh came to him faintly - through the steel sides of the submarine, the imprisoned lad - beat desperately with his hands on the smooth sides of the - tank, vainly wondering how his enemy had discovered him.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH5" id="CH5">Chapter Five</a></h2> - -<h3>Mr. Berg is Suspicious</h3> - -<p> Not for long did the young inventor endeavor to break his - way out of the water-ballast tank by striking the heavy - sides of it. Tom realized that this was worse than useless. - He listened intently, but could hear nothing. Even the - retreating footsteps of Andy Foger were inaudible.</p> - -<p>"This certainly is a pickle!" exclaimed Tom aloud. "I - can't understand how he ever got here. He must have traced - us after we went to Shopton in the airship the last time. - Then he sneaked in here. Probably he saw me enter, but how - could he knew enough to work the worm gear and close the - door? Andy has had some experience with machinery, though, - and one of the vaults in the bank where his father is a - director closed just like this tank. That's very likely how - he learned about it. But I've got to do something else - besides thinking of that sneak, Andy. I've got to get out of - here. Let's see if I can work the gear from inside."</p> - -<p> - Before he started, almost, Tom knew that it would be - impossible. The tank was made to close from the interior of - the submarine, and the heavy door, built to withstand the - pressure of tons of water, could not be forced except by the - proper means.</p> - -<p>"No use trying that," concluded the lad, after a tiring - attempt to force back the sliding door with his hands. "I've - got to call for help."</p> - -<p>He shouted until the vibrations in the confined space made - his ears ring, and the mere exertion of raising his voice to - the highest pitch made his heart beat quickly. Yet there - came no response. He hardly expected that there would be - any, for with his father and Mr. Sharp away, the engineer - absent on an errand, and Mrs. Baggert in the house some - distance off, there was no one to hear his calls for help, - even if they had been capable of penetrating farther than - the extent of the shed, where the under-water craft had been - constructed.</p> - -<p>"I've got to wait until some of them come out here," - thought Tom. "They'll be sure to release me and make a - search. Then it will be easy enough to call to them and tell - them where I am, once they are inside the shed. But--" He - paused, for a horrible fear came over him. "Suppose they - should come--too late?" The tank was airtight. There was - enough air in it to last for some time, but, sooner or - later, it would no longer support life. Already, Tom - thought, it seemed oppressive, though probably that was his - imagination.</p> - -<p>"I must get out!" he repeated frantically. "I'll die in - here soon."</p> - -<p>Again he tried to shove back the steel door. Then he - repeated his cries until be was weary. No one answered him. - He fancied once he could hear footsteps in the shed, and - thought, perhaps, it was Andy, come back to gloat over him. - Then Tom knew the red-haired coward would not dare venture - back. We must do Andy the justice to say that he never - realized that he was endangering Tom's life. The bully had - no idea the tank was airtight when he closed it. He had seen - Tom enter and a sudden whim came to him to revenge himself.</p> - -<p>But that did not help the young inventor any. There was no - doubt about it now--the air was becoming close. Tom had been - imprisoned nearly two hours, and as he was a healthy, strong - lad, he required plenty of oxygen. There was certainly less - than there had been in the tank. His head began to buzz, and - there was a ringing in his ears.</p> - -<p>Once more he fell upon his knees, and his fingers sought - the small projections of the gear on the inside of the door - He could no more budge the mechanism than a child could open - a burglar-proof vault.</p> - -<p>"It's no use," he moaned, and he sprawled at full length - on the floor of the tank, for there the air was purer. As he - did so his fingers touched something. He started as they - closed around the handle of a big monkey wrench. It was one - he had brought into the place with him. Imbued with new hope - be struck a match and lighted his lantern, which he had - allowed to go out as it burned up too much of the oxygen. By - the gleam of it he looked to see if there were any bolts or - nuts he could loosen with the wrench, in order to slide the - door back. It needed but a glance to show him the futility - of this.</p> - -<p>"It's no go," he murmured, and he let the wrench fall to - the floor. There was a ringing, clanging sound, and as it - smote his ears Tom sprang up with an exclamation.</p> - -<p>"That's the thing!" he cried. "I wonder I didn't think of - it before. I can signal for help by pounding on the sides of - the tank with the wrench. The blows will carry a good deal - farther than my voice would." Every one knows how far the - noise of a boiler shop, with hammers falling on steel - plates, can be heard; much farther than can a human voice.</p> - -<p>Tom began a lusty tattoo on the metal sides of the tank. - At first he merely rattled out blow after blow, and then, as - another thought came to him, he adopted a certain plan. Some - time previous, when he and Mr. Sharp had planned their trip - in the air, the two had adopted a code of signals. As it was - difficult in a high wind to shout from one end of the - airship to the other, the young inventor would sometimes - pound on the pipe which ran from the pilot house of the Red - Cloud to the engine-room. By a combination of numbers, - simple messages could be conveyed. The code included a call - for help. Forty-seven was the number, but there had never - been any occasion to use it.</p> - -<p>Tom remembered this now. At once he ceased his - indiscriminate hammering, and began to beat out regularly-- - one, two, three, four--then a pause, and seven blows would - be given. Over and over again he rang out this number--forty - seven--the call for help.</p> - -<p>"If Mr. Sharp only comes back he will hear that, even in - the house," thought poor Tom "Maybe Garret or Mrs. Baggert - will hear it, too, but they won't know what it means. - They'll think I'm just working on the submarine."</p> - -<p>It seemed several hours to Tom that he pounded out that - cry for aid, but, as he afterward learned, it was only a - little over an hour. Signal after signal he sent vibrating - from the steel sides of the tank. When one arm tired he - would use the other. He grew weary, his head was aching, and - there was a ringing in his ears; a ringing that seemed as if - ten thousand bells were jangling out their peals, and he - could barely distinguish his own pounding.</p> - -<p>Signal after signal he sounded. It was becoming like a - dream to him, when suddenly, as he paused for a rest, he - heard his name called faintly, as if far away.</p> - -<p>"Tom! Tom! Where are you?"</p> - -<p>It was the voice of Mr. Sharp. Then followed the tones of - the aged inventor.</p> - -<p>"My poor boy! Tom, are you still alive?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, dad! In the starboard tank!" the lad gasped out, and - then he lost his senses. When he revived he was lying on a - pile of bagging in the submarine shop, and his father and - the aeronaut were bending over him.</p> - -<p>"Are you all right, Tom?" asked Mr. Swift.</p> - -<p>"Yes--I--I guess so," was the hesitating answer. "Yes," - the lad added, as the fresh air cleared his head. "I'll be - all right pretty soon. Have you seen Andy Foger?"</p> - -<p>"Did he shut you in there?" demanded Mr. Swift.</p> - -<p>Tom nodded.</p> - -<p>"I'll have him arrested!" declared Mr. Swift "I'll go to - town as soon as you're in good shape again and notify the - police."</p> - -<p>"No, don't," pleaded Tom. "I'll take care of Andy myself. - I don't really believe he knew how serious it was. I'll - settle with him later, though."</p> - -<p>"Well, it came mighty near being serious," remarked Mr. - Sharp grimly. "Your father and I came back a little sooner - than we expected, and as soon as I got near the house I - heard your signal. I knew what it was in a moment. There - were Mrs. Baggert and Garret talking away, and when I asked - them why they didn't answer your call they said they thought - you were merely tinkering with the machinery. But I knew - better. It's the first time we ever had a use for 'forty- - seven,' Tom."</p> - -<p>"And I hope it will be the last," replied the young - inventor with a faint smile. "But I'd like to know what Andy - Foger is doing in this neighborhood."</p> - -<p>Tom was soon himself again and able to go to the house, - where he found Mrs. Baggert brewing a big basin of catnip - tea, under the impression that it would in some way be good - for his. She could not forgive herself for not having - answered his signal, and as for Mr. Jackson, he had started - for a doctor as soon as he learned that Tom was shut up in - the tank. The services of the medical man were canceled by - telephone, as there was no need for him, and the engineer - came back to the house.</p> - -<p>Tom was fully himself the next day, and aided his father - and Mr. Sharp in putting the finishing touches to the - Advance. It was found that some alteration was required in - the auxiliary propellers, and this, much to the regret of - the young inventor, would necessitate postponing the trial a - few days.</p> - -<p>"But we'll have her in the water next Friday." promised - Mr. Swift.</p> - -<p>"Aren't you superstitious about Friday?" asked the - balloonist.</p> - -<p>"Not a bit of it," replied the aged inventor. "Tom," he - added, "I wish you would go in the house and get me the roll - of blueprints you'll find on my desk."</p> - -<p>As the lad neared the cottage he saw, standing in front of - the place, a small automobile. A man had just descended - from it, and it needed but a glance to show that he was Mr. - Addison Berg.</p> - -<p>"Ah, good morning, Mr. Swift," greeted Mr. Berg. "I wish - to see your father, but as I don't wish to lay myself open - to suspicions by entering the shop, perhaps you will ask him - to step here."</p> - -<p>"Certainly," answered the lad, wondering why the agent had - returned. Getting the blueprints, and asking Mr. Berg to sit - down on the porch, Tom delivered the message.</p> - -<p>"You come back with me, Tom," said his father. "I want you - to be a witness to what he says. I'm not going to get into - trouble with these people."</p> - -<p>Mr. Berg came to the point at once.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Swift," he said, "I wish you would reconsider your - determination not to enter the Government trials. I'd like - to see you compete. So would my firm."</p> - -<p>"There is no use going over that again," replied the aged - inventor. "I have another object in view now than trying for - the Government prize. What it is I can't say, but it may - develop in time--if we are successful," and he looked at - his son, smiling the while.</p> - -<p>Mr. Berg tried to argue, but it was of no avail Then he - changed his manner, and said:</p> - -<p>"Well, since you won't, you won't, I suppose. I'll go back - and report to my firm. Have you anything special to do this - morning?" he went on to Tom.</p> - -<p>"Well, I can always find something to keep me busy," - replied the lad, "but as for anything special--"</p> - -<p>"I thought perhaps you'd like to go for a trip in my - auto," interrupted Mr. Berg. "I had asked a young man who is - stopping at the same hotel where I am to accompany me, but - he has unexpectedly left, and I don't like to go alone. His - name was--let me see. I have a wretched memory for names, - but it was something like Roger or Moger."</p> - -<p>"Foger!" cried Tom. "Was it Andy Foger?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, that was it. Why, do you know him?" asked Mr. Berg - in some surprise.</p> - -<p>"I should say so," replied Tom. "He was the cause of what - might have resulted in something serious for me," and the - lad explained about being imprisoned in the tank.</p> - -<p>"You don't tell me!" cried Mr. Berg. "I had no idea he was - that kind of a lad. You see, his father is one of the - directors of the firm by whom I am employed. Andy came from - home to spend a few weeks at the seaside, and stopped at the - same hotel that I did. He went off yesterday afternoon, and - I haven't seen him since, though he promised to go for a - ride with me. He must have come over here and entered your - shop unobserved. I remember now he asked me where the - submarine was being built that was going to compete with our - firm's, and I told him. I didn't think he was that kind of - a lad. Well, since he's probably gone back home, perhaps you - will come for a ride with me, Tom."</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid I can't go, thank you," answered the lad. "We - are very busy getting our submarine in shape for a trial. - But I can imagine why Andy left so hurriedly. He probably - learned that a doctor had been summoned for me, though, as - it happened, I didn't need one. But Andy probably got - frightened at what he had done, and left. I'll make him - more sorry, when I meet him."</p> - -<p>"Don't blame you a bit," commented Mr. Berg. "Well, I must - be getting back."</p> - -<p>He hastened out to his auto, while Tom and his father - watched the agent.</p> - -<p>"Tom, never trust that man," advised the aged inventor - solemnly.</p> - -<p>"Just what I was about to remark," said his son. "Well, - let's get back to work. Queer that he should come here - again, and it's queer about Andy Foger."</p> - -<p>Father and son returned to the machine shop, while Mr. - Berg puffed away in his auto. A little later, Tom having - occasion to go to a building near the boundary line of the - cottage property which his father had hired for the season, - saw, through the hedge that bordered it, an automobile - standing in the road. A second glance showed him that it was - Mr. Berg's machine. Something had gone wrong with it, and - the agent had alighted to make an adjustment.</p> - -<p>The young inventor was close to the man, though the latter - was unaware of his presence.</p> - -<p>"Hang it all!" Tom heard Mr. Berg exclaim to himself. "I - wonder what they can be up to? They won't enter the - Government contests, and they won't say why. I believe - they're up to some game, and I've got to find out what it - is. I wonder if I couldn't use this Foger chap?"</p> - -<p>"He seems to have it in for this Tom Swift," Mr. Berg went - on, still talking to himself, though not so low but that Tom - could hear him. "I think I'll try it. I'll get Andy Foger to - sneak around and find out what the game is. He'll do it, I - know."</p> - -<p>By this time the auto was in working order again, and the - agent took his seat and started off.</p> - -<p>"So that's how matters lie, eh?" thought Tom. "Well, Mr. - Berg, we'll be doubly on the lookout for you after this. As - for Andy Foger, I think I'll make him wish he'd never locked - me in that tank. So you expect to find out our 'game,' eh, - Mr. Berg? Well, when you do know it, I think it will - astonish you. I only hope you don't learn what it is until - we get at that sunken treasure, though."</p> - -<p>But alas for Tom's hopes. Mr. Berg did learn of the object - of the treasure-seekers, and sought to defeat them, as we - shall learn as our story proceeds.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH6" id="CH6">Chapter Six</a></h2> - -<h3>Turning the Tables</h3> - -<p> When the young inventor informed his father what he had - overheard Mr. Berg saying, the aged inventor was not as much - worried as his son anticipated.</p> - -<p>"All we'll have to do, Tom," he said, "is to keep quiet - about where we are going. Once we have the Advance afloat, - and try her out, we can start on our voyage for the South - American Coast and search for the sunken treasure. When we - begin our voyage under water I defy any one to tell where we - are going, or what our plans are. No, I don't believe we - need worry about Mr. Berg, though he probably means - mischief."</p> - -<p> - "Well, I'm going to keep my eyes open for him and Andy - Foger," declared Tom.</p> - -<p>The days that followed were filled with work. Not only - were there many unexpected things to do about the submarine, - but Mr. Sharp was kept busy making inquiries about the - sunken treasure ship. These inquiries had to be made - carefully, as the adventurers did not want their plans - talked of, and nothing circulates more quickly than rumors - of an expedition after treasure of any kind.</p> - -<p>"What about the old sea captain you were going to get to - go with us?" asked Mr. Swift of the balloonist one -afternoon. - "Have you succeeded in finding one yet?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; I am in communication with a man think will be just - the person for us. His name is Captain Alden Weston, and he - has sailed all over the world. He has also taken part in - more than one revolution, and, in fact, is a soldier of - fortune. I do not know him personally, but a friend of mine - knows him, and says he will serve us faithfully. I have - written to him, and he will he here in a few days."</p> - -<p>"That's good. Now about the location of the wreck itself. - Have you been able to learn any more details?"</p> - -<p>"Well, not many. You see, the Boldero was abandoned in a - storm, and the captain did not take very careful - observations. As nearly as it can be figured out the - treasure ship went to the bottom in latitude forty-five - degrees south, and longitude twenty-seven east from - Washington. That's a pretty indefinite location, but I hope, - once we get off the Uruguay coast, we can better it. We can - anchor or lay outside the harbor, and in the small boat we - carry go ashore and possibly gain more details. For it was - at Montevideo that the shipwrecked passengers and sailors - landed."</p> - -<p>"Does Captain Weston know our object?" inquired Tom.</p> - -<p>"No, and I don't propose to tell him until we are ready to - start," replied Mr. Sharp. "I don't know just how he'll - consider a submarine trip after treasure, but if I spring it - on him suddenly he's less likely to back out. Oh, I think - he'll go."</p> - -<p>Somewhat unexpectedly the next day it was discovered that - certain tools and appliances were needed for the submarine, - and they had been left in the house at Shopton, where - Eradicate Sampson was in charge as caretaker during the - absence of Mr. Swift and his son and the housekeeper.</p> - -<p>"Well, I suppose we'll have to go back after them," - remarked Tom. "We'll take the airship, dad, and make a two- - days' trip of it. Is there anything else you want?"</p> - -<p>"Well, you might bring a bundle of papers you'll find in - the lower right hand drawer of my desk. They contain some - memoranda I need."</p> - -<p>Tom and Mr. Sharp had become so used to traveling in the - airship that it seemed no novelty to them, though they - attracted much attention wherever they went. They soon had - the Red Cloud in readiness for a flight, and rising in the - air above the shop that contained the powerful submarine, a - craft utterly different in type from the aeroplane, the nose - of the airship was pointed toward Shopton.</p> - -<p>They made a good flight and landed near the big shed where - the bird of the air was kept. It was early evening when they - got to the Swift homestead, and Eradicate Sampson was glad - to see them.</p> - -<p>Eradicate was a good cook, and soon had a meal ready for - the travelers. Then, while Mr. Sharp selected the tools and - other things needed, and put them in the airship ready for - the start back the next morning, Tom concluded he would take - a stroll into Shopton, to see if he could see his friend, - Ned Newton. It was early evening, and the close of a - beautiful day, a sharp shower in the morning having cooled - the air.</p> - -<p>Tom was greeted by a number of acquaintances as he - strolled along, for, since the episode of the bank robbery, - when he had so unexpectedly returned with the thieves and - the cash, the lad was better known than ever.</p> - -<p>"I guess Ned must be home" thought our hero as he looked - in vain for his chum among the throng on the streets. "I've - got time to take a stroll down to his house."</p> - -<p>Tom was about to cross the street when he was startled by - the sound of an automobile horn loudly blown just at his - side. Then a voice called:</p> - -<p>"Hey, there! Git out of the way if you don't want to be - run over!"</p> - -<p>He looked up, and saw a car careening along. At the wheel - was the red-haired bully, Andy Foger, and in the tonneau - were Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey.</p> - -<p>"Git out of the way," added Sam, and he grinned - maliciously at Tom.</p> - -<p>The latter stepped back, well out of the path of the car, - which was not moving very fast. Just in front of Tom was a - puddle of muddy water. There was no necessity for Andy - steering into it, but he saw his opportunity, and a moment - later one of the big pneumatic tires had plunged into the - dirty fluid, spattering it all over Tom, some even going as - high as his face.</p> - -<p>"Ha! ha!" laughed Andy. "Maybe you'll get out of my way - next time, Tom Swift."</p> - -<p>The young inventor was almost speechless from righteous - anger. He wiped the mud from his face, glanced down at his - clothes, which were all but ruined, and called out:</p> - -<p>"Hold on there, Andy Foger! I want to see you!" for he - thought of the time when Andy had shut him in the tank.</p> - -<p>"Ta! ta!" shouted Pete Bailey.</p> - -<p>"See you later," added Sam.</p> - -<p>"Better go home and take a bath, and then sail away in - your submarine," went on Andy. "I'll bet it will sink."</p> - -<p>Before Tom could reply the auto had turned a corner. - Disgusted and angry, he tried to sop up some of the muddy - water with his handkerchief. While thus engaged he heard his - name called, and looked up to see Ned Newton.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter? Fall down?" asked his chum.</p> - -<p>"Andy Foger," replied Tom.</p> - -<p>"That's enough," retorted Ned. "I can guess the rest. - We'll have to tar and feather him some day, and ride him out - of town on a rail. I'd kick him myself, only his father is a - director in the bank where I work, and I'd be fired if I - did. Can't afford any such pleasure. But some day I'll give - Andy a good trouncing, and then resign before they can - discharge me. But I'll be looking for another job before I - do that. Come on to my house, Tom, and I'll help you clean - up."</p> - -<p>Tom was a little more presentable when he left his chum's - residence, after spending the evening there, but he was - still burning for revenge against Andy and his cronies. He - had half a notion to go to Andy's house and tell Mr. Foger - how nearly serious the bully's prank at the sub marine had - been, but be concluded that Mr. Foger could only uphold his - son. "No, I'll settle with him myself," decided Tom.</p> - -<p>Bidding Eradicate keep a watchful eye about the house, and - leaving word for Mr. Damon to be sure to come to the coast - if he again called at the Shopton house, Tom and Mr. Sharp - prepared to make their return trip early the next morning.</p> - -<p>The gas tank was filled and the Red Cloud arose in the - air. Then, with the propellers moving at moderate speed, the - nose of the craft was pointed toward the New Jersey coast.</p> - -<p>A few miles out from Shopton, finding there was a contrary - wind in the upper regions where they were traveling, Mr. - Sharp descended several hundred feet. They were moving over - a sparsely settled part of the country, and looking down, - Tom saw, speeding along a highway, an automobile.</p> - -<p>"I wonder who's in it?" he remarked, taking down a - telescope and peering over the window ledge of the cabin. - The next moment he uttered a startled exclamation.</p> - -<p>"Andy Foger, Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey!" he cried. - "Oh, I wish I had a bucket of water to empty on them."</p> - -<p>"I know a better way to get even with them than that," - said Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>"How?" asked Tom eagerly.</p> - -<p>"I'll show you," replied the balloonist. "It's a trick I - once played on a fellow who did me an injury. Here, you - steer for a minute until I get the thing fixed, then I'll - take charge."</p> - -<p>Mr. Sharp went to the storeroom and came back with a long, - stout rope and a small anchor of four prongs. It was carried - to be used in emergencies, but so far had never been called - into requisition. Fastening the grapple to the cable, the - balloonist said:</p> - -<p>"Now, Tom, they haven't seen you. You stand in the stern - and pay out the rope. I'll steer the airship, and what I - want you to do is to catch the anchor in the rear of their - car. Then I'll show you some fun."</p> - -<p>Tom followed instructions. Slowly he lowered the rope with - the dangling grapple. The airship was also sent down, as the - cable was not quite long enough to reach the earth from the - height at which they were. The engine was run at slow speed, - so that the noise would not attract the attention of the - three cronies who were speeding along, all unconscious of - the craft in the air over their heads. The Red Cloud was - moving in the same direction as was the automobile.</p> - -<p>The anchor was now close to the rear of Andy's car. - Suddenly it caught on the tonneau and Tom called that fact - to Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>"Fasten the rope at the cleat," directed the balloonist.</p> - -<p>Tom did so, and a moment later the aeronaut sent the - airship up by turning more gas into the container. At the - same time he reversed the engine and the Red Cloud began - pulling the touring car backward, also lifting the rear - wheels clear from the earth.</p> - -<p>A startled cry from the occupants of the machine told Tom - and his friend that Andy and his cronies were aware - something was wrong. A moment later Andy, looking up, saw - the airship hovering in the air above him. Then he saw the - rope fast to his auto. The airship was not rising now, or - the auto would have been turned over, but it was slowly - pulling it backward, in spite of the fact that the motor of - the car was still going.</p> - -<p>"Here! You let go of me!" cried Andy. "I'll have you - arrested if you damage my car."</p> - -<p>"Come up here and cut the rope." called Tom leaning over - and looking down. He could enjoy the bully's discomfiture. - As for Sam and Pete, they were much frightened, and cowered - down on the floor of the tonneau.</p> - -<p>"Maybe you'll shut me in the tank again and splash mud on - me!" shouted Tom.</p> - -<p>The rear wheels of the auto were lifted still higher from - the ground, as Mr. Sharp turned on a little more gas. Andy - was not proof against this.</p> - -<p>"Oh! oh!" he cried. "Please let me down, Tom. I'm awful - sorry for what I did! I'll never do it again! Please, please - let me down! Don't You'll tip me over!"</p> - -<p>He had shut off his motor now, and was frantically - clinging to the steering wheel.</p> - -<p>"Do you admit that you're a sneak and a coward?" asked - Tom, "rubbing it in."</p> - -<p>"Yes, yes! Oh, please let me down!"</p> - -<p>"Shall we?" asked Tom of Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>"Yes," replied the balloonist. "We can afford to lose the - rope and anchor for the sake of turning the tables. Cut the - cable."</p> - -<p>Tom saw what was intended. Using a little hatchet, he - severed the rope with a single blow. With a crash that could - be heard up in the air where the Red Cloud hovered, the rear - wheels of the auto dropped to the ground. Then came two loud - reports.</p> - -<p>"Both tires busted!" commented Mr. Sharp dryly, and Tom, - looking down, saw the trio of lads ruefully contemplating - the collapsed rubber of the rear wheels. The tables had been - effectually turned on Andy Foger. His auto was disabled, and - the airship, with a graceful sweep, mounted higher and - higher, continuing on its way to the coast.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH7" id="CH7">Chapter Seven</a></h2> - -<h3>Mr. Damon Will Go</h3> - -<p> "Well, I guess they've had their lesson," remarked Tom, as - he took an observation through the telescope and saw Andy - and his cronies hard at work trying to repair the ruptured - tires. "That certainly was a corking good trick."</p> - -<p>"Yes," admitted Mr. Sharp modestly. "I once did something - similar, only it was a horse and wagon instead of an auto. - But let's try for another speed record. The conditions are - just right."</p> - -<p> - They arrived at the coast much sooner than they had dared - to hope, the Red Cloud proving herself a veritable wonder.</p> - -<p>The remainder of that day, and part of the next, was spent - in working on the submarine.</p> - -<p>"We'll launch her day after to-morrow," declared Mr. Swift - enthusiastically. "Then to see whether my calculations are - right or wrong."</p> - -<p>"It won't be your fault if it doesn't work," said his son. - "You certainly have done your best."</p> - -<p>"And so have you and Mr. Sharp and the others, for that - matter. Well, I have no doubt but that everything will be - all right, Tom."</p> - -<p>"There!" exclaimed Mr. Sharp the next morning, as he was - adjusting a certain gage. "I knew I'd forget something. That - special brand of lubricating oil. I meant to bring it from - Shopton, and I didn't."</p> - -<p>"Maybe I can get it in Atlantis," suggested Tom, naming - the coast city nearest to them. "I'll take a walk over. It - isn't far."</p> - -<p>"Will you? I'll be glad to have you," resumed the - balloonist. "A gallon will be all we'll need."</p> - -<p>Tom was soon on his way. He had to walk, as the roads were - too poor to permit him to use the motor-cycle, and the - airship attracted too much attention to use on a short trip. - He was strolling along, when from the other side of a row of - sand dunes, that lined the uncertain road to Atlantis, he - heard some one speaking. At first the tones were not - distinct, but as the lad drew nearer to the voice he heard - an exclamation.</p> - -<p>"Bless my gold-headed cane! I believe I'm lost. He said it - was out this way somewhere, bet I don't see anything of it. - If I had that Eradicate Sampson here now I'd--bless my - shoelaces I don't know what I would do to him."</p> - -<p>"Mr. Damon! Mr. Damon!" cried Tom. "Is that you?"</p> - -<p>"Me? Of course it's me! Who else would it be?" answered - the voice. "But who are you. Why, bless my liver! If it - isn't Tom Swift!" he cried. "Oh, but I'm glad to see you! I - was afraid I was shipwrecked! Bless my gaiters, how are you, - anyhow? How is your father? How is Mr. Sharp, and all the - rest of them?"</p> - -<p>"Pretty well. And you?"</p> - -<p>"Me? Oh, I'm all right; only a trifle nervous. I called at - your house in Shopton yesterday, and Eradicate told me, as - well as he could, where you were located. I had nothing to - do, so I thought I'd take a run down here. But what's this I - hear about you? Are you going on a voyage?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"In the air? May I go along again? I certainly enjoyed my - other trip in the Red Cloud. What is, all but the fire and - being shot at. May I go?"</p> - -<p>"We're going on a different sort of trip this time," said - the youth.</p> - -<p>"Where?"</p> - -<p>"Under water."</p> - -<p>"Under water? Bless my sponge bath! You don't mean it!"</p> - -<p>"Yes. Dad has completed the submarine he was working on - when we were off in the airship, and it will be launched the - day after to-morrow."</p> - -<p>"Oh, that's so. I'd forgotten about it. He's going to try - for the Government prize, isn't he? But tell me more about - it. Bless my scarf-pin, but I'm glad I met you! Going into - town, I take it. Well, I just came from there, but I'll walk - back with you. Do you think--is there any possibility--that - I could go with you? Of course, I don't want to crowd you, - but--"</p> - -<p>"Oh, there'll be plenty of room," replied the young - inventor. "In fact, more room than we had in the airship. We - were talking only the other day about the possibility of you - going with us, but we didn't think you'd risk it."</p> - -<p>"Risk it? Bless my liver! Of course I'll risk' it! It - can't be as bad as sailing in the air. You can't fall, - that's certain."</p> - -<p>"No; but maybe you can't rise," remarked Tom grimly.</p> - -<p>"Oh, we won't think of that. Of course, I'd like to go. I - fully expected to be killed in the Red Cloud, but as I - wasn't I'm ready to take a chance in the water. On the - whole, I think I prefer to be buried at sea, anyhow. Now, - then, will you take me?"</p> - -<p>"I think I can safely promise," answered Tom with a smile - at his friend's enthusiasm.</p> - -<p>The two were approaching the city, having walked along as - they talked. There were still some sand dunes near the road, - and they kept on the side of these, nearest the beach, where - they could watch the breakers.</p> - -<p>"But you haven't told me where you are going," went on Mr. - Damon, after blessing a few dozen objects. "Where do the - Government trials take place?"</p> - -<p>"Well," replied the lad, "to be frank with you, we have - abandoned our intention of trying for the Government prize."</p> - -<p>"Not going to try for it? Bless my slippers! Why not? - Isn't fifty thousand dollars worth striving for? And, with - the kind of a submarine you say you have, you ought to be - able to win."</p> - -<p>"Yes, probably we could win," admitted the young inventor, - "but we are going to try for a better prize."</p> - -<p>"A better one? I don't understand."</p> - -<p>"Sunken treasure," explained Tom. "There's a ship sunk off - the coast of Uruguay, with three hundred thousand dollars in - gold bullion aboard. Dad and I are going to try to recover - that in our submarine. We're going to start day after - to-morrow, and, if you like, you may go along."</p> - -<p>"Go along! Of course I'll go along!" cried the eccentric - man. "But I never heard of such a thing. Sunken treasure! - Three hundred thousand dollars in gold! My, what a lot of - money! And to go after it in a submarine! It's as good as a - story!"</p> - -<p>"Yes, we hope to recover all the treasure," said the lad. - "We ought to be able to claim at least half of it."</p> - -<p>"Bless my pocketbook!" cried Mr. Damon, but Tom did not - hear him. At that instant his attention was attracted by - seeing two men emerge from behind the sand dune near which - he and Mr. Damon had halted momentarily, when the youth - explained about the treasure. The man looked sharply at Tom. - A moment later the first man was joined by another, and at - the sight of him our hero could not repress an exclamation - of alarm. For the second man was none other than Addison - Berg.</p> - -<p>The latter glanced quickly at Tom, and then, with a hasty - word to his companion, the two swung around and made off in - the opposite direction to that in which they had been - walking.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" asked Mr. Damon, seeing the young - inventor was strangely affected.</p> - -<p>"That--that man," stammered the lad.</p> - -<p>"You don't mean to tell me that was one the Happy Harry - gang, do you?"</p> - -<p>"No. But one, or both of those men, may prove to be worse. - That second man was Addison Berg, and he's agent for a firm - of submarine boat builders who are rivals of dad's. Berg has - been trying to find out why we abandoned our intention of - competing for the Government prize."</p> - -<p>"I hope you didn't tell him."</p> - -<p>"I didn't intend to," replied Tom, smiling grimly, "but - I'm afraid I have, however He certainly overheard what I - said. I spoke too loud. Yes, he must have heard me. That's - why he hurried off so."</p> - -<p>"Possibly no harm is done. You didn't give the location of - the sunken ship."</p> - -<p>"No; but I guess from what I said it will be easy enough - to find. Well, if we're going to have a fight for the - possession of that sunken gold, I'm ready for it. The - Advance is well equipped for a battle. I must tell dad of - this. It's my fault."</p> - -<p>"And partly mine, for asking you such leading questions in - a public place," declared Mr. Damon. "Bless my coat-tails, - but I'm sorry! Maybe, after all, those men were so - interested in what they themselves were saying that they - didn't understand what you said."</p> - -<p>But if there had been any doubts on this score they would - have been dissolved had Tom and his friend been able to see - the actions of Mr. Berg and his companion a little later. - The plans of the treasure-hunters had been revealed to their - ears.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH8" id="CH8">Chapter Eight</a></h2> - -<h3>Another Treasure Expedition</h3> - -<p> While Tom and Mr. Damon continued on to Atlantis after the - oil, the young inventor lamenting from time to time that his - remarks about the real destination of the Advance had been - overheard by Mr. Berg, the latter and his companion were - hastening back along the path that ran on one side of the - sand dunes.</p> - -<p>"What's your hurry?" asked Mr. Maxwell, who was with the - submarine agent. "You turned around as if you were shot when - you saw that man and the lad. There didn't appear to be any - cause for such a hurry. From what I could hear they were - talking about a submarine. You're in the same business. You - might be friends."</p> - -<p> - "Yes, we might," admitted Mr. Berg with a peculiar smile; - "but, unless I'm very much mistaken, we're going to be - rivals."</p> - -<p>"Rivals? What do you mean?"</p> - -<p>"I can't tell you now. Perhaps I may later. But if you - don't mind, walk a little faster, please. I want to get to a - long-distance telephone."</p> - -<p>"What for?"</p> - -<p>"I have just overheard something that I wish to - communicate to my employers, Bentley & Eagert."</p> - -<p>"Overheard something? I don't see what it could be, unless - that lad--"</p> - -<p>"You'll learn in good time," went on the submarine agent. - "But I must telephone at once."</p> - -<p>A little later the two men had reached a trolley line that - ran into Atlantis, and they arrived at the city before Mr. - Damon and Tom got there, as the latter had to go by a - circuitous route. Mr. Berg lost no time in calling up his - firm by telephone.</p> - -<p>"I have had another talk with Mr. Swift," he reported to - Mr. Bentley, who came to the instrument in Philadelphia.</p> - -<p>"Well, what does he say?" was the impatient question. "I - can't understand his not wanting to try for the Government - prize. It is astonishing. You said you were going to - discover the reason, Mr Berg, but you haven't done so."</p> - -<p>"I have."</p> - -<p>"What is it?"</p> - -<p>"Well, the reason Mr. Swift and his son don't care to try - for the fifty thousand dollar prize is that they are after - one of three hundred thousand dollars."</p> - -<p>"Three hundred thousand dollars!" cried Mr. Bentley. "What - government is going to offer such a prize as that for - submarines, when they are getting almost as common as - airships? We ought to have a try for that ourselves. What - government is it?"</p> - -<p>"No government at all. But I think we ought to have a try - for it, Mr. Bentley."</p> - -<p>"Explain."</p> - -<p>"Well, I have just learned, most accidentally, that the - Swifts are going after sunken treasure--three hundred - thousand dollars in gold bullion."</p> - -<p>"Sunken treasure? Where?</p> - -<p>"I don't know exactly, but off the coast of Uruguay," and - Mr. Berg rapidly related what he had overheard Tom tell Mr. - Damon. Mr. Bentley was much excited and impatient for more - details, but his agent could not give them to him.</p> - -<p>"Well," concluded the senior member of the firm of - submarine boat builders, "if the Swifts are going after - treasure, so can we. Come to Philadelphia at once, Mr. Berg, - and we'll talk this matter over. There is no time to lose. - We can afford to forego the Government prize for the chance - of getting a much larger one. We have as much right to - search for the sunken gold as the Swifts have. Come here at - once, and we will make our plans."</p> - -<p>"All right," agreed the agent with a smile as he hung up - the receiver. "I guess," he murmured to himself, "that you - won't be so high and mighty with me after this, Tom Swift. - We'll see who has the best boat, after all. We'll have a - contest and a competition, but not for a government prize. - It will be for the sunken gold."</p> - -<p>It was easy to see that Mr. Berg was much pleased with - himself.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, Tom and Mr. Damon had reached Atlantis, and had - purchased the oil. They started back, but Tom took a street - leading toward the center of the place, instead of striking - for the beach path, along which they had come.</p> - -<p>"Where are you going?" asked Mr. Damon.</p> - -<p>"I want to see if that Andy Foger has come back here," - replied the lad, and he told of having been shut in the tank - by the bully.</p> - -<p>"I've never properly punished him for that trick," he went - on, "though we did manage to burst his auto tires. I'm - curious to know how he knew enough to turn that gear and - shut the tank door. He must have been loitering near the - shop, seen me go in the submarine alone, watched his chance - and sneaked in after me. But I'd like to get a complete - explanation, and if I once got hold of Andy I could make him - talk," and Tom clenched his fist in a manner that augured no - good for the squint-eyed lad. "He was stopping at the same - hotel with Mr. Berg, and be hurried away after the trick he - played on me. I next saw him in Shopton, but I thought - perhaps he might have come back here. I'm going to inquire - at the hotel," he added.</p> - -<p>Andy's name was not on the register since his hasty - flight, however, and Tom, after inquiring from the clerk and - learning that Mr. Berg was still a guest at the hostelry, - rejoined Mr. Damon.</p> - -<p>"Bless my hat!" exclaimed that eccentric individual as - they started back to the lonely beach where the submarine - was awaiting her advent into the water. "The more I think - of the trip I'm going to take, the more I like it."</p> - -<p>"I hope you will," remarked Tom. "It will be a new - experience for all of us. There's only one thing worrying - me, and that is about Mr. Berg having overheard what I - said."</p> - -<p>"Oh, don't worry about that. Can't we slip away and leave - no trace in the water?"</p> - -<p>"I hope so, but I must tell dad and Mr. Sharp about what - happened."</p> - -<p>The aged inventor was not a little alarmed at what his son - related, but he agreed with Mr. Damon, whom he heartily - welcomed, that little was to be apprehended from Berg and - his employers.</p> - -<p>"They know we're after a sunken wreck, but that's all they - do know," said Tom's father. "We are only waiting for the - arrival of Captain Alden Weston, and then we will go. Even - if Bentley & Eagert make a try for the treasure we'll -have - the start of them, and this will be a case of first come, - first served. Don't worry, Tom. I'm glad you're going, Mr - Damon. Come, I will show you our submarine."</p> - -<p>As father and son, with their guest, were going to the - machine shop, Mr. Sharp met them. He had a letter in his - hand.</p> - -<p>"Good news!" the balloonist cried. "Captain Weston will be - with us to-morrow. He will arrive at the Beach Hotel in - Atlantis, and wants one of us to meet him there. He has - considerable information about the wreck."</p> - -<p>"The Beach Hotel," murmured Tom. "That is where Mr. Berg - is stopping. I hope he doesn't worm any of our secret from - Captain Weston," and it was with a feeling of uneasiness - that the young inventor continued after his father and Mr. - Damon to where the submarine was.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH9" id="CH9">Chapter Nine</a></h2> - -<h3>Captain Weston's Advent</h3> - -<p> "Bless my water ballast, but that certainly is a fine boat!" - cried Mr. Damon, when he had been shown over the new craft. - "I think I shall feel even safer in that than in the Red -Cloud."</p> - -<p>"Oh, don't go back on the airship!" exclaimed Mr Sharp. "I - was counting on taking you on another trip."</p> - -<p>"Well, maybe after we get back from under the ocean," - agreed Mr. Damon. "I particularly like the cabin - arrangements of the Advance. I think I shall enjoy myself."</p> - -<p> - He would be hard to please who could not take pleasure - from a trip in the submarine. The cabin was particularly - fine, and the sleeping arrangements were good.</p> - -<p>More supplies could be carried than was possible on the - airship, and there was more room in which to cook and serve - food. Mr. Damon was fond of good living, and the kitchen - pleased him as much as anything else.</p> - -<p>Early the next morning Tom set out for Atlantis, to meet - Captain Weston at the hotel. The young inventor inquired of - the clerk whether the seafaring man had arrived, and was - told that he had come the previous evening.</p> - -<p>"Is he in his room?" asked Tom.</p> - -<p>"No," answered the clerk with a peculiar grin. "He's an - odd character. Wouldn't go to bed last night until we had - every window in his room open, though it was blowing quite - hard, and likely to storm. The captain said he was used to - plenty of fresh air. Well, I guess he got it, all right."</p> - -<p>"Where is he now?" asked the youth, wondering what sort of - an individual he was to meet.</p> - -<p>"Oh, he was up before sunrise, so some of the scrubwomen - told me. They met him coming from his room, and he went - right down to the beach with a big telescope he always - carries with him. He hasn't come back yet. Probably he's - down on the sand."</p> - -<p>"Hasn't he had breakfast?"</p> - -<p>"No. He left word he didn't want to eat until about four - bells, whatever time that is."</p> - -<p>"It's ten o'clock," replied Tom, who had been studying up - on sea terms lately. "Eight bells is eight o'clock in the - morning, or four in the afternoon or eight at night, - according to the time of day. Then there's one bell for - every half hour, so four bells this morning would be ten - o'clock in this watch, I suppose."</p> - -<p>"Oh, that's the way it goes, eh?" asked the clerk. "I - never could get it through my head. What is twelve o'clock - noon?"</p> - -<p>"That's eight bells, too; so is twelve o'clock midnight. - Eight bells is as high as they go on a ship. But I guess - I'll go down and see if I can meet the captain. It will soon - be ten o'clock, or four bells, and he must be hungry for - breakfast. By the way, is that Mr. Berg still here?"</p> - -<p>"No; he went away early this morning. He and Captain - Weston seemed to strike up quite an acquaintance, the night - clerk told me. They sat and smoked together until long after - midnight, or eight bells," and the clerk smiled as he - glanced down at the big diamond ring on his little finger.</p> - -<p>"They did?" fairly exploded Tom, for he had visions of - what the wily Mr. Berg might worm out of the simple captain.</p> - -<p>"Yes. Why, isn't the captain a proper man to make friends - with?" and the clerk looked at Tom curiously.</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes, of course," was the hasty answer. "I guess I'll - go and see if I can find him--the captain, I mean."</p> - -<p>Tom hardly knew what to think. He wished his father, or - Mr. Sharp, had thought to warn Captain Weston against - talking of the wreck. It might be too late now.</p> - -<p>The young inventor hurried to the beach, which was not far - from the hotel. He saw a solitary figure pacing up and down, - and from the fact that the man stopped, every now and then, - and gazed seaward through a large telescope, the lad - concluded it was the captain for whom he was in search. He - approached, his footsteps making no sound on the sand. The - man was still gazing through the glass.</p> - -<p>"Captain Weston?" spoke Tom.</p> - -<p>Without a show of haste, though the voice must have - startled him, the captain turned. Slowly he lowered the - telescope, and then he replied softly:</p> - -<p>"That's my name. Who are you, if I may ask?"</p> - -<p>Tom was struck, more than by anything else, by the gentle - voice of the seaman. He had prepared himself, from the - description of Mr. Sharp, to meet a gruff, bewhiskered - individual, with a voice like a crosscut saw, and a rolling - gait. Instead he saw a man of medium size, with a smooth - face, merry blue eyes, and the softest voice and gentlest - manner imaginable. Tom was very much disappointed. He had - looked for a regular sea-dog, and he met a landsman, as he - said afterward. But it was not long before our hero changed - his mind regarding Captain Weston.</p> - -<p>"I'm Tom Swift," the owner of that name said, "and I have - been sent to show you the way to where our ship is ready to - launch." The young inventor refrained from mentioning - submarine, as it was the wish of Mr Sharp to disclose this - feature of the voyage to the sailor himself.</p> - -<p>"Ha, I thought as much," resumed the captain quietly. - "It's a fine day, if I may be permitted to say so," and he - seemed to hesitate, as if there was some doubt whether or - not he might make that observation.</p> - -<p>"It certainly is," agreed the lad. Then, with a smile he - added: "It is nearly eight bells."</p> - -<p>"Ha!" exclaimed the captain, also smiling, but even his - manner of saying "Ha!" was less demonstrative than that of - most persons. "I believe I am getting hungry, if I may be - allowed the remark," and again he seemed asking Tom's pardon - for mentioning the fact.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps you will come back to the cabin and have a little - breakfast with me," he went on. "I don't know what sort of a - galley or cook they have aboard the Beach Hotel, but it - can't be much worse than some I've tackled."</p> - -<p>"No, thank you," answered the youth. "I've had my - breakfast. But I'll wait for you, and then I'd like to get - back. Dad and Mr. Sharp are anxious to meet you."</p> - -<p>"And I am anxious to meet them, if you don't mind me - mentioning it," was the reply, as the captain once more put - the spyglass to his eye and took an observation. "Not many - sails in sight this morning," he added. "But the weather is - fine, and we ought to get off in good shape to hunt for the - treasure about which Mr. Sharp wrote me. I believe we are - going after treasure," he said; "that is, if you don't mind - talking about it."</p> - -<p>"Not in the least," replied Tom quickly, thinking this a - good opportunity for broaching a subject that was worrying - him. "Did you meet a Mr. Berg here last night, Captain - Weston?" he went on.</p> - -<p>"Yes. Mr. Berg and I had quite a talk. He is a well- - informed man."</p> - -<p>"Did he mention the sunken treasure?" asked the lad, eager - to find out if his suspicions were true.</p> - -<p>"Yes, he did, if you'll excuse me putting it so plainly," - answered the seaman, as if Tom might be offended at so - direct a reply. But the young inventor was soon to learn - that this was only an odd habit with the seaman.</p> - -<p>"Did he want to know where the wreck of the Boldero was - located?" continued the lad. "That is, did he try to - discover if you knew anything about it?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Mr. Weston, "he did. He pumped me, if you are - acquainted with that term, and are not offended by it. You - see, when I arrived here I made inquiries as to where your - father's place was located. Mr. Berg overheard me, and - introduced himself as agent for a shipbuilding concern. He - was very friendly, and when he said he knew you and your - parent, I thought he was all right."</p> - -<p>Tom's heart sank. His worst fears were to be realized, he - thought.</p> - -<p>"Yes, he and I talked considerable, if I may be permitted - to say so," went on the captain. "He seemed to know about - the wreck of the Boldero, and that she had three hundred - thousand dollars in gold aboard. The only thing he didn't - know was where the wreck was located. He knew it was off - Uruguay somewhere, but just where he couldn't say. So he - asked me if I knew, since he must have concluded that I was - going with you on the gold-hunting expedition."</p> - -<p>"And you do know, don't you?" asked Tom eagerly.</p> - -<p>"Well, I have it pretty accurately charted out, if you - will allow me that expression," was the calm answer. "I took - pains to look it up at the request of Mr. Sharp."</p> - -<p>"And he wanted to worm that information out of you?" - inquired the youth excitedly.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I'm afraid he did."</p> - -<p>"Did you give him the location?"</p> - -<p>"Well," remarked the captain, as he took another - observation before closing up the telescope, "you see, while - we were talking, I happened to drop a copy of a map I'd - made, showing the location of the wreck. Mr. Berg picked it - up to hand to me, and he looked at it."</p> - -<p>"Oh!" cried Tom. "Then he knows just where the treasure - is, and he may get to it ahead of us. It's too bad."</p> - -<p>"Yes," continued the seaman calmly, "Mr. Berg picked up - that map, and he looked very closely at the latitude and - longitude I had marked as the location of the wreck."</p> - -<p>"Then he won't have any trouble finding it," murmured our - hero.</p> - -<p>"Eh? What's that?" asked the captain, "if I may be - permitted to request you to repeat what you said."</p> - -<p>"I say he won't have any trouble locating the sunken - Boldero," repeated Tom.</p> - -<p>"Oh, but I think he will, if he depends on that map," was - the unexpected reply. "You see," explained Mr. Weston, "I'm - not so simple as I look. I sensed what Mr. Berg was after, - the minute he began to talk to me. So I fixed up a little - game on him. The map which I dropped on purpose, not - accidentally, where he would see it, did have the location - of the wreck marked. Only it didn't happen to be the right - location. It was about five hundred miles out of the way, - and I rather guess if Mr. Berg and his friends go there for - treasure they'll find considerable depth of water and quite - a lonesome spot. Oh, no, I'm not as easy as I look, if you - don't mind me mentioning that fact; and when a scoundrel - sets out to get the best of me, I generally try to turn the - tables on him. I've seen such men as Mr. Berg before. I'm - afraid, I'm very much afraid, the sight he had of the fake - map I made won't do him much good. Well, I declare, it's - past four bells. Let's go to breakfast, if you don't mind me - asking you," and with that the captain started off up the - beach, Tom following, his ideas all a whirl at the unlooked-for - outcome of the interview.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH10" id="CH10">Chapter Ten</a></h2> - -<h3>Trial of the Submarine</h3> - -<p> Tom felt such a relief at hearing of Captain Weston's ruse - that his appetite, sharpened by an early breakfast and the - sea air, came to him with a rush, and he had a second - morning meal with the odd sea captain, who chuckled heartily - when he thought of how Mr Berg had been deceived.</p> - -<p>"Yes," resumed Captain Weston, over his bacon and eggs, "I - sized him up for a slick article as soon as I laid eyes on - him. But he evidently misjudged me, if I may be permitted - that term. Oh, well, we may meet again, after we secure the - treasure, and then I can show him the real map of the - location of the wreck."</p> - -<p> - "Then you have it?" inquired the lad eagerly.</p> - -<p>Captain Weston nodded, before hiding his face behind a - large cup of coffee; his third, by the way.</p> - -<p>"Let me see it?" asked Tom quickly. The captain set down - his cup. He looked carefully about the hotel dining-room. - There were several guests, who, like himself, were having a - late breakfast.</p> - -<p>"It's a good plan," the sailor said slowly, "when you're - going into unknown waters, and don't want to leave a wake - for the other fellow to follow, to keep your charts locked - up. If it's all the same to you," he added diffidently, "I'd - rather wait until we get to where your father and Mr. Sharp - are before displaying the real map. I've no objection to - showing you the one Mr. Berg saw," and again he chuckled.</p> - -<p>The young inventor blushed at his indiscretion. He felt - that the news of the search for the treasure had leaked out - through him, though he was the one to get on the trail of it - by seeing the article in the paper. Now he had nearly been - guilty of another break. He realized that he must be more - cautious. The captain saw his confusion, and said:</p> - -<p>"I know how it is. You're eager to get under way. I don't - blame you. I was the same myself when I was your age. But - we'll soon be at your place, and then I'll tell you all I - know. Sufficient now, to say that I believe I have located - the wreck within a few miles. I got on the track of a sailor - who had met one of the shipwrecked crew of the Boldero, and - he gave me valuable information. Now tell me about the - craft we are going in. A good deal depends on that."</p> - -<p>Tom hardly knew what to answer. He recalled what Mr. Sharp - had said about not wanting to tell Captain Weston, until - the last moment, that they were going in a submarine, for - fear the old seaman (for he was old in point of service - though not in years) might not care to risk an under-water - trip. Therefore Tom hesitated. Seeing it, Captain Weston - remarked quietly:</p> - -<p>"I mean, what type is your submarine? Does it go by - compressed air, or water power?"</p> - -<p>"How do you know it's a submarine?" asked the young - inventor quickly, and in some confusion.</p> - -<p>"Easy enough. When Mr. Berg thought he was pumping me, I - was getting a lot of information from him. He told me about - the submarine his firm was building, and, naturally, he - mentioned yours. One thing led to another until I got a - pretty good idea of your craft. What do you call it?"</p> - -<p>"The Advance."</p> - -<p>"Good name. I like it, if you don't mind speaking of it."</p> - -<p>"We were afraid you wouldn't like it," commented Tom.</p> - -<p>"What, the name?"</p> - -<p>"No, the idea of going in a submarine."</p> - -<p>"Oh," and Captain Weston laughed. "Well, it takes more - than that to frighten me, if you'll excuse the expression. - I've always had a hankering to go under the surface, after - so many years spent on top. Once or twice I came near going - under, whether I wanted to or not, in wrecks, but I think I - prefer your way. Now, if you're all done, and don't mind me - speaking of it, I think we'll start for your place. We must - hustle, for Berg may yet get on our trail, even if he has - got the wrong route," and he laughed again.</p> - -<p>It was no small relief to Mr Swift and Mr. Sharp to learn - that Captain Weston had no objections to a submarine, as - they feared he might have. The captain, in his diffident - manner, made friends at once with the treasure-hunters, and - he and Mr. Damon struck up quite an acquaintance. Tom told - of his meeting with the seaman, and the latter related, with - much gusto, the story of how he had fooled Mr. Berg.</p> - -<p>"Well, perhaps you'd like to come and take a look at the - craft that is to be our home while we're beneath the water," - suggested Mr. Swift and the sailor assenting, the aged - inventor, with much pride, assisted by Tom, pointed out on - the Advance the features of interest. Captain Weston gave - hearty approval, making one or two minor suggestions, which - were carried out.</p> - -<p>"And so you launch her to-morrow," he concluded, when he - had completed the inspection "Well, I hope it's a success, - if I may be permitted to say so."</p> - -<p>There were busy times around the machine shop next day. So - much secrecy had been maintained that none of the residents, - or visitors to the coast resort, were aware that in their - midst was such a wonderful craft as the submarine. The last - touches were put on the under-water ship; the ways, leading - from the shop to the creek, were well greased, and all was - in readiness for the launching. The tide would soon be at - flood, and then the boat would slide down the timbers (at - least, that was the hope of all), and would float in the - element meant to receive her. It was decided that no one - should be aboard when the launching took place, as there was - an element of risk attached, since it was not known just how - buoyant the craft was. It was expected she would float, - until the filled tanks took her to the bottom, but there was - no telling.</p> - -<p>"It will be flood tide now in ten minutes," remarked - Captain Weston quietly, looking at his watch. Then he took - an observation through the telescope. "No hostile ships - hanging in the offing," he reported. "All is favorable, if - you don't mind me saying so," and he seemed afraid lest his - remark might give offense.</p> - -<p>"Get ready," ordered Mr. Swift. "Tom, see that the ropes - are all clear," for it had been decided to ease the Advance - down into the water by means of strong cables and - windlasses, as the creek was so narrow that the submarine, - if launched in the usual way, would poke her nose into the - opposite mud bank and stick there.</p> - -<p>"All clear," reported the young inventor.</p> - -<p>"High tide!" exclaimed the captain a moment later, - snapping shut his watch.</p> - -<p>"Let go!" ordered Mr. Swift, and the various windlasses - manned by the inventor, Tom and the others began to unwind - their ropes. Slowly the ship slid along the greased ways. - Slowly she approached the water. How anxiously they all - watched her! Nearer and nearer her blunt nose, with the - electric propulsion plate and the auxiliary propeller, came - to the creek, the waters of which were quiet now, awaiting - the turn of the tide.</p> - -<p>Now little waves lapped the steel sides. It was the first - contact of the Advance with her native element.</p> - -<p>"Pay out the rope faster!" cried Mr. Swift.</p> - -<p>The windlasses were turned more quickly Foot by foot the - craft slid along until, with a final rush, the stern left - the ways and the submarine was afloat. Now would come the - test. Would she ride on an even keel, or sink out of sight, - or turn turtle? They all ran to the water's edge, Tom in the - lead.</p> - -<p>"Hurrah!" suddenly yelled the lad, trying to stand on his - head. "She floats! She's a success! Come on! Let's get - aboard!"</p> - -<p>For, true enough, the Advance was riding like a duck on - the water. She had been proportioned just right, and her - lines were perfect. She rode as majestically as did any ship - destined to sail on the surface, and not intended to do - double duty.</p> - -<p>"Come on, we must moor her to the pier," directed Mr. - Sharp. "The tide will turn in a few minutes and take her out - to sea."</p> - -<p>He and Tom entered a small boat, and soon the submarine - was tied to a small dock that had been built for the - purpose.</p> - -<p>"Now to try the engine," suggested Mr. Swift, who was - almost trembling with eagerness; for the completion of the - ship meant much to him.</p> - -<p>"One moment," begged Captain Weston. "If you don't mind, - I'll take an observation," he went on, and he swept the - horizon with his telescope. "All clear," he reported. "I - think we may go aboard and make a trial trip."</p> - -<p>Little time was lost in entering the cabin and engine-room, - Garret Jackson accompanying the party to aid with the - machinery. It did not take long to start the motors, dynamos - and the big gasolene engine that was the vital part of the - craft. A little water was admitted to the tanks for ballast, - since the food and other supplies were not yet on board. The - Advance now floated with the deck aft of the conning tower - showing about two feet above the surface of the creek. Mr. - Swift and Tom entered the pilot house.</p> - -<p>"Start the engines," ordered the aged inventor, "and we'll - try my new system of positive and negative electrical - propulsion."</p> - -<p>There was a hum and whir in the body of the ship beneath - the feet of Tom and his father. Captain Weston stood on the - little deck near the conning tower.</p> - -<p>"All ready?" asked the youth through the - speaking tube to Mr. Sharp and Mr. Jackson in - the engine-room.</p> - -<p>"All ready," came the answer.</p> - -<p>Tom threw over the connecting lever, while his father - grasped the steering wheel. The Advance shot forward, moving - swiftly along, about half submerged.</p> - -<p>"She goes! She goes!" cried Tom</p> - -<p>"She certainly does, if I may be permitted to say so," was - the calm contribution of Captain Weston. "I congratulate - you."</p> - -<p>Faster and faster went the new craft. Mr. Swift headed her - toward the open sea, but stopped just before passing out of - the creek, as he was not yet ready to venture into deep - water.</p> - -<p>"I want to test the auxiliary propellers," he said. After - a little longer trial of the electric propulsion plates, - which were found to work satisfactorily, sending the - submarine up and down the creek at a fast rate, the screws, - such as are used on most submarines, were put into gear. - They did well, but were not equal to the plates, nor was so - much expected of them.</p> - -<p>"I am perfectly satisfied," announced Mr. Swift as he once - more headed the boat to sea. "I think, Captain Weston, you - had better go below now."</p> - -<p>"Why so?"</p> - -<p>"Because I am going to completely submerge the craft. Tom, - close the conning tower door. Perhaps you will come in here - with us, Captain Weston, though it will be rather a tight - fit."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, I will. I want to see how it feels to be in a - pilot house under water."</p> - -<p>Tom closed the water-tight door of the conning tower. Word - was sent through the tube to the engine-room that a more - severe test of the ship was about to be made. The craft was - now outside the line of breakers and in the open sea.</p> - -<p>"Is everything ready, Tom?" asked his father in a quiet - voice.</p> - -<p>"Everything," replied the lad nervously, for the - anticipation of being about to sink below the surface was - telling on them all, even on the calm, old sea captain.</p> - -<p>"Then open the tanks and admit the water," ordered Mr. - Swift.</p> - -<p>His son turned a valve and adjusted some levers. There was - a hissing sound, and the Advance began sinking. She was - about to dive beneath the surface of the ocean, and those - aboard her were destined to go through a terrible experience - before she rose again.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH11" id="CH11">Chapter Eleven</a></h2> - -<h3>On the Ocean Bed</h3> - -<p> Lower and lower sank the submarine. There was a swirling - and foaming of the water as she went down, caused by the air - bubbles which the craft carried with her in her descent. - Only the top of the conning tower was out of water now, the - ocean having closed over the deck and the rounded back of - the boat. Had any one been watching they would have imagined - that an accident was taking place.</p> - -<p> - In the pilot house, with its thick glass windows, Tom, his - father and Captain Weston looked over the surface of the - ocean, which every minute was coming nearer and nearer to - them.</p> - -<p>"We'll be all under in a few seconds," spoke Tom in a - solemn voice, as he listened to the water hissing into the - tanks.</p> - -<p>"Yes, and then we can see what sort of progress we will - make," added Mr. Swift. "Everything is going fine, though," - he went on cheerfully. "I believe I have a good boat."</p> - -<p>"There is no doubt of it in my mind," remarked Captain - Weston, and Tom felt a little disappointed that the sailor - did not shout out some such expression as "Shiver my - timbers!" or "Keel-haul the main braces, there, you lubber!" - But Captain Weston was not that kind of a sailor, though his - usually quiet demeanor could be quickly dropped on - necessity, as Tom learned later.</p> - -<p>A few minutes more and the waters closed over the top of - the conning tower. The Advance was completely submerged. - Through the thick glass windows of the pilot house the - occupants looked out into the greenish water that swirled - about them; but it could not enter. Then, as the boat went - lower, the light from above gradually died out, and the - semi-darkness gave place to gloom.</p> - -<p>"Turn on the electrics and the searchlight, Tom," directed - his father.</p> - -<p>There was the click of a switch, and the conning tower was - flooded with light. But as this had the effect of - preventing the three from peering out into the water, just - as one in a lighted room cannot look out into the night, Tom - shut them off and switched on the great searchlight. This - projected its powerful beams straight ahead and there, under - the ocean, was a pathway of illumination for the treasure- - seekers.</p> - -<p>"Fine!" cried Captain Weston, with more enthusiasm than he - had yet manifested. "That's great, if you don't mind me - mentioning it. How deep are we?"</p> - -<p>Tom glanced at a gage on the side of the pilot tower.</p> - -<p>"Only about sixty feet," he answered.</p> - -<p>"Then don't go any deeper!" cried the captain hastily. "I - know these waters around here, and that's about all the - depth you've got. You'll be on the bottom in a minute."</p> - -<p>"I intend to get on the bottom after a while," said Mr. - Swift, "but not here. I want to try for a greater distance - under water before I come to rest on the ocean's bed. But I - think we are deep enough for a test. Tom, close the tank - intake pipes and we'll see how the Advance will progress - when fully submerged."</p> - -<p>The hissing stopped, and then, wishing to see how the - motors and other machinery would work, the aged inventor and - his son, accompanied by Captain Weston, descended from the - conning tower, by means of an inner stairway, to the - interior of the ship. The submarine could be steered and - managed from below or above. She was now floating about - sixty-five feet below the surface of the bay.</p> - -<p>"Well, how do you like it?" asked Tom of Mr. Damon, as he - saw his friend in an easy chair in the living-room or main - cabin of the craft, looking out of one of the plate-glass - windows on the side.</p> - -<p>"Bless my spectacles, it's the most wonderful thing I ever - dreamed of!" cried the queer character, as he peered at the - mass of water before him. "To think that I'm away down under - the surface, and yet as dry as a bone. Bless my necktie, but - it's great! What are we going to do now?"</p> - -<p>"Go forward," replied the young inventor.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps I had better make an observation," suggested - Captain Weston, taking his telescope from under his arm, - where he had carried it since entering the craft, and - opening it. "We may run afoul of something, if you don't - mind me mentioning such a disagreeable subject." Then, as he - thought of the impossibility of using his glass under water, - he closed it.</p> - -<p>"I shall have little use for this here, I'm afraid," he - remarked with a smile. "Well, there's some consolation. - We're not likely to meet many ships in this part of the - ocean. Other vessels are fond enough of remaining on the - surface. I fancy we shall have the depths to ourselves, - unless we meet a Government submarine, and they are hardly - able to go as deep as we can. No, I guess we won't run into - anything and I can put this glass away."</p> - -<p>"Unless we run into Berg and his crowd," suggested Tom in - a low voice.</p> - -<p>"Ha! ha!" laughed Captain Weston, for he did not want Mr. - Swift to worry over the unscrupulous agent. "No, I don't - believe we'll meet them, Tom. I guess Berg is trying to work - out the longitude and latitude I gave him. I wish I could - see his face when he realizes that he's been deceived by - that fake map."</p> - -<p>"Well, I hope he doesn't discover it too soon and trail - us," went on the lad. "But they're going to start the - machinery now. I suppose you and I had better take charge of - the steering of the craft. Dad will want to be in the - engine-room."</p> - -<p>"All right," replied the captain, and he moved forward - with the lad to a small compartment, shut off from the - living-room, that served as a pilot house when the conning - tower was not used. The same levers, wheels and valves were - there as up above, and the submarine could be managed as - well from there as from the other place.</p> - -<p>"Is everything all right?" asked Mr Swift as he went into - the engine-room, where Garret Jackson and Mr. Sharp were - busy with oil cans.</p> - -<p>"Everything," replied the balloonist. "Are you going to - start now?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, we're deep enough for a speed trial. We'll go out to - sea, however, and try for a lower depth record, as soon as - there's enough water. Start the engine."</p> - -<p>A moment later the powerful electric currents were flowing - into the forward and aft plates, and the Advance began to - gather way, forging through the water.</p> - -<p>"Straight ahead, out to sea, Tom," called his father to - him.</p> - -<p>"Aye, aye, sir," responded the youth.</p> - -<p>"Ha! Quite seaman-like, if you don't mind a reference to - it," commented Captain Weston with a smile. "Mind your helm, - boy, for you don't want to poke her nose into a mud bank, or - run up on a shoal."</p> - -<p>"Suppose you steer?" suggested the lad. "I'd rather take - lessons for a while."</p> - -<p>"All right. Perhaps it will be safer. I know these waters - from the top, though I can't say as much for the bottom. - However, I know where the shoals are."</p> - -<p>The powerful searchlight was turned, so as to send its - beams along the path which the submarine was to follow, and - then, as she gathered speed, she shot ahead, gliding through - the waters like a fish.</p> - -<p>Mr. Damon divided his time between the forward pilot-room, - the living-apartment, and the place where Mr. Swift, Garret - Jackson and Mr. Sharp were working over the engines. Every - few minutes he would bless some part of himself, his - clothing, or the ship. Finally the old man settled down to - look through the plate-glass windows in the main apartment.</p> - -<p>On and on went the submarine. She behaved perfectly, and - was under excellent control. Some times Tom, at the request - of his father, would send her toward the surface by means of - the deflecting rudder. Then she would dive to the bottom - again. Once, as a test, she was sent obliquely to the - surface, her tower just emerging, and then she darted - downward again, like a porpoise that had come up to roll - over, and suddenly concluded to seek the depths. In fact, - had any one seen the maneuver they would have imagined the - craft was a big fish disporting itself.</p> - -<p>Captain Weston remained at Tom's side, giving him - instructions, and watching the compass in order to direct - the steering so as to avoid collisions. For an hour or more - the craft was sent almost straight ahead at medium speed. - Then Mr. Swift, joining his son and the captain, remarked:</p> - -<p>"How about depth of water here, Captain Weston?"</p> - -<p>"You've got more than a mile."</p> - -<p>"Good! Then I'm going down to the bottom of the sea! Tom, - fill the tanks still more.</p> - -<p>"Aye, aye, sir," answered the lad gaily. "Now for a new - experience!"</p> - -<p>"And use the deflecting rudder, also," advised his father. - "That will hasten matters."</p> - -<p>Five minutes later there was a slight jar noticeable.</p> - -<p>"Bless my soul! What's that?" cried Mr. Damon. "Have we - hit something?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," answered Tom with a smile.</p> - -<p>"What, for gracious sake?"</p> - -<p>"The bottom of the sea. We're on the bed of the ocean."</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH12" id="CH12">Chapter Twelve</a></h2> - -<h3>For a Breath of Air</h3> - -<p> - They could hardly realize it, yet the depth-gage told the - story. It registered a distance below the surface of the - ocean of five thousand seven hundred feet--a little over a - mile. The Advance had actually come to rest on the bottom of - the Atlantic.</p> - -<p>"Hurrah!" cried Tom. "Let's get on the diving suits, dad, - and walk about on land under water for a change."</p> - -<p> - "No," said Mr. Swift soberly. "We will hardly have time - for that now. Besides, the suits are not yet fitted with the - automatic air-tanks, and we can't use them. There are still - some things to do before we start on our treasure cruise. - But I want to see how the plates are standing this - pressure."</p> - -<p>The Advance was made with a triple hull, the spaces - between the layers of plates being filled with a secret - material, capable of withstanding enormous pressure, as were - also the plates themselves. Mr. Swift, aided by Mr. Jackson - and Captain Weston, made a thorough examination, and found - that not a drop of water had leaked in, nor was there the - least sign that any of the plates had given way under the - terrific strain.</p> - -<p>"She's as tight as a drum, if you will allow me to make - that comparison," remarked Captain Weston modestly. "I - couldn't ask for a dryer ship."</p> - -<p>"Well, let's take a look around by means the searchlight - and the observation windows, and then we'll go back," - suggested Mr. Swift. "It will take about two days to get the - stores and provisions aboard and rig up the diving suits; - then we will start for the sunken treasure."</p> - -<p>There were several powerful searchlights on the Advance, - so arranged that the bow, stern or either side could be - illuminated independently. There were also observation - windows near each light.</p> - -<p>In turn the powerful rays were cast first at the bow and - then aft. In the gleams could be seen the sandy bed of the - ocean, covered with shells of various kinds. Great crabs - walked around on their long, jointed legs, and Tom saw some - lobsters that would have brought joy to the heart of a - fisherman.</p> - -<p>"Look at the big fish!" cried Mr. Damon suddenly, and he - pointed to some dark, shadowy forms that swam up to the - glass windows, evidently puzzled by the light.</p> - -<p>"Porpoises," declared Captain Weston briefly, "a whole - school of them."</p> - -<p>The fish seemed suddenly to multiply, and soon those in - the submarine felt curious tremors running through the whole - craft.</p> - -<p>"The fish are rubbing up against it," cried Tom. "They - must think we came down here to allow them to scratch their - backs on the steel plates."</p> - -<p>For some time they remained on the bottom, watching the - wonderful sight of the fishes that swam all about them.</p> - -<p>"Well, I think we may as well rise," announced Mr. Swift, - after they had been on the bottom about an hour, moving here - and there. "We didn't bring any provisions, and I'm getting - hungry, though I don't know how the others of you feel about - it."</p> - -<p>"Bless my dinner-plate, I could eat, too!" cried Mr. - Damon. "Go up, by all means. We'll get enough of under-water - travel once we start for the treasure."</p> - -<p>"Send her up, Tom," called his father. "I Want to make a - few notes on some needed changes and improvements."</p> - -<p>Tom entered the lower pilot house, and turned the valve - that opened the tanks. He also pulled the lever that started - the pumps, so that the water ballast would be more quickly - emptied, as that would render the submarine buoyant, and she - would quickly shoot to the surface. To the surprise of the - lad, however, there followed no outrushing of the water. The - Advance remained stationary on the ocean bed. Mr. Swift - looked up from his notes.</p> - -<p>"Didn't you hear me ask you to send her up, Tom?" he - inquired mildly.</p> - -<p>"I did, dad, but something seems to be the matter," was - the reply.</p> - -<p>"Matter? What do you mean?" and the aged inventor hastened - to where his son and Captain Weston were at the wheels, - valves and levers.</p> - -<p>"Why, the tanks won't empty, and the pumps don't seem to - work."</p> - -<p>"Let me try," suggested Mr. Swift, and he pulled the - various handles. There was no corresponding action of the - machinery.</p> - -<p>"That's odd," he remarked in a curious voice "Perhaps - something has gone wrong with the connections. Go look in - the engine-room, and ask Mr. Sharp if everything is all - right there."</p> - -<p>Tom made a quick trip, returning to report that the - dynamos, motors and gas engine were running perfectly.</p> - -<p>"Try to work the tank levers and pumps from the conning - tower," suggested Captain Weston. "Sometimes I've known the - steam steering gear to play tricks like that."</p> - -<p>Tom hurried up the circular stairway into the tower. He - pulled the levers and shifted the valves and wheels there. - But there was no emptying of the water tanks. The weight and - pressure of water in them still held the submarine on the - bottom of the sea, more than a mile from the surface. The - pumps in the engine-room were working at top speed, but - there was evidently something wrong in the connections. - Mr. Swift quickly came to this conclusion.</p> - -<p>"We must repair it at once," he said. "Tom, come to the - engine-room. You and I, with Mr. Jackson and Mr. Sharp, will - soon have it in shape again."</p> - -<p>"Is there any danger?" asked Mr. Damon in a perturbed - voice. "Bless my soul, it's unlucky to have an accident on - our trial trip."</p> - -<p>"Oh, we must expect accidents," declared Mr. Swift with a - smile. "This is nothing."</p> - -<p>But it proved to be more difficult than he had imagined - to re-establish the connection between the pumps and the - tanks. The valves, too, had clogged or jammed, and as the - pressure outside the ship was so great, the water would not - run out of itself. It must be forced.</p> - -<p>For an hour or more the inventor, his son and the others, - worked away. They could accomplish nothing. Tom looked - anxiously at his parent when the latter paused in his - efforts.</p> - -<p>"Don't worry," advised the aged inventor. "It's got to - come right sooner or later."</p> - -<p>Just then Mr. Damon, who had been wandering about the - ship, entered the engine-room.</p> - -<p>"Do you know," he said, "you ought to open a window, or - something."</p> - -<p>"Why, what's the matter?" asked Tom quickly, looking to - see if the odd man was joking.</p> - -<p>"Well, of course I don't exactly mean a window," explained - Mr. Damon, "but we need fresh air."</p> - -<p>"Fresh air!" There was a startled note in Mr. Swift's - voice as he repeated the words.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I can hardly breathe in the living-room, and it's - not much better here."</p> - -<p>"Why, there ought to be plenty of fresh air," went on the - inventor. "It is renewed automatically."</p> - -<p>Tom jumped up and looked at an indicator. He uttered a - startled cry.</p> - -<p>"The air hasn't been changed in the last hour!" he - exclaimed. "It is bad. There's not enough oxygen in it. I - notice it, now that I've stopped working. The gage indicates - it, too. The automatic air-changer must have stopped - working. I'll fix it."</p> - -<p>He hurried to the machine which was depended on to supply - fresh air to the submarine.</p> - -<p>"Why, the air tanks are empty!" the young inventor cried. - "We haven't any more air except what is in the ship now!"</p> - -<p>"And we're rapidly breathing that up," added Captain - Weston solemnly.</p> - -<p>"Can't you make more?" cried Mr. Damon. "I thought you - said you could make oxygen aboard the ship."</p> - -<p>"We can," answered Mr. Swift, "but I did not bring along a - supply of the necessary chemicals. I did not think we would - be submerged long enough for that. But there should have - been enough in the reserve tank to last several days. How - about it, Tom?"</p> - -<p>"It's all leaked out, or else it wasn't filled," was the - despairing answer. "All the air we have is what's in the - ship, and we can't make more."</p> - -<p>The treasure-seekers looked at each other. It was an awful - situation.</p> - -<p>"Then the only thing to do is to fix the machinery and - rise to the surface," said Mr. Sharp simply. "We can have - all the air we want, then."</p> - -<p>"Yes, but the machinery doesn't seem possible of being - fixed," spoke Tom in a low voice.</p> - -<p>"We must do it!" cried his father.</p> - -<p>They set to work again with fierce energy, laboring for - their very lives. They all knew that they could not long - remain in the ship without oxygen. Nor could they desert it - to go to the surface, for the moment they left the - protection of the thick steel sides the terrible pressure of - the water would kill them. Nor were the diving suits - available. They must stay in the craft and die a miserable - death-unless the machinery could be repaired and the Advance - sent to the surface. The emergency expanding lifting tank - was not yet in working order.</p> - -<p>More frantically they toiled, trying every device that was -suggested to the mechanical minds of Tom, his father, Mr. -Sharp or Mr. Jackson, to make the pumps work. But something -was wrong. More and more foul grew the air. They were -fairly gasping now. It was difficult to breathe, to say -nothing of working, in that atmosphere. The thought of their -terrible position was in the minds of all.</p> - -<p>"Oh, for one breath of fresh air!" cried Mr. Damon, who - seemed to suffer more than any of the others. Grim death was - hovering around them, imprisoned as they were on the ocean's - bed, over a mile from the surface.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH13" id="CH13">Chapter Thirteen</a></h2> - -<h3>Off for the Treasure</h3> - -<p> Suddenly Tom, after a moment's pause, seized a wrench and - began loosening some nuts.</p> - -<p>"What are you doing?" asked his father faintly, for he was - being weakened by the vitiated atmosphere.</p> - -<p>"I'm going to take this valve apart," replied his son. "We - haven't looked there for the trouble. Maybe it's out of - order."</p> - -<p> - He attacked the valve with energy, but his hands soon - lagged. The lack of oxygen was telling on him. He could no - longer work quickly.</p> - -<p>"I'll help," murmured Mr. Sharp thickly. He took a wrench, - but no sooner had he loosened one nut than he toppled over. - "I'm all in," he murmured feebly.</p> - -<p>"Is he dead?" cried Mr. Damon, himself gasping.</p> - -<p>"No, only fainted. But he soon will be dead, and so will - all of us, if we don't get fresh air," remarked Captain - Weston. "Lie down on the floor, every one. There is a little - fairly good air there. It's heavier than the air we've - breathed, and we can exist on it for a little longer. Poor - Sharp was so used to breathing the rarified air of high - altitudes that he can't stand this heavy atmosphere."</p> - -<p>Mr. Damon was gasping worse than ever, and so was Mr. - Swift. The balloonist lay an inert heap on the floor, with - Captain Weston trying to force a few drops of stimulant down - his throat.</p> - -<p>With a fierce determination in his heart, but with fingers - that almost refused to do his bidding, Tom once more sought - to open the big valve. He felt sure the trouble was located - there, as they had tried to locate it in every other place - without avail.</p> - -<p>"I'll help," said Mr. Jackson in a whisper. He, too, was - hardly able to move.</p> - -<p>More and more devoid of oxygen grew the air. It gave Tom a - sense as if his head was filled, and ready to burst with - every breath he drew. Still he struggled to loosen the nuts. - There were but four more now, and he took off three while - Mr. Jackson removed one. The young inventor lifted off the - valve cover, though it felt like a ton weight to him. He - gave a glance inside.</p> - -<p>"Here's the trouble!" he murmured. "The valve's clogged. - No wonder it wouldn't work. The pumps couldn't force the - water out."</p> - -<p>It was the work of only a minute to adjust the valve. Then - Tom and the engineer managed to get the cover back on.</p> - -<p>How they inserted the bolts and screwed the nuts in place - they never could remember clearly afterward, but they - managed it somehow, with shaking, trembling hands and eyes - that grew more and more dim.</p> - -<p>"Now start the pumps!" cried Tom faintly. "The tanks will - be emptied, and we can get to the surface."</p> - -<p>Mr. Sharp was still unconscious, nor was Mr. Swift able to - help. He lay with his eyes closed. Garret Jackson, however, - managed to crawl to the engine-room, and soon the clank of - machinery told Tom that the pumps were in motion. The lad - staggered to the pilot house and threw the levers over. An - instant later there was the hissing of water as it rushed - from the ballast tanks. The submarine shivered, as though - disliking to leave the bottom of the sea, and then slowly - rose. As the pumps worked more rapidly, and the sea was sent - from the tank in great volumes, the boat fairly shot to the - surface. Tom was ready to open the conning tower and let in - fresh air as soon as the top was above the surface.</p> - -<p>With a bound the Advance reached the top. Tom frantically - worked the worm gear that opened the tower. In rushed the - fresh, life-giving air, and the treasure-hunters filled - their lungs with it.</p> - -<p>And it was only just in time, for Mr. Sharp was almost - gone. He quickly revived, as did the others, when they could - breathe as much as they wished of the glorious oxygen.</p> - -<p>"That was a close call," commented Mr. Swift. "We'll not - go below again until I have provided for all emergencies. I - should have seen to the air tanks and the expanding one - before going below. We'll sail home on the surface now."</p> - -<p>The submarine was put about and headed for her dock. On - the way she passed a small steamer, and the passengers - looked down in wonder at the strange craft.</p> - -<p>When the Advance reached the secluded creek where she had - been launched, her passengers had fully recovered from their - terrible experience, though the nerves of Mr. Swift and Mr. - Damon were not at ease for some days thereafter.</p> - -<p>"I should never have made a submerged test without making - sure that we had a reserve supply of air," remarked the aged - inventor. "I will not be caught that way again. But I can't - understand how the pump valve got out of order."</p> - -<p>"Maybe some one tampered with it," suggested Mr. Damon. - "Could Andy Foger, any of the Happy Harry gang, or the rival - gold-seekers have done it?"</p> - -<p>"I hardly think so," answered Tom. "The place has been too - carefully guarded since Berg and Andy once sneaked in. I - think it was just an accident, but I have thought of a plan - whereby such accidents can be avoided in the future. It - needs a simple device."</p> - -<p>"Better patent it," suggested Mr. Sharp with a smile.</p> - -<p>"Maybe I will," replied the young inventor. "But not now. - We haven't time, if we intend to get fitted out for our - trip."</p> - -<p>"No; I should say the sooner we started the better," - remarked Captain Weston. "That is, if you don't mind me - speaking about it," he added gently, and the others smiled, - for his diffident comments were only a matter of habit.</p> - -<p>The first act of the adventurers, after tying the - submarine at the dock, was to proceed with the loading of - the food and supplies. Tom and Mr. Damon looked to this, - while Mr. Swift and Mr. Sharp made some necessary changes to - the machinery. The next day the young inventor attached his - device to the pump valve, and the loading of the craft was - continued.</p> - -<p>All was in readiness for the gold-seeking expedition a - week later. Captain Weston had carefully charted the route - they were to follow, and it was decided to move along on the - surface for the first day, so as to get well out to sea - before submerging the craft. Then it would sink below the - surface, and run along under the water until the wreck was - reached, rising at times, as needed, to renew the air - supply.</p> - -<p>With sufficient stores and provisions aboard to last - several months, if necessary, though they did not expect to - be gone more than sixty days at most, the adventurers arose - early one morning and went down to the dock. Mr. Jackson was - not to accompany them. He did not care about a submarine - trip, he said, and Mr. Swift desired him to remain at the - seaside cottage and guard the shops, which contained much - valuable machinery. The airship was also left there.</p> - -<p>"Well, are we all ready?" asked Mr. Swift of the little - party of gold-seekers, as they were about to enter the - conning tower hatchway of the submarine.</p> - -<p>"All ready, dad," responded his son.</p> - -<p>"Then let's get aboard," proposed Captain Weston. "But - first let me take an observation."</p> - -<p>He swept the horizon with his telescope, and Tom noticed - that the sailor kept it fixed on one particular spot for - some time.</p> - -<p>"Did you see anything?" asked the lad.</p> - -<p>"Well, there is a boat lying off there," was the answer. - "And some one is observing us through a glass. But I don't - believe it matters. Probably they're only trying to see what - sort of an odd fish we are."</p> - -<p>"All aboard, then," ordered Mr. Swift, and they went into - the submarine. Tom and his father, with Captain Weston, - remained in the conning tower. The signal was given, the - electricity flowed into the forward and aft plates, and the - Advance shot ahead on the surface.</p> - -<p>The sailor raised his telescope once more and peered - through a window in the tower. He uttered an exclamation.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" asked Tom.</p> - -<p>"That other ship--a small steamer--is weighing anchor and - seems to be heading this way," was the reply.</p> - -<p>"Maybe it's some one hired by Berg to follow us and trace - our movements," suggested Tom.</p> - -<p>"If it is we'll fool them," added his father. "Just keep - an eye on them, captain, and I think we can show them a - trick or two in a few minutes."</p> - -<p>Faster shot the Advance through the water. She had started - on her way to get the gold from the sunken wreck, but - already enemies were on the trail of the adventurers, for - the ship the sailor had noticed was steaming after them.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH14" id="CH14">Chapter Fourteen</a></h2> - -<h3>In the Diving Suits</h3> - -<p> - There was no doubt that the steamer was coming after the - submarine. Several observations Captain Weston made - confirmed this, and he reported the fact to Mr. Swift.</p> - -<p>"Well, we'll change our plans, then," said the inventor. - "Instead of sailing on the surface we'll go below. But first - let them get near so they may have the benefit of seeing - what we do. Tom, go below, please, and tell Mr. Sharp to get - every thing in readiness for a quick descent. We'll slow up - a bit now, and let them get nearer to us."</p> - -<p> - The speed of the submarine was reduced, and in a short - time the strange steamer had overhauled her, coming to - within hailing distance.</p> - -<p>Mr. Swift signaled for the machinery to stop and the - submarine came to a halt on the surface, bobbing about like - a half-submerged bottle. The inventor opened a bull's-eye in - the tower, and called to a man on the bridge of the steamer:</p> - -<p>"What are you following us for?"</p> - -<p>"Following you?" repeated the man, for the strange vessel - had also come to a stop. "We're not following you."</p> - -<p>"It looks like it," replied Mr. Swift. "You'd better give - it up."</p> - -<p>"I guess the waters are free," was the quick retort. - "We'll follow you if we like."</p> - -<p>"Will you? Then come on!" cried the inventor as he quickly - closed the heavy glass window and pulled a lever. An instant - later the submarine began to sink, and Mr. Swift could not - help laughing as, just before the tower went under water, he - had a glimpse of the astonished face of the man on the - bridge. The latter had evidently not expected such a move as - that.</p> - -<p>Lower and lower in the water went the craft, until it was - about two hundred feet below the surface. Then Mr. Swift - left the conning tower, descended to the main part of the - ship, and asked Tom and Captain Weston to take charge of the - pilot house.</p> - -<p>"Send her ahead, Tom," his father said. "That fellow up - above is rubbing his eyes yet, wondering where we are, I - suppose."</p> - -<p>Forward shot the Advance under water, the powerful - electrical plates pulling and pushing her on the way to - secure the sunken gold.</p> - -<p>All that morning a fairly moderate rate of speed was - maintained, as it was thought best not to run the new - machinery too fast.</p> - -<p>Dinner was eaten about a quarter of a mile below the - surface, but no one inside the submarine would ever have - known it. Electric lights made the place as brilliant as - could be desired, and the food, which Tom and Mr. Damon - prepared, was equal to any that could have been served on - land. After the meal they opened the shutters over the - windows in the sides of the craft, and looked at the myriads - of fishes swimming past, as the creatures were disclosed in - the glare of the searchlight.</p> - -<p>That night they were several hundred miles on their - journey, for the craft was speedy, and leaving Tom and - Captain Weston to take the first watch, the others went to - bed.</p> - -<p>"Bless my soul, but it does seem odd, though, to go to bed - under water, like a fish," remarked Mr. Damon. "If my wife - knew this she would worry to death. She thinks I'm off - automobiling. But this isn't half as dangerous as riding in - a car that's always getting out of order. A submarine for - mine, every time."</p> - -<p>"Wait until we get to the end of this trip," advised Tom. - "I guess you'll find almost as many things can happen in a - submarine as can in an auto," and future events were to - prove the young inventor to be right.</p> - -<p>Everything worked well that night, and the ship made good - progress. They rose to the surface the next morning to make - sure of their position, and to get fresh air, though they - did not really need the latter, as the reserve supply had - not been drawn on, and was sufficient for several days, now - that the oxygen machine had been put in running order.</p> - -<p>On the second day the ship was sent to the bottom and - halted there, as Mr. Swift wished to try the new diving - suits. These were made of a new, light, but very strong - metal to withstand the pressure of a great depth.</p> - -<p>Tom, Mr. Sharp and Captain Weston donned the suits, the - others agreeing to wait until they saw how the first trial - resulted. Then, too, it was necessary for some one - acquainted with the machinery to remain in the ship to - operate the door and water chamber through which the divers - had to pass to get out.</p> - -<p>The usual plan, with some changes, was followed in letting - the three out of the boat, and on to the bottom of the sea. - They entered a chamber in the side of the submarine, water - was gradually admitted until it equaled in pressure that - outside, then an outer door was opened by means of levers, - and they could step out</p> - -<p>It was a curious sensation to Tom and the others to feel - that they were actually walking along the bed of the ocean. - All around them was the water, and as they turned on the - small electric lights in their helmets, which lights were - fed by storage batteries fastened to the diving suits, they - saw the fish, big and little, swarm up to them, doubtless - astonished at the odd creatures which had entered their - domain. On the sand of the bottom, and in and out among the - shells and rocks, crawled great spider crabs, big eels and - other odd creatures seldom seen on the surface of the water. - The three divers found no difficulty in breathing, as there - were air tanks fastened to their shoulders, and a constant - supply of oxygen was fed through pipes into the helmets. The - pressure of water did not bother them, and after the first - sensation Tom began to enjoy the novelty of it. At first the - inability to speak to his companions seemed odd, but he - soon got so he could make signs and motions, and be - understood.</p> - -<p>They walked about for some time, and once the lad came - upon a part of a wrecked vessel buried deep in the sand. - There was no telling what ship it was, nor how long it had - been there, and after silently viewing it, they continued on</p> - -<p>"It was great!" were the first words Tom uttered when he - and the others were once more inside the submarine and had - removed the suits. "If we can only walk around the wreck of - the Boldero that way, we'll have all the gold out of her in - no time. There are no life-lines nor air-hose to bother with - in these diving suits."</p> - -<p>"They certainly are a success," conceded Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>"Bless my topknot!" cried Mr. Damon. "I'll try it next - time. I've always wanted to be a diver, and now I have the - chance."</p> - -<p>The trip was resumed after the diving chamber had been - closed, and on the third day Captain Weston announced, after - a look at his chart, that they were nearing the Bahama - Islands.</p> - -<p>"We'll have to be careful not to run into any of the small - keys," he said, that being the name for the many little - points of land, hardly large enough to be dignified by the - name of island. "We must keep a constant lookout."</p> - -<p>Fortune favored them, though once, when Tom was steering, - he narrowly avoided ramming a coral reef with the submarine. - The searchlight showed it to him just in time, and he - sheered off with a thumping in his heart.</p> - -<p>The course was changed from south to east, so as to get - ready to swing out of the way of the big shoulder of South - America where Brazil takes up so much room, and as they went - farther and farther toward the equator, they noticed that - the waters teemed more and more with fish, some beautiful, - some ugly and fear-inspiring, and some such monsters that it - made one shudder to look at them, even through the thick - glass of the bulls-eye windows.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH15" id="CH15">Chapter Fifteen</a></h2> - -<h3>At the Tropical Island</h3> - -<p> - It was on the evening of the fourth day later that Captain - Weston, who was steering the craft, suddenly called out:</p> - -<p>"Land ho!"</p> - -<p>"Where away?" inquired Tom quickly, for he had read that - this was the proper response to make.</p> - -<p>"Dead ahead," answered the sailor with a smile. "Shall we - make for it, if I may be allowed the question?"</p> - -<p>"What land is it likely to be?" Mr. Swift wanted to know.</p> - -<p>"Oh, some small tropical island," replied the seafaring - man. "It isn't down on the charts. Probably it's too small - to note. I should say it was a coral island, but we may be - able to find a Spring of fresh water there, and some fruit."</p> - -<p> - "Then we'll land there," decided the inventor. "We can use - some fresh water, though our distilling and ice apparatus - does very well."</p> - -<p>They made the island just at dusk, and anchored in a - little lagoon, where there was a good depth of water.</p> - -<p>"Now for shore!" cried Tom, as the submarine swung around - on the chain. "It looks like a fine place. I hope there are - cocoanuts and oranges here. Shall I get out the electric - launch, dad?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, you may, and we'll all go ashore. It will do us good - to stretch our legs a bit."</p> - -<p>Carried in a sort of pocket on the deck of the submarine - was a small electric boat, capable of holding six. It could - be slid from the pocket, or depression, into the water - without the use of davits, and, with Mr. Sharp to aid him, - Tom soon had the little craft afloat. The batteries were - already charged, and just as the sun was going down the - gold-seekers entered the launch and were soon on shore.</p> - -<p>They found a good spring of water close at hand, and Tom's - wish regarding the cocoanuts was realized, though there were - no oranges. The lad took several of the delicious nuts, and - breaking them open poured the milk into a collapsible cup he - carried, drinking it eagerly. The others followed his - example, and pronounced it the best beverage they had tasted - in a long time.</p> - -<p>The island was a typical tropical one, not very large, and - it did not appear to have been often visited by man. There - were no animals to be seen, but myriads of birds flew here - and there amid the trees, the trailing vines and streamers - of moss.</p> - -<p>"Let's spend a day here to-morrow and explore it," - proposed Tom, and his father nodded an assent. They went - back to the submarine as night was beginning to gather, and - in the cabin, after supper, talked over the happenings of - their trip so far.</p> - -<p>"Do you think we'll have any trouble getting - the gold out of the wrecked vessel?" asked Tom of Captain - Weston, after a pause.</p> - -<p>"Well, it's hard to say. I couldn't learn just how the - wreck lays, whether it's on a sandy or a rocky bottom. If - the latter, it won't be so hard, but if the sand has worked - in and partly covered it, we'll have some difficulties, if I - may be permitted to say so. However, don't borrow trouble. - We're not there yet, though at the rate we're traveling it - won't be long before we arrive."</p> - -<p>No watch was set that night, as it was not considered - necessary. Tom was the first to arise in the morning, and he - went out on the deck for a breath of fresh air before - breakfast.</p> - -<p>He looked off at the beautiful little island, and as his - eye took in all of the little lagoon where the submarine was - anchored he uttered a startled cry.</p> - -<p>And well he might, for, not a hundred yards away, and - nearer to the island than was the Advance, floated another - craft--another craft, almost similar in shape and size to - the one built by the Swifts. Tom rubbed his eyes to make - sure he was not seeing double. No, there could be no mistake - about it. There was another submarine at the tropical - island.</p> - -<p>As he looked, some one emerged from the conning tower of - the second craft. The figure seemed strangely familiar. Tom - knew in a moment who it was--Addison Berg. The agent saw the - lad, too, and taking off his cap and making a mocking bow, - he called out:</p> - -<p>"Good morning! Have you got the gold yet?"</p> - -<p>Tom did not know what to answer. Seeing the other - submarine, at an island where he had supposed they would not - be disturbed, was disconcerting enough, but to be greeted by - Berg was altogether too much, Tom thought. His fears that - the rival boat builders would follow had not been without - foundation.</p> - -<p>"Rather surprised to see us, aren't you?" went on Mr. - Berg, smiling.</p> - -<p>"Rather," admitted Tom, choking over the word.</p> - -<p>"Thought you'd be," continued Berg. "We didn't expect to - meet you so soon, but we're glad we did. I don't altogether - like hunting for sunken treasure, with such indefinite - directions as I have."</p> - -<p>"You--are going to--" stammered Tom, and then he concluded - it would be best not to say anything. But his talk had been - heard inside the submarine. His father came to the foot of - the conning tower stairway.</p> - -<p>"To whom are you speaking, Tom?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"They're here, dad," was the youth's answer.</p> - -<p>"Here? Who are here?"</p> - -<p>"Berg and his employers. They've followed us, dad."</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH16" id="CH16">Chapter Sixteen</a></h2> - -<h3>"We'll Race You For It"</h3> - -<p> Mr. Swift hurried up on deck. He was accompanied by - Captain Weston. At the sight of Tom's father, Mr. Berg, who - had been joined by' two other men, called out:</p> - -<p>"You see we also concluded to give up the trial for the - Government prize, Mr. Swift. We decided there was more money - in something else. But we still will have a good chance to - try the merits of our respective boats. We hurried and got - ours fitted up almost as soon as you did yours, and I think - we have the better craft."</p> - -<p>"I don't care to enter into any competition with you," - said Mr. Swift coldly.</p> - -<p>"Ah, but I'm afraid you'll have to, whether you want to or - not," was the insolent reply.</p> - -<p> - "What's that? Do you mean to force this matter upon me?"</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid I'll have to--my employers and I, that is. You - see, we managed to pick up your trail after you left the - Jersey coast, having an idea where you were bound, and we - don't intend to lose you now."</p> - -<p>"Do you mean to follow us?" asked Captain Weston softly.</p> - -<p>"Well, you can put it that way if you like," answered one - of the two men with Mr. Berg.</p> - -<p>"I forbid it!" cried Mr. Swift hotly. "You have no right - to sneak after us."</p> - -<p>"I guess the ocean is free," continued the rascally agent.</p> - -<p>"Why do you persist in keeping after us?" inquired the - aged inventor, thinking it well to ascertain, if possible, - just how much the men knew.</p> - -<p>"Because we're after that treasure as well as you," was - the bold reply. "You have no exclusive right to it. The - sunken ship is awaiting the first comer, and whoever gets - there first can take the gold from the wreck. We intend to - be there first, but we'll be fair with you."</p> - -<p>"Fair? What do you mean?" demanded Tom.</p> - -<p>"This: We'll race you for it. The first one to arrive will - have the right to search the wreck for the gold bullion. Is - that fair? Do you agree to it?"</p> - -<p>"We agree to nothing with you," interrupted Captain - Weston, his usual diffident manner all gone. "I happen to be - in partial command of this craft, and I warn you that if I - find you interfering with us it won't be healthy for you. - I'm not fond of fighting, but when I begin I don't like to - stop," and he smiled grimly. "You'd better not follow us."</p> - -<p>"We'll do as we please," shouted the third member of the - trio on the deck of the other boat, which, as Tom could see, - was named the Wonder. "We intend to get that gold if we - can,"</p> - -<p>"All right. I've warned you," went on the sailor, and - then, motioning to Tom and his father to follow, he went - below.</p> - -<p>"Well, what's to be done?" asked Mr. Swift when they were - seated in the living-room, and had informed the others of - the presence of the rival submarine.</p> - -<p>"The only thing I see to do is to sneak away unobserved, - go as deep as possible, and make all haste for the wreck," - advised the captain. "They will depend on us, for they have - evidently no chart of the wreck, though of course the - general location of it may be known to them from reading the - papers. I hoped I had thrown them off the track by the false - chart I dropped, but it seems they were too smart for us."</p> - -<p>"Have they a right to follow us?" asked Tom.</p> - -<p>"Legally, but not morally. We can't prevent them, I'm - afraid. The only thing to do is to get there ahead of them. - It will be a race for the sunken treasure, and we must get - there first."</p> - -<p>"What do you propose doing, captain?" asked Mr. Damon. - "Bless my shirt-studs, but can't we pull their ship up on - the island and leave it there?"</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid such high-handed proceedings would hardly - answer," replied Mr. Swift. "No, as Captain Weston says, we - must get there ahead of them. What do you think will be the - best scheme, captain?"</p> - -<p>"Well, there's no need for us to forego our plan to get - fresh water. Suppose we go to the island, that is, some of - us, leaving a guard on board here. We'll fill our tanks with - fresh water, and at night we'll quietly sink below the - surface and speed away."</p> - -<p>They all voted that an excellent idea, and little time was - lost putting it into operation.</p> - -<p>All the remainder of that day not a sign of life was - visible about the Wonder. She lay inert on the surface of - the lagoon, not far away from the Advance; but, though no - one showed himself on the deck, Tom and his friends had no - doubt but that their enemies were closely watching them.</p> - -<p>As dusk settled down over The tropical sea, and as the - shadows of the trees on the little island lengthened, those - on board the Advance closed the Conning tower. No lights - were turned on, as they did not want their movements to be - seen, but Tom, his father and Mr. Sharp took their positions - near the various machines and apparatus, ready to open the - tanks and let the submarine sink to the bottom, as soon as - it was possible to do this unobserved.</p> - -<p>"Luckily there's no moon," remarked Captain Weston, as he - took his place beside Tom. "Once below the surface and we - can defy them to find us. It is odd how they traced us, but - I suppose that steamer gave them the clue."</p> - -<p>It rapidly grew dark, as it always does in the tropics, - and when a cautious observation from the conning tower did - not disclose the outlines of the other boat, those aboard - the Advance rightly concluded that their rivals were unable - to see them.</p> - -<p>"Send her down, Tom," called his father, and with a hiss - the water entered the tanks. The submarine quickly sank - below the surface, aided by the deflecting rudder.</p> - -<p>But alas for the hopes of the gold-seekers. No sooner was - she completely submerged, with the engine started so as to - send her out of the lagoon and to the open sea, than the - waters all about were made brilliant by the phosphorescent - phenomenon. In southern waters this frequently occurs. - Millions of tiny creatures, which, it is said, swarm in the - warm currents, give an appearance of fire to the ocean, and - any object moving through it can plainly be seen. It was so - with the Advance. The motion she made in shooting forward, - and the undulations caused by her submersion, seemed to - start into activity the dormant phosphorus, and the - submarine was afloat in a sea of fire.</p> - -<p>"Quick!" cried Tom. "Speed her up! Maybe we can get out of - this patch of water before they see us."</p> - -<p>But it was too late. Above them they could hear the - electric siren of the Wonder as it was blown to let them - know that their escape had been noticed. A moment later the - water, which acted as a sort of sounding-board, or - telephone, brought to the ears of Tom Swift and his friends - the noise of the engines of the other craft in operation. - She was coming after them. The race for the possession of - three hundred thousand dollars in gold was already under - way. Fate seemed against those on board the Advance.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH17" id="CH17">Chapter Seventeen</a></h2> - -<h3>The Race</h3> - -<p> Directed by Captain Weston, who glanced at the compass and - told him which way to steer to clear the outer coral reef, - Tom sent the submarine ahead, signaling for full speed to - the engine-room, where his father and Mr. Sharp were. The - big dynamos purred like great cats, as they sent the - electrical energy into the forward and aft plates, pulling - and pushing the Advance forward. On and on she rushed under - water, but ever as she shot ahead the disturbance in the - phosphorescent water showed her position plainly. She would - be easy to follow.</p> - -<p> - "Can't you get any more speed out of her?" asked the - captain of the lad.</p> - -<p>"Yes," was the quick reply; "by using the auxiliary screws - I think we can. I'll try it."</p> - -<p>He signaled for the propellers, forward and aft, to be put - in operation, and the motor moving the twin screws was - turned on. At once there was a perceptible increase to the - speed of the Advance.</p> - -<p>"Are we leaving them behind?" asked Tom anxiously, as he - glanced at the speed gage, and noted that the submarine was - now about five hundred feet below the surface.</p> - -<p>"Hard to tell," replied the Captain. "You'd have to take - an observation to make sure."</p> - -<p>"I'll do it," cried the youth. "You steer, please, and - I'll go in the conning tower. I can look forward and aft - there, as well as straight up. Maybe I can see the Wonder."</p> - -<p>Springing up the circular ladder leading into the tower, - Tom glanced through the windows all about the small pilot - house. He saw a curious sight. It was as if the submarine - was in a sea of yellowish liquid fire. She was immersed in - water which glowed with the flames that contained no heat. - So light was it, in fact, that there was no need of the - incandescents in the tower. The young inventor could have - seen to read a paper by the illumination of the phosphorus. - But he had something else to do than observe this - phenomenon. He wanted to see if he could catch sight of the - rival submarine.</p> - -<p>At first he could make out nothing save the swirl and - boiling of the sea, caused by the progress of the Advance - through it. But suddenly, as he looked up, he was aware of - some great, black body a little to the rear and about ten - feet above his craft.</p> - -<p>"A shark!" he exclaimed aloud. "An immense one, too."</p> - -<p>But the closer he looked the less it seemed like a shark. - The position of the black object changed. It appeared to - settle down, to be approaching the top of the conning tower. - Then, with a suddenness that unnerved him for the time - being, Tom recognized what it was; it was the underside of a - ship. He could see the plates riveted together, and then, as - be noted the rounded, cylindrical shape, he knew that it was - a submarine. It was the Wonder. She was close at hand and - was creeping up on the Advance. But, what was more - dangerous, she seemed to be slowly settling in the water. - Another moment and her great screws might crash into the - Conning tower of the Swifts' boat and shave it off. Then the - water would rush in, drowning the treasure-seekers like rats - in a trap.</p> - -<p>With a quick motion Tom yanked over the lever that allowed - more water to flow into the ballast tanks. The effect was at - once apparent. The Advance shot down toward the bottom of - the sea. At the same time the young inventor signaled to - Captain Weston to notify those in the engine-room to put on - a little more speed. The Advance fairly leaped ahead, and - the lad, looking up through the bull's-eye in the roof of - the conning tower, had the satisfaction of seeing the rival - submarine left behind.</p> - -<p>The youth hurried down into the interior of the ship to - tell what he had seen, and explain the reason for opening - the ballast tanks. He found his father and Mr. Sharp - somewhat excited over the unexpected maneuver of the craft.</p> - -<p>"So they're still following us," murmured Mr. Swift. "I - don't see why we can't shake them off."</p> - -<p>"It's on account of this luminous water," explained - Captain Weston. "Once we are clear of that it will be easy, - I think, to give them the slip. That is, if we can get out - of their sight long enough. Of course, if they keep close - after us, they can pick us up with their searchlight, for I - suppose they carry one."</p> - -<p>"Yes," admitted the aged inventor, "they have as strong a - one as we have. In fact, their ship is second only to this - one in speed and power. I know, for Bentley & Eagert -showed - me some of the plans before they started it, and asked my - opinion. This was before I had the notion of building a - submarine. Yes, I am afraid we'll have trouble getting away - from them."</p> - -<p>"I can't understand this phosphorescent glow keeping up so - long," remarked Captain Weston. "I've seen it in this - locality several times, but it never covered such an extent - of the ocean in my time. There must be changed conditions - here now."</p> - -<p>For an hour or more the race was kept up, and the two - submarines forged ahead through the glowing sea. The Wonder - remained slightly above and to the rear of the other, the - better to keep sight of her, and though the Advance was run - to her limit of speed, her rival could not be shaken off. - Clearly the Wonder was a speedy craft.</p> - -<p>"It's too bad that we've got to fight them, as well as run - the risk of lots of other troubles which are always present - when sailing under water," observed Mr Damon, who wandered - about the submarine like the nervous person he was. "Bless - my shirt-studs! Can't we blow them up, or cripple them in - some way? They have no right to go after our treasure."</p> - -<p>"Well, I guess they've got as much right as we have," - declared Tom. "It goes to whoever reaches the wreck first. - But what I don't like is their mean, sneaking way of doing - it. If they went off on their own hook and looked for it I - wouldn't say a word. But they expect us to lead them to the - wreck, and then they'll rob us if they can. That's not - fair."</p> - -<p>"Indeed, it isn't," agreed Captain Weston, "if I may be - allowed the expression. We ought to find some way of - stopping them. But, if I'm not mistaken," he added quickly, - looking from one of the port bull's-eyes, "the - phosphorescent glow is lessening. I believe we are running - beyond that part of the ocean."</p> - -<p>There was no doubt of it, the glow was growing less and - less, and ten minutes later the Advance was speeding along - through a sea as black as night. Then, to avoid running into - some wreck, it was necessary to turn on the searchlight.</p> - -<p>"Are they still after us?" asked Mr. Swift of his son, as - he emerged from the engine-room, where he had gone to make - some adjustments to the machinery, with the hope of - increasing the speed.</p> - -<p>"I'll go look," volunteered the lad. He climbed up into - the conning tower again, and for a moment, as he gazed back - into the black waters swirling all about, he hoped that they - had lost the Wonder. But a moment later his heart sank as he - caught sight, through the liquid element, of the flickering - gleams of another searchlight, the rays undulating through - the sea.</p> - -<p>"Still following," murmured the young inventor. "They're - not going to give up. But we must make 'em--that's all."</p> - -<p>He went down to report what he had seen, and a - consultation was held. Captain Weston carefully studied the - charts of that part of the ocean, and finding that there was - a great depth of water at hand, proposed a series of - evolutions.</p> - -<p>"We can go up and down, shoot first to one side and then - to the other," he explained. "We can even drop down to the - bottom and rest there for a while. Perhaps, in that way, we - can shake them off."</p> - -<p>They tried it. The Advance was sent up until her conning - tower was out of the water, and then she was suddenly forced - down until she was but a few feet from the bottom. She - darted to the left, to the right, and even doubled and went - back over the course she had taken. But all to no purpose. - The Wonder proved fully as speedy, and those in her seemed - to know just how to handle the submarine, so that every - evolution of the Advance was duplicated. Her rival could not - be shaken off.</p> - -<p>All night this was kept up, and when morning came, though - only the clocks told it, for eternal night was below the - surface, the rival gold-seekers were still on the trail.</p> - -<p>"They won't give up," declared Mr. Swift hopelessly.</p> - -<p>"No, we've got to race them for it, just as Berg - proposed," admitted Tom. "But if they want a straightaway - race we'll give it to 'em Let's run her to the limit, dad."</p> - -<p>"That's what we've been doing, Tom."</p> - -<p>"No, not exactly, for we've been submerged a little too - much to get the best speed out of our craft. Let's go a - little nearer the surface, and give them the best race - they'll ever have."</p> - -<p>Then the race began; and such a contest of speed as it - was! With her propellers working to the limit, and every - volt of electricity that was available forced into the - forward and aft plates, the Advance surged through the - water, about ten feet below the surface. But the Wonder kept - after her, giving her knot for knot. The course of the - leading submarine was easy to trace now, in the morning - light which penetrated ten feet down.</p> - -<p>"No use," remarked Tom again, when, after two hours, the - Wonder was still close behind them. "Our only chance is that - they may have a breakdown."</p> - -<p>"Or run out of air, or something like that," added Captain - Weston. "They are crowding us pretty close. I had no idea - they could keep up this speed. If they don't look out," he - went on as he looked from one of the aft observation - windows, "they'll foul us, and--"</p> - -<p>His remarks were interrupted by a jar to the Advance. She - seemed to shiver and careened to one side. Then came another - bump.</p> - -<p>"Slow down!" cried the captain, rushing toward the pilot - house.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" asked Tom, as he threw the engines - and electrical machines out of gear. "Have we hit anything?"</p> - -<p>"No. Something has hit us," cried the captain. "Their - submarine has rammed us."</p> - -<p>"Rammed us!" repeated Mr. Swift. "Tom, run out the - electric cannon! They're trying to sink us! We'll have to - fight them. Run out the stern electric gun and we'll make - them wish they'd not followed us."</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH18" id="CH18">Chapter Eighteen</a></h2> - -<h3>The Electric Gun</h3> - -<p> There was much excitement aboard the Advance. The - submarine came to a stop in the water, while the treasure-seekers - waited anxiously for what was to follow. Would they - be rammed again? This time, stationary as they were, and - with the other boat coming swiftly on, a hole might be stove - through the Advance, in spite of her powerful sides.</p> - -<p>They had not long to wait. Again there came a jar, and - once more the Swifts' boat careened. But the blow was a - glancing one and, fortunately, did little damage.</p> - -<p>"They certainly must be trying to sink us," agreed Captain - Weston. "Come, Tom, we'll take a look from the stern and see - what they're up to."</p> - -<p> - "And get the stern electric gun ready to fire," repeated - Mr. Swift. "We must protect ourselves. Mr. Sharp and I will - go to the bow. There is no telling what they may do. They're - desperate, and may ram us from in front."</p> - -<p>Tom and the captain hurried aft. Through the thick plate-glass - windows they could see the blunt nose of the Wonder - not far away, the rival submarine having come to a halt. - There she lay, black and silent, like some monster fish - waiting to devour its victim.</p> - -<p>"There doesn't appear to be much damage done back here," - observed Tom. "No leaks. Guess they didn't puncture us."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps it was due to an accident that they rammed us," - suggested the captain.</p> - -<p>"Well, they wouldn't have done it if they hadn't followed - us so close," was the opinion of the young inventor. - "They're taking too many chances. We've got to stop 'em."</p> - -<p>"What is this electric gun your father speaks of?"</p> - -<p>"Why, it's a regular electric cannon. It fires a solid - ball, weighing about twenty-five pounds, but instead of - powder, which would hardly do under water, and instead of - compressed air, which is used in the torpedo tubes of the - Government submarines, we use a current of electricity. It - forces the cannon ball out with great energy."</p> - -<p>"I wonder what they will do next?" observed the captain, - peering through a bull'seye.</p> - -<p>"We can soon tell," replied the youth. "We'll go ahead, - and if they try to follow I'm going to fire on them."</p> - -<p>"Suppose you sink them?"</p> - -<p>"I won't fire to do that; only to disable them. They - brought it on themselves. We can't risk having them damage - us. Help me with the cannon, will you please, captain?"</p> - -<p>The electric cannon was a long, steel tube in the after - part of the submarine. It projected a slight distance from - the sides of the ship, and by an ingenious arrangement could - he swung around in a ball and socket joint, thus enabling it - to shoot in almost any direction.</p> - -<p>It was the work of but a few minutes to get it ready and, - with the muzzle pointing toward the Wonder, Tom adjusted the - electric wires and inserted the solid shot.</p> - -<p>"Now we're prepared for them!" he cried. "I think a good - plan will be to start ahead, and if they try to follow to - fire on them. They've brought it on themselves."</p> - -<p>"Correct," spoke Captain Weston.</p> - -<p>Tom hurried forward to tell his father of this plan.</p> - -<p>"We'll do it!" cried Mr. Swift. "Go ahead, Mr. Sharp, and - we'll see if those scoundrels will follow."</p> - -<p>The young inventor returned on the run to the electric - cannon. There was a whir of machinery, and the Advance - moved forward. She increased her speed, and the two watchers - in the stern looked anxiously out of the windows to see what - their rivals would do.</p> - -<p>For a moment no movement was noticeable on the part of the - Wonder. Then, as those aboard her appeared to realize that - the craft on which they depended to pilot them to the sunken - treasure was slipping away, word was given to follow. The - ship of Berg and his employers shot after the Advance.</p> - -<p>"Here they come!" cried Captain Weston. "They're going to - ram us again!"</p> - -<p>"Then I'm going to fire on them!" declared Tom savagely.</p> - -<p>On came the Wonder, nearer and nearer. Her speed was - rapidly increasing. Suddenly she bumped the Advance, and - then, as if it was an unavoidable accident, the rear - submarine sheered off to one side.</p> - -<p>"They're certainly at it again!" cried Tom, and peering - from the bull's-eye he saw the Wonder shoot past the mouth - of the electric cannon. "Here it goes!" he added.</p> - -<p>He shoved over the lever, making the proper connection. - There was no corresponding report, for the cannon was - noiseless, but there was a slight jar as the projectile left - the muzzle. The Wonder could be seen to heel over.</p> - -<p>"You hit her! You hit her!" cried Captain Weston. "A good - shot!"</p> - -<p>"I was afraid she was past me when I pulled the lever," - explained Tom. "She went like a flash."</p> - -<p>"No, you caught her on the rudder," declared the captain. - "I think you've put her out of business. Yes, they're rising - to the surface."</p> - -<p>The lad rapidly inserted another ball, and recharged the - cannon. Then he peered out into the water, illuminated by - the light of day overhead, as they were not far down. He - could see the Wonder rising to the surface. Clearly - something had happened.</p> - -<p>"Maybe they're going to drop down on us from above, and - try to sink us," suggested the youth, while he stood ready - to fire again. "If they do--"</p> - -<p>His words were interrupted by a slight jar throughout the - submarine.</p> - -<p>"What was that?" cried the captain.</p> - -<p>"Dad fired the bow gun at them, but I don't believe he hit - them," answered the young inventor.</p> - -<p>"I wonder what damage I did? Guess we'll go to the surface - to find out."</p> - -<p>Clearly the Wonder had given up the fight for the time - being. In fact, she had no weapon with which to respond to a - fusillade from her rival. Tom hastened forward and informed - his father of what had happened.</p> - -<p>"If her steering gear is out of order, we may have a - chance to slip away," said Mr. Swift "We'll go up and see - what we can learn."</p> - -<p>A few minutes later Tom, his father and Captain Weston - stepped from the conning tower, which was out of water, on - to the little flat deck a short distance away lay the - Wonder, and on her deck was Berg and a number of men, - evidently members of the crew.</p> - -<p>"Why did you fire on us?" shouted the agent angrily.</p> - -<p>"Why did you follow us?" retorted Torn.</p> - -<p>"Well, you've broken our rudder and disabled us," went on - Berg, not answering the question. "You'll suffer for this! - I'll have you arrested."</p> - -<p>"You only got what you deserved," added Mr. Swift. "You - were acting illegally, following us, and you tried to sink - us by ramming my craft before we retaliated by firing on - you."</p> - -<p>"It was an accident, ramming you," said Berg. "We couldn't - help it. I now demand that you help us make repairs."</p> - -<p>"Well, you've got nerve!" cried Captain Weston, his eyes - flashing. "I'd like to have a personal interview with you - for about ten minutes. Maybe something besides your ship - would need repairs then."</p> - -<p>Berg turned away, scowling, but did not reply. He began - directing the crew what to do about the broken rudder.</p> - -<p>"Come on," proposed Tom in a low voice, for sounds carry - very easily over water. "Let's go below and skip out while - we have a chance. They can't follow now, and we can get to - the sunken treasure ahead of them."</p> - -<p>"Good advice," commented his father. "Come, Captain - Weston, we'll go below and close the conning tower."</p> - -<p>Five minutes later the Advance sank from sight, the last - glimpse Tom had of Berg and his men being a sight of them - standing on the deck of their floating boat, gazing in the - direction of their successful rival. The Wonder was left - behind, while Tom and his friends were soon once more - speeding toward the treasure wreck.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH19" id="CH19">Chapter Nineteen</a></h2> - -<h3>Captured</h3> - -<p>"Down deep," advised Captain Weston, as he stood beside - Tom and Mr. Swift in the pilot house. "As far as you can - manage her, and then forward. We'll take no more chances - with these fellows."</p> - -<p>"The only trouble is," replied the young inventor, "that - the deeper we go the slower we have to travel. The water is - so dense that it holds us back."</p> - -<p>"Well, there is no special need of hurrying now," went on - the sailor. "No one is following you, and two or three days - difference in reaching the wreck will not amount to - anything."</p> - -<p> - "Unless they repair their rudder, and take after us - again," suggested Mr. Swift.</p> - -<p>"They're not very likely to do that," was the captain's - opinion. "It was more by luck than good management that they - picked us up before. Now, having to delay, as they will, to - repair their steering gear, while we can go as deep as we - please and speed ahead, it is practically impossible for - them to catch up to us. No, I think we have nothing to fear - from them."</p> - -<p>But though danger from Berg and his crowd was somewhat - remote, perils of another sort were hovering around the - treasure-seekers, and they were soon to experience them.</p> - -<p>It was much different from sailing along in the airship, - Tom thought, for there was no blue sky and fleecy clouds to - see, and they could not look down and observe, far below - them, cities and villages. Nor could they breathe the - bracing atmosphere of the upper regions.</p> - -<p>But if there was lack of the rarefied air of the clouds, - there was no lack of fresh atmosphere. The big tanks carried - a large supply, and whenever more was needed the oxygen - machine would supply it.</p> - -<p>As there was no need, however, of remaining under water - for any great stretch of time, it was their practice to rise - every day and renew the air supply, also to float along on - the surface for a while, or speed along, with only the - conning tower out, in order to afford a view, and to enable - Captain Weston to take observations. But care was always - exercised to make sure no ships were in sight when emerging - on the surface, for the gold-seekers did not want to be - hailed and questioned by inquisitive persons.</p> - -<p>It was about four days after the disabling of the rival - submarine, and the Advance was speeding along about a mile - and a half under water. Tom was in the pilot house with - Captain Weston, Mr. Damon was at his favorite pastime of - looking out of the glass side windows into the ocean and its - wonders, and Mr. Swift and the balloonists were, as usual, - in the engine-room.</p> - -<p>"How near do you calculate we are to the sunken wreck?" - asked Tom of his companion.</p> - -<p>"Well, at the calculation we made yesterday, we are within - about a thousand miles of it now. We ought to reach it in - about four more days, if we don't have any accidents."</p> - -<p>"And how deep do you think it is?" went on the lad.</p> - -<p>"Well, I'm afraid it's pretty close to two miles, if not - more. It's quite a depth, and of course impossible for - ordinary divers to reach. But it will be possible in this - submarine and in the strong diving suits your father has - invented for us to get to it. Yes, I don't anticipate much - trouble in getting out the gold, once we reach the wreck of - course--"</p> - -<p>The captain's remark was not finished. From the engine-room - there came a startled shout:</p> - -<p>"Tom! Tom! Your father is hurt! Come here, quick!"</p> - -<p>"Take the wheel!" cried the lad to the captain. "I must go - to my father." It was Mr. Sharp's voice he had heard.</p> - -<p>Racing to the engine-room, Tom saw his parent doubled up - over a dynamo, while to one side, his hand on a copper - switch, stood Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" shouted the lad.</p> - -<p>"He's held there by a current of electricity," replied the - balloonist. "The wires are crossed."</p> - -<p>"Why don't you shut off the current?" demanded the youth, - as he prepared to pull his parent from the whirring machine. - Then he hesitated, for he feared he, too, would be glued - fast by the terrible current, and so be unable to help Mr. - Swift.</p> - -<p>"I'm held fast here, too," replied the balloonist. "I - started to cut out the current at this switch, but there's a - short circuit somewhere, and I can't let go, either. Quick, - shut off all power at the main switchboard forward."</p> - -<p>Tom realized that this was the only thing to do. He ran - forward and with a yank cut out all the electric wires. With - a sigh of relief Mr. Sharp pulled his hands from the copper - where he had been held fast as if by some powerful magnet, - his muscles cramped by the current. Fortunately the - electricity was of low voltage, and he was not burned. The - body of Mr. Swift toppled backward from the dynamo, as Tom - sprang to reach his father.</p> - -<p>"He's dead!" he cried, as he saw the pale face and the - closed eyes.</p> - -<p>"No, only badly shocked, I hope," spoke Mr. Sharp. "But we - must get him to the fresh air at once. Start the tank pumps. - We'll rise to the surface."</p> - -<p>The youth needed no second bidding. Once more turning on - the electric current, he set the powerful pumps in motion - and the submarine began to rise. Then, aided by Captain - Weston and Mr. Damon, the young inventor carried his father - to a couch in the main cabin. Mr. Sharp took charge of the - machinery.</p> - -<p>Restoratives were applied, and there was a flutter of the - eyelids of the aged inventor.</p> - -<p>"I think he'll come around all right," said the sailor - kindly, as he saw Tom's grief. "Fresh air will be the thing - for him. We'll be on the surface in a minute."</p> - -<p>Up shot the Advance, while Mr. Sharp stood ready to open - the conning tower as soon as it should be out of water. Mr. - Swift seemed to be rapidly reviving. With a bound the - submarine, forced upward from the great depth, fairly shot - out of the water. There was a clanking sound as the aeronaut - opened the airtight door of the tower, and a breath of fresh - air came in.</p> - -<p>"Can you walk, dad, or shall we carry you?" asked Tom - solitiously.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I--I'm feeling better now," was the inventor's reply. - "I'll soon be all right when I get out on deck. My foot - slipped as I was adjusting a wire that had gotten out of - order, and I fell so that I received a large part of the - current. I'm glad I was not burned. Was Mr. Sharp hurt? I - saw him run to the switch, just before I lost - consciousness."</p> - -<p>"No, I'm all right," answered the balloonist. "But allow - us to get you out to the fresh air. You'll feel much better - then."</p> - -<p>Mr. Swift managed to walk slowly to the ladder leading to - the conning tower, and thence to the deck. The others - followed him. As all emerged from the submarine they uttered - a cry of astonishment.</p> - -<p>There, not one hundred yards away, was a great warship, - flying a flag which, in a moment. Tom recognized as that of - Brazil. The cruiser was lying off a small island, and all - about were small boats, filled with natives, who seemed to - be bringing supplies from land to the ship. At the - unexpected sight of the submarine, bobbing up from the - bottom of the ocean, the natives uttered cries of fright. - The attention of those on the warship was attracted, and the - bridge and rails were lined with curious officers and men.</p> - -<p>"It's a good thing we didn't come up under that ship," - observed Tom. "They would have thought we were trying to - torpedo her. Do you feel better, dad?" he asked, his wonder - over the sight of the big vessel temporarily eclipsed in his - anxiety for his parent.</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes, much better. I'm all right now. But I wish we - hadn't disclosed ourselves to these people. They may demand - to know where we are going, and Brazil is too near Uruguay - to make it safe to tell our errand. They may guess it, - however, from having read of the wreck, and our departure."</p> - -<p>"Oh, I guess it will be all right," replied Captain - Weston. "We can tell them we are on a pleasure trip. That's - true enough. It would give us great pleasure to find that - gold."</p> - -<p>"There's a boat, with some officers in it, to judge by the - amount of gold lace on them, putting off from the ship," - remarked Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>"Ha! Yes! Evidently they intend to pay us a formal visit," - observed Mr. Damon. "Bless my gaiters, though. I'm not - dressed to receive company. I think I'll put on my dress - suit."</p> - -<p>"It's too late," advised Tom. "They'll be here in a - minute."</p> - -<p>Urged on by the lusty arms of the Brazilian sailors, the - boat, containing several officers, neared the floating - submarine rapidly.</p> - -<p>"Ahoy there!" called an officer in the bow, his accent - betraying his unfamiliarity with the English language. "What - craft are you?"</p> - -<p>"Submarine, Advance, from New Jersey," replied Tom. "Who - are you?"</p> - -<p>"Brazilian cruiser San Paulo," was the reply. "Where are - you bound?" went on the officer.</p> - -<p>"On pleasure," answered Captain Weston quickly. "But why - do you ask? We are an American ship, sailing under American - colors. Is this Brazilian territory?"</p> - -<p>"This island is--yes," came back the answer, and by this - time the small boat was at the side of the submarine. Before - the adventurers could have protested, had they a desire to - do so, there were a number of officers and the crew of the - San Paulo on the small deck.</p> - -<p>With a flourish, the officer who had done the questioning - drew his sword. Waving it in the air with a dramatic - gesture, he exclaimed:</p> - -<p>"You're our prisoners! Resist and my men shall cut you - down like dogs! Seize them, men!"</p> - -<p>The sailors sprang forward, each one stationing himself at - the side of one of our friends, and grasping an arm.</p> - -<p>"What does this mean?" cried Captain Weston indignantly. - "If this is a joke, you're carrying it too far. If you're in - earnest, let me warn you against interfering with - Americans!"</p> - -<p>"We know what we are doing," was the answer from the - officer.</p> - -<p>The sailor who had hold of Captain Weston endeavored to - secure a tighter grip. The captain turned suddenly, and - seizing the man about the waist, with an exercise of - tremendous strength hurled him over his head and into the - sea, the man making a great splash.</p> - -<p>"That's the way I'll treat any one else who dares lay a - hand on me!" shouted the captain, who was transformed from a - mild-mannered individual into an angry, modern giant. There - was a gasp of astonishment at his feat, as the ducked sailor - crawled back into the small boat. And he did not again - venture on the deck of the submarine.</p> - -<p>"Seize them, men!" cried the gold-laced officer again, and - this time he and his fellows, including the crew, crowded so - closely around Tom and his friends that they could do - nothing. Even Captain Weston found it impossible to offer - any resistance, for three men grabbed hold of him but his - spirit was still a fighting one, and he struggled - desperately but uselessly.</p> - -<p>"How dare you do this?" he cried.</p> - -<p>"Yes," added Tom, "what right have you to interfere with - us?"</p> - -<p>"Every right," declared the gold-laced officer.</p> - -<p>"You are in Brazilian territory, and I arrest you."</p> - -<p>"What for?" demanded Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>"Because your ship is an American submarine, and we have - received word that you intend to damage our shipping, and - may try to torpedo our warships. I believe you tried to - disable us a little while ago, but failed. We consider that - an act of war and you will be treated accordingly. Take them - on board the San Paulo," the officer Went on, turning to his - aides. "We'll try them by court-marital here. Some of you - remain and guard this submarine. We will teach these - filibustering Americans a lesson."</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH20" id="CH20">Chapter Twenty</a></h2> - -<h3>Doomed to Death</h3> - -<p> There was no room on the small deck of the submarine to - make a stand against the officers and crew of the Brazilian - warship. In fact, the capture of the gold-seekers had been - effected so suddenly that their astonishment almost deprived - them of the power to think clearly.</p> - -<p>At another command from the officer, who was addressed as - Admiral Fanchetti, several of the sailors began to lead Tom - and his friends toward the small boat.</p> - -<p> - "Do you feel all right, father?" inquired the lad - anxiously, as he looked at his parent. "These scoundrels - have no right to treat us so."</p> - -<p>"Yes, Tom, I'm all right as far as the electric shock is - concerned, but I don't like to be handled in this fashion."</p> - -<p>"We ought not to submit!" burst out Mr. Damon. "Bless the - stars and stripes! We ought to fight."</p> - -<p>"There's no chance," said Mr. Sharp. "We are right under - the guns of the ship. They could sink us with one shot. I - guess we'll have to give in for the time being."</p> - -<p>"It is most unpleasant, if I may be allowed the - expression," commented Captain Weston mildly. He seemed to - have lost his sudden anger, but there was a steely glint in - his eyes, and a grim, set look around his month that showed - his temper was kept under control only by an effort. It - boded no good to the sailors who had hold of the doughty - captain if he should once get loose, and it was noticed that - they were on their guard.</p> - -<p>As for Tom, he submitted quietly to the two Brazilians who - had hold of either arm, and Mr. Swift was held by only one, - for it was seen that he was feeble.</p> - -<p>"Into the boat with them!" cried Admiral Fanchetti. "And - guard them well, Lieutenant Drascalo, for I heard them - plotting to escape," and the admiral signaled to a younger - officer, who was in charge of the men guarding the - prisoners.</p> - -<p>"Lieutenant Drascalo, eh?" murmured Mr. Damon. "I think - they made a mistake naming him. It ought to be Rascalo. He - looks like a rascal."</p> - -<p>"Silenceo!" exclaimed the lieutenant, scowling at the odd - character'.</p> - -<p>"Bless my spark plug! He's a regular fire-eater!" went on - Mr. Damon, who appeared to have fully recovered his spirits.</p> - -<p>"Silenceo!" cried the lieutenant, scowling again, but Mr. - Damon did not appear to mind.</p> - -<p>Admiral Fanchetti and several others of the gold-laced - officers remained aboard the submarine, while Tom and his - friends were hustled into the small boat and rowed toward - the warship.</p> - -<p>"I hope they don't damage our craft," murmured the young - inventor, as he saw the admiral enter the conning tower.</p> - -<p>"If they do, we'll complain to the United States consul - and demand damages," said Mr. Swift.</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid we won't have a chance to communicate with the - consul," remarked Captain Weston.</p> - -<p>"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Damon. "Bless my shoelaces, - but will these scoundrels--"</p> - -<p>"Silenceo!" cried Lieutenant Drascalo quickly. "Dogs of - Americans, do you wish to insult us?"</p> - -<p>"Impossible; you wouldn't appreciate a good, genuine - United States insult," murmured Tom under his breath.</p> - -<p>"What I mean," went on the captain, "is that these people - may carry the proceedings off with a high hand. You heard - the admiral speak of a court-martial."</p> - -<p>"Would they dare do that?" inquired Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>"They would dare anything in this part of the world, I'm - afraid," resumed Captain Weston. "I think I see their plan, - though. This admiral is newly in command; his uniform shows - that He wants to make a name for himself, and he seizes on - our submarine as an excuse. He can send word to his - government that he destroyed a torpedo craft that sought to - wreck his ship. Thus he will acquire a reputation."</p> - -<p>"But would his government support him in such a hostile - act against the United States, a friendly nation?" asked - Tom.</p> - -<p>"Oh, he would not claim to have acted against the United - States as a power. He would say that it was a private - submarine, and, as a matter of fact, it is. While we are - under the protection of the stars and stripes, our vessel is - not a Government one," and Captain Weston spoke the last in - a low voice, so the scowling lieutenant could not hear.</p> - -<p>"What will they do with us?" inquired Mr. Swift.</p> - -<p>"Have some sort of a court-martial, perhaps," went on the - captain, "and confiscate our craft Then they will send us - back home, I expect for they would not dare harm us."</p> - -<p>"But take our submarine!" cried Tom. "The villains--"</p> - -<p>"Silenceo!" shouted Lieutenant Drascalo and he drew his - sword.</p> - -<p>By this time the small boat was under the big guns of the - San Paulo, and the prisoners were ordered, in broken - English, to mount a companion ladder that hung over the - side. In a short time they were on deck, amid a crowd of - sailors, and they could see the boat going back to bring off - the admiral, who signaled from the submarine. Tom and his - friends were taken below to a room that looked like a - prison, and there, a little later, they were visited by - Admiral Fanchetti and several officers.</p> - -<p>"You will be tried at once," said the admiral. "I have - examined your submarine and I find she carries two torpedo - tubes. It is a wonder you did not sink me at once."</p> - -<p>"Those are not torpedo tubes!" cried Tom, unable to keep - silent, though Captain Weston motioned him to do so.</p> - -<p>"I know torpedo tubes when I see them," declared the - admiral. "I consider I had a very narrow escape. Your - country is fortunate that mine does not declare war against - it for this act. But I take it you are acting privately, for - you fly no flag, though you claim to be from the United - States."</p> - -<p>"There's no place for a flag on the submarine," went on - Tom. "What good would it be under water?"</p> - -<p>"Silenceo!" cried Lieutenant Drascalo, the admonition to - silence seeming to be the only command of which he was - capable.</p> - -<p>"I shall confiscate your craft for my government," went on - the admiral, "and shall punish you as the court-martial may - direct. You will be tried at once."</p> - -<p>It was in vain for the prisoners to protest. Matters were - carried with a high hand. They were allowed a spokesman, and - Captain Weston, who understood Spanish, was selected, that - language being used. But the defense was a farce, for he was - scarcely listened to. Several officers testified before the - admiral, who was judge, that they had seen the submarine - rise out of the water, almost under the prow of the San - Paulo. It was assumed that the Advance had tried to wreck - the warship, but had failed. It was in vain that Captain - Weston and the others told of the reason for their rapid - ascent from the ocean depths--that Mr. Swift had been - shocked, and needed fresh air. Their story was not believed.</p> - -<p>"We have heard enough!" suddenly exclaimed the admiral. - "The evidence against you is over-whelming--er--what you - Americans call conclusive," and be was speaking then in - broken English. "I find you guilty, and the sentence of this - court-martial is that you be shot at sunrise, three days - hence!"</p> - -<p>"Shot!" cried Captain Weston, staggering back at this - unexpected sentence. His companions turned white, and Mr. - Swift leaned against his son for support.</p> - -<p>"Bless my stars! Of all the scoundrelly!" began Mr. Damon.</p> - -<p>"Silenceo!" shouted the lieutenant, waving his sword.</p> - -<p>"You will be shot," proceeded the admiral. "Is not that - the verdict of the honorable court?" he asked, looking at - his fellow officers. They all nodded gravely.</p> - -<p>"But look here!" objected Captain Weston. "You don't dare - do that! We are citizens of the United States, and--"</p> - -<p>"I consider you no better than pirates," interrupted the - admiral. "You have an armed submarine--a submarine with - torpedo tubes. You invade our harbor with it, and come up - almost under my ship. You have forfeited your right to the - protection of your country, and I have no fear on that - score. You will be shot within three days. That is all. - Remove the prisoners."</p> - -<p>Protests were in vain, and it was equally useless to - struggle. The prisoners were taken out on deck, for which - they were thankful, for the interior of the ship was close - and hot, the weather being intensely disagreeable. They were - told to keep within a certain space on deck, and a guard of - sailors, all armed, was placed near them. From where they - were they could see their submarine floating on the surface - of the little bay, with several Brazilians on the small - deck. The Advance had been anchored, and was surrounded by a - flotilla of the native boats, the brown-skinned paddlers - gazing curiously at the odd craft.</p> - -<p>"Well, this is tough luck!" murmured Tom. "How do you - feel, dad?"</p> - -<p>"As well as can be expected under the circumstances," was - the reply. "What do you think about this, Captain Weston?"</p> - -<p>"Not very much, if I may be allowed the expression," was - the answer.</p> - -<p>"Do you think they will dare carry out that threat?" asked - Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>The captain shrugged his shoulders. "I hope it is only a - bluff," he replied, "made to scare us so we will consent to - giving up the submarine, which they have no right to - confiscate. But these fellows look ugly enough for - anything," he went on.</p> - -<p>"Then if there's any chance of them attempting to carry it - out," spoke Tom, "we've got to do something."</p> - -<p>"Bless my gizzard, of course!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "But - what? That's the question. To be shot! Why, that's a - terrible threat! The villains--"</p> - -<p>"Silenceo!" shouted Lieutenant Drascalo, coming up at that moment.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH21" id="CH21">Chapter Twenty-One</a></h2> - -<h3>The Escape</h3> - -<p> Events had happened so quickly that day that the gold-hunters -could scarcely comprehend them. It seemed only a - short time since Mr. Swift had been discovered lying - disabled on the dynamo, and what had transpired since seemed - to have taken place in a few minutes, though it was, in - reality, several hours. This was made manifest by the - feeling of hunger on the part of Tom and his friends.</p> - -<p>"I wonder if they're going to starve us, the scoundrels?" - asked Mr. Sharp, when the irate lieutenant was beyond - hearing. "It's not fair to make us go hungry and shoot us in - the bargain."</p> - -<p> - "That's so, they ought to feed us," put in Tom. As yet - neither he nor the others fully realized the meaning of the - sentence passed on them.</p> - -<p>From where they were on deck they could look off to the - little island. From it boats manned by natives were - constantly putting off, bringing supplies to the ship. The - place appeared to be a sort of calling station for Brazilian - warships, where they could get fresh water and fruit and - other food.</p> - -<p>From the island the gaze of the adventurers wandered to - the submarine, which lay not far away. They were chagrined - to see several of the bolder natives clambering over the - deck.</p> - -<p>"I hope they keep out of the interior," commented Tom. "If - they get to pulling or hauling on the levers and wheels they - may open the tanks and sink her, with the Conning tower - open."</p> - -<p>"Better that, perhaps, than to have her fall into the - hands of a foreign power," commented Captain Weston. - "Besides, I don't see that it's going to matter much to us - what becomes of her after we're--"</p> - -<p>He did not finish, but every one knew what he meant, and a - grim silence fell upon the little group.</p> - -<p>There came a welcome diversion, however, in the shape of - three sailors, bearing trays of food, which were placed on - the deck in front of the prisoners, who were sitting or - lying in the shade of an awning, for the sun was very hot.</p> - -<p>"Ha! Bless my napkin-ring!" cried Mr. Damon with something - of his former gaiety. "Here's a meal, at all events. They - don't intend to starve us. Eat hearty, every one."</p> - -<p>"Yes, we need to keep up our strength," observed Captain - Weston.</p> - -<p>"Why?" inquired Mr. Sharp.</p> - -<p>"Because we're going to try to escape!" exclaimed Tom in a - low voice, when the sailors who had brought the food had - gone. "Isn't that what you mean, captain?"</p> - -<p>"Exactly. We'll try to give these villains the slip, and - we'll need all our strength and wits to do it. We'll wait - until night, and see what we can do."</p> - -<p>"But where will we escape to?" asked Mr. Swift. "The - island will afford no shelter, and--"</p> - -<p>"No, but our submarine will," went on the sailor.</p> - -<p>"It's in the possession of the Brazilians," objected Tom.</p> - -<p>"Once I get aboard the Advance twenty of those brown-skinned - villains won't keep me prisoner," declared Captain - Weston fiercely. "If we can only slip away from here, get - into the small boat, or even swim to the submarine, I'll - make those chaps on board her think a hurricane has broken - loose."</p> - -<p>"Yes, and I'll help," said Mr. Damon.</p> - -<p>"And I," added Tom and the balloonist.</p> - -<p>"That's the way to talk," commented the captain. "Now - let's eat, for I see that rascally lieutenant coming this - way, and we mustn't appear to be plotting, or he'll be - suspicious."</p> - -<p>The day passed slowly, and though the prisoners seemed to - be allowed considerable liberty, they soon found that it was - only apparent. Once Tom walked some distance from that - portion of the deck where he and the others had been told to - remain. A sailor with a gun at once ordered him back. Nor - could they approach the rails without being directed, - harshly enough at times, to move back amidships.</p> - -<p>As night approached the gold-seekers were on the alert for - any chance that might offer to slip away, or even attack - their guard, but the number of Brazilians around them was - doubled in the evening, and after supper, which was served - to them on deck by the light of swinging lanterns, they were - taken below and locked in a stuffy cabin. They looked - helplessly at each other.</p> - -<p>"Don't give up," advised Captain Weston. "It's a long - night. We may be able to get out of here."</p> - -<p>But this hope was in vain. Several times he and Tom, - thinking the guards outside the cabin were asleep, tried to - force the lock of the door with their pocket-knives, which - had not been taken from them. But one of the sailors was - aroused each time by the noise, and looked in through a - barred window, so they had to give it up. Slowly the night - passed, and morning found the prisoners pale, tired and - discouraged. They were brought up on deck again, for which - they were thankful, as in that tropical climate it was - stifling below.</p> - -<p>During the day they saw Admiral Fanchetti and several of - his officers pay a visit to the submarine. They went below - through the opened conning tower, and were gone some time.</p> - -<p>"I hope they don't disturb any of the machinery," remarked - Mr. Swift. "That could easily do great damage."</p> - -<p>Admiral Fanchetti seemed much pleased with himself when he - returned from his visit to the submarine.</p> - -<p>"You have a fine craft," he said to the prisoners. "Or, - rather, you had one. My government now owns it. It seems a - pity to shoot such good boat builders, but you are too - dangerous to be allowed to go."</p> - -<p>If there had been any doubt in the minds of Tom and his - friends that the sentence of the court-martial was only for - effect, it was dispelled that day. A firing squad was told - off in plain view of them, and the men were put through - their evolutions by Lieutenant Drascalo, who had them load, - aim and fire blank cartridges at an imaginary line of - prisoners. Tom could not repress a shudder as he noted the - leveled rifles, and saw the fire and smoke spurt from the - muzzles.</p> - -<p>"Thus we shall do to you at sunrise to-morrow," said the - lieutenant, grinning, as he once more had his men practice - their grim work.</p> - -<p>It seemed hotter than ever that day. The sun was fairly - broiling, and there was a curious haziness and stillness to - the air. It was noticed that the sailors on the San Paulo - were busy making fast all loose articles on deck with extra - lashings, and hatch coverings were doubly secured.</p> - -<p>"What do you suppose they are up to?" asked Tom of Captain - Weston.</p> - -<p>"I think it is coming on to blow," he replied, "and they - don't want to be caught napping. They have fearful storms - down in this region at this season of the year, and I think - one is about due."</p> - -<p>"I hope it doesn't wreck the submarine," spoke Mr. Swift. - "They ought to close the hatch of the conning tower, for it - won't take much of a sea to make her ship considerable - water."</p> - -<p>Admiral Fanchetti had thought of this, however, and as the - afternoon wore away and the storm signs multiplied, he sent - word to close the submarine. He left a few sailors aboard - inside on guard.</p> - -<p>"It's too hot to eat," observed Tom, when their supper had - been brought to them, and the others felt the same way about - it. They managed to drink some cocoanut milk, prepared in a - palatable fashion by the natives of the island, and then, - much to their disgust, they were taken below again and - locked in the cabin.</p> - -<p>"Whew! But it certainly is hot!" exclaimed Mr. Damon as he - sat down on a couch and fanned himself. "This is awful!"</p> - -<p>"Yes, something is going to happen pretty soon," observed - Captain Weston. "The storm will break shortly, I think."</p> - -<p>They sat languidly about the cabin. It was so oppressive - that even the thought of the doom that awaited them in the - morning could hardly seem worse than the terrible heat. They - could hear movements going on about the ship, movements - which indicated that preparations were being made for - something unusual. There was a rattling of a chain through a - hawse hole, and Captain Weston remarked:</p> - -<p>"They're putting down another anchor. Admiral Fanchetti - had better get away from the island, though, unless he wants - to be wrecked. He'll be blown ashore in less than no time. No - cable or chain will hold in such storms as they have here."</p> - -<p>There came a period of silence, which was suddenly broken - by a howl as of some wild beast.</p> - -<p>"What's that?" cried Tom, springing up from where he was - stretched out on the cabin floor.</p> - -<p>"Only the wind," replied the captain. "The storm has - arrived."</p> - -<p>The howling kept up, and soon the ship began to rock. The - wind increased, and a little later there could be heard, - through an opened port in the prisoners' cabin, the dash of - rain.</p> - -<p>"It's a regular hurricane!" exclaimed the captain. "I - wonder if the cables will hold?"</p> - -<p>"What about the submarine?" asked Mr. Swift anxiously.</p> - -<p>"I haven't much fear for her. She lies so low in the water - that the wind can't get much hold on her. I don't believe - she'll drag her anchor."</p> - -<p>Once more came a fierce burst of wind, and a - dash of rain, and then, suddenly above the outburst of the - elements, there sounded a crash on deck. It was followed by - excited cries.</p> - -<p>"Something's happened!" yelled Tom. The prisoners gathered - in a frightened group in the middle of the cabin. The cries - were repeated, and then came a rush of feet just outside the - cabin door.</p> - -<p>"Our guards! They're leaving!" shouted Tom.</p> - -<p>"Right!" exclaimed Captain Weston. "Now's our chance! Come - on! If we're going to escape we must do it while the storm - is at its height, and all is in confusion. Come on!"</p> - -<p>Tom tried the door. It was locked.</p> - -<p>"One side!" shouted the captain, and this time he did not - pause to say "by your leave." He came at the portal on the - run, and his shoulder struck it squarely. There was a - splintering and crashing of wood, and the door was burst - open.</p> - -<p>"Follow me!" cried the valiant sailor, and Tom and the - others rushed after him. They could hear the wind howling - more loudly than ever, and as they reached the deck the rain - dashed into their faces with such violence that they could - hardly see. But they were aware that something had occurred. - By the light of several lanterns swaying in the terrific - blast they saw that one of the auxiliary masts had broken - off near the deck.</p> - -<p>It had fallen against the chart house, smashing it, and a - number of sailors were laboring to clear away the wreckage.</p> - -<p>"Fortune favors us!" cried Captain Weston. "Come on! Make - for the small boat. It's near the side ladder. We'll lower - the boat and pull to the submarine."</p> - -<p>There came a flash of lightning, and in its glare Tom saw - something that caused him to cry out.</p> - -<p>"Look!" he shouted. "The submarine. She's dragged her - anchors!"</p> - -<p>The Advance was much closer to the warship than she had - been that afternoon. Captain Weston looked over the side.</p> - -<p>"It's the San Paulo that's dragging her anchors, not the - submarine!" he shouted. "We're bearing down on her! We must - act quickly. Come on, we'll lower the boat!"</p> - -<p>In the rush of wind and the dash of rain the prisoners - crowded to the accommodation companion ladder, which was - still over the side of the big ship. No one seemed to be - noticing them, for Admiral Fanchetti was on the bridge, - yelling orders for the clearing away of the wreckage. But - Lieutenant Drascalo, coming up from below at that moment, - caught sight of the fleeing ones. Drawing his sword, he - rushed at them, shouting:</p> - -<p>"The prisoners! The prisoners! They are escaping!"</p> - -<p>Captain Weston leaped toward the lieutenant</p> - -<p>"Look out for his sword!" cried Tom. But the doughty - sailor did not fear the weapon. Catching up a coil of rope, - he cast it at the lieutenant. It struck him in the chest, - and he staggered back, lowering his sword.</p> - -<p>Captain Weston leaped forward, and with a terrific blow - sent Lieutenant Drascalo to the deck.</p> - -<p>"There!" cried the sailor. "I guess you won't yell - 'Silenceo!' for a while now."</p> - -<p>There was a rush of Brazilians toward the group of - prisoners. Tom caught one with a blow on the chin, and - felled him, while Captain Weston disposed of two more, and - Mr. Sharp and Mr. Damon one each. The savage fighting of the - Americans was too much for the foreigners, and they drew - back.</p> - -<p>"Come on!" cried Captain Weston again. "The storm is - getting worse. The warship will crash into the submarine in - a few minutes. Her anchors aren't holding. I didn't think - they would."</p> - -<p>He made a dash for the ladder, and a glance showed him - that the small boat was in the water at the foot of it. The - craft had not been hoisted on the davits.</p> - -<p>"Luck's with us at last!" cried Tom, Seeing it also. - "Shall I help you, dad?"</p> - -<p>"No; I think I'm all right. Go ahead."</p> - -<p>There came such a gust of wind that the San Paulo was - heeled over, and the wreck of the mast, rolling about, - crashed into the side of a deck house, splintering it. A - crowd of sailors, led by Admiral Fanchetti, who were again - rushing on the escaping prisoners, had to leap back out of - the way of the rolling mast.</p> - -<p>"Catch them! Don't let them get away!" begged the - commander, but the sailors evidently had no desire to close - in with the Americans.</p> - -<p>Through the rush of wind and rain Tom and his friends - staggered down the ladder. It was hard work to maintain - one's footing, but they managed it. On account of the high - side of the ship the water was comparatively calm under her - lee, and, though the small boat was bobbing about, they got - aboard. The oars were in place, and in another moment they - had shoved off from the landing stage which formed the foot - of the accommodation ladder.</p> - -<p>"Now for the Advance!" murmured Captain Weston.</p> - -<p>"Come back! Come back, dogs of Americans!" cried a voice - at the rail over their heads, and looking up, Tom saw - Lieutenant Drascalo. He had snatched a carbine from a - marine, and was pointing it at the recent prisoners. He - fired, the flash of the gun and a dazzling chain of - lightning coming together. The thunder swallowed up the - report of the carbine, but the bullet whistled uncomfortable - close to Tom's head. The blackness that followed the - lightning shut out the view of everything for a few seconds, - and when the next flash came the adventurers saw that they - were close to their submarine.</p> - -<p>A fusillade of shots sounded from the deck of the warship, - but as the marines were poor marksmen at best, and as the - swaying of the ship disconcerted them, our friends were in - little danger.</p> - -<p>There was quite a sea once they were beyond the protection - of the side of the warship, but Captain Weston, who was - rowing, knew how to manage a boat skillfully, and he soon had - the craft alongside the bobbing submarine.</p> - -<p>"Get aboard, now, quick!" he cried.</p> - -<p>They leaped to the small deck, casting the rowboat adrift. - It was the work of but a moment to open the conning tower. - As they started to descend they were met by several - Brazilians coming up.</p> - -<p>"Overboard with 'em!" yelled the captain. "Let them swim - ashore or to their ship!"</p> - -<p>With almost superhuman strength he tossed one big sailor - from the small deck. Another showed fight, but he went to - join his companion in the swirling water. A man rushed at - Tom, seeking the while to draw his sword, but the young - inventor, with a neat left-hander, sent him to join the - other two, and the remainder did not wait to try - conclusions. They leaped for their lives, and soon all could - be seen, in the frequent lightning flashes, swimming toward - the warship which was now closer than ever to the submarine.</p> - -<p>"Get inside and we'll sink below the surface!" called Tom. - "Then we don't care what happens."</p> - -<p>They closed the steel door of the conning tower. As they - did so they heard the patter of bullets from carbines fired - from the San Paulo. Then came a violent tossing of the - Advance; the waves were becoming higher as they caught the - full force of the hurricane. It took but an instant to - sever, from within, the cable attached to the anchor, which - was one belonging to the warship. The Advance began - drifting.</p> - -<p>"Open the tanks, Mr. Sharp!" cried Tom. "Captain Weston - and I will steer. Once below we'll start the engines."</p> - -<p>Amid a crash of thunder and dazzling flashes of lightning, - the submarine began to sink. Tom, in the conning tower had a - sight of the San Paulo as it drifted nearer and nearer under - the influence of the mighty wind. As one bright flash came - he saw Admiral Fanchetti and Lieutenant Drascalo leaning - over the rail and gazing at the Advance.</p> - -<p>A moment later the view faded from sight as the submarine - sank below the surface of the troubled sea. She was tossed - about for some time until deep enough to escape the surface - motion. Waiting until she was far enough down so that her - lights would not offer a mark for the guns of the warship, - the electrics were switched on.</p> - -<p>"We're safe now!" cried Tom, helping his father to his - cabin. "They've got too much to attend to themselves to - follow us now, even if they could. Shall we go ahead, - Captain Weston?"</p> - -<p>"I think so, yes, if I may be allowed to express my - opinion," was the mild reply, in strange contrast to the - strenuous work in which the captain had just been engaged.</p> - -<p>Tom signaled to Mr. Sharp in the engine-room, and in a few - seconds the Advance was speeding away from the island and - the hostile vessel. Nor, deep as she was now, was there any - sign of the hurricane. In the peaceful depths she was once - more speeding toward the sunken treasure.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH22" id="CH22">Chapter Twenty-Two</a></h2> - -<h3>At the Wreck</h3> - -<p>"Well," remarked Mr. Damon, as the submarine hurled - herself forward through the ocean, "I guess that firing - party will have something else to do to-morrow morning - besides aiming those rifles at us."</p> - -<p>"Yes, indeed," agreed Tom. "They'll be lucky if they save - their ship. My, how that wind did blow!"</p> - -<p>"You're right," put in Captain Weston. "When they get a - hurricane down in this region it's no cat's paw. But they - were a mighty careless lot of sailors. The idea of leaving - the ladder over the side, and the boat in the water."</p> - -<p> - "It was a good thing for us, though," was Tom's opinion.</p> - -<p>"Indeed it was," came from the captain. "But as long as we - are safe now I think we'd better take a look about the craft - to see if those chaps did any damage. They can't have done - much, though, or she wouldn't be running so smoothly. - Suppose you go take a look, Tom, and ask your father and Mr. - Sharp what they think. I'll steer for a while, until we get - well away from the island."</p> - -<p>The young inventor found his father and the balloonist - busy in the engine-room. Mr. Swift had already begun an - inspection of the machinery, and so far found that it had - not been injured. A further inspection showed that no damage - had been done by the foreign guard that had been in - temporary possession of the Advance, though the sailors had - made free in the cabins, and had broken into the food - lockers, helping themselves plentifully. But there was still - enough for the gold-seekers.</p> - -<p>"You'd never know there was a storm raging up above," - observed Tom as he rejoined Captain Weston in the lower - pilot house, where he was managing the craft. "It's as - still and peaceful here as one could wish."</p> - -<p>"Yes, the extreme depths are seldom disturbed by a surface - storm. But we are over a mile deep now. I sent her down a - little while you were gone, as I think she rides a little - more steadily."</p> - -<p>All that night they speeded forward, and the next day, - rising to the surface to take an observation, they found no - traces of the storm, which had blown itself out. They were - several hundred miles away from the hostile warship, and - there was not a vessel in sight on the broad expanse of blue - ocean.</p> - -<p>The air tanks were refilled, and after sailing along on - the surface for an hour or two, the submarine was again sent - below, as Captain Weston sighted through his telescope the - smoke of a distant steamer.</p> - -<p>"As long as it isn't the Wonder, we're all right," said - Tom. "Still, we don't want to answer a lot of questions - about ourselves and our object."</p> - -<p>"No. I fancy the Wonder will give up the search," remarked - the captain, as the Advance was sinking to the depths.</p> - -<p>"We must be getting pretty near to the end of our search - ourselves," ventured the young inventor.</p> - -<p>"We are within five hundred miles of the intersection of - the forty-fifth parallel and the twenty-seventh meridian, - east from Washington," said the captain. "That's as near as - I could locate the wreck. Once we reach that point we will - have to search about under water, for I don't fancy the - other divers left any buoys to mark the spot."</p> - -<p>It was two days later, after uneventful sailing, partly on - the surface, and partly submerged, that Captain Weston, - taking a noon observation, announced:</p> - -<p>"Well, we're here!"</p> - -<p>"Do you mean at the wreck?" asked Mr. Swift eagerly.</p> - -<p>"We're at the place where she is supposed to lie, in about - two miles of water," replied the captain. "We are quite a - distance off the coast of Uruguay, about opposite the harbor - of Rio de La Plata. From now on we shall have to nose about - under water, and trust to luck."</p> - -<p>With her air tanks filled to their capacity, and Tom - having seen that the oxygen machine and other apparatus was - in perfect working order, the submarine was sent below on - her search. Though they were in the neighborhood of the - wreck, the adventurers might still have to do considerable - searching before locating it. Lower and lower they sank into - the depths of the sea, down and down, until they were deeper - than they had ever gone before. The pressure was tremendous, - but the steel sides of the Advance withstood it</p> - -<p>Then began a search that lasted nearly a week. Back and - forth they cruised, around in great circles, with the - powerful searchlight focused to disclose the sunken treasure - ship. Once Tom, who was observing the path of light in the - depths from the conning tower, thought he had seen the - remains of the Boldero, for a misty shape loomed up in front - of the submarine, and he signaled for a quick stop. It was a - wreck, but it had been on the ocean bed for a score of - years, and only a few timbers remained of what had been a - great ship. Much disappointed, Tom rang for full speed ahead - again, and the current was sent into the great electric - plates that pulled and pushed the submarine forward.</p> - -<p>For two days more nothing happened. They searched around - under the green waters, on the alert for the first sign, but - they saw nothing. Great fish swam about them, sometimes - racing with the Advance. The adventurers beheld great ocean - caverns, and skirted immense rocks, where dwelt monsters of - the deep. Once a great octopus tried to do battle with the - submarine and crush it in its snaky arms, but Tom saw the - great white body, with saucer-shaped eyes, in the path of - light and rammed him with the steel point. The creature died - after a struggle.</p> - -<p>They were beginning to despair when a full week had passed - and they were seemingly as far from the wreck as ever. They - went to the surface to enable Captain Weston to take another - observation. It only confirmed the other, and showed that - they were in the right vicinity. But it was like looking for - a needle in a haystack, almost, to and the sunken ship in - that depth of water.</p> - -<p>"Well, we'll try again," said Mr. Swift, as they sank once - more beneath the surface.</p> - -<p>It was toward evening, on the second day after this, that - Tom, who was on duty in the conning tower, saw a black shape - looming up in front of the submarine, the searchlight - revealing it to him far enough away so that he could steer - to avoid it. He thought at first that it was a great rock, - for they were moving along near the bottom, but the peculiar - shape of it soon convinced him that this could not be. It - came more plainly into view as the submarine approached it - more slowly, then suddenly, out of the depths in the - illumination from the searchlight, the young inventor saw - the steel sides of a steamer. His heart gave a great thump, - but he would not call out yet, fearing that it might be some - other vessel than the one containing the treasure.</p> - -<p>He steered the Advance so as to circle it. As he swept - past the bows he saw in big letters near the sharp prow the - word, Boldero.</p> - -<p>"The wreck! The wreck!" he cried, his voice ringing - through the craft from end to end. "We've found the wreck at - last!"</p> - -<p>"Are you sure?" cried his father, hurrying to his son, - Captain Weston following.</p> - -<p>"Positive," answered the lad. The submarine was slowing up - now, and Tom sent her around on the other side. They had a - good view of the sunken ship. It seemed to be intact, no - gaping holes in her sides, for only her plates had started, - allowing her to sink gradually.</p> - -<p>"At last," murmured Mr. Swift. "Can it be possible we are - about to get the treasure?"</p> - -<p>"That's the Boldero, all right," affirmed Captain Weston. - "I recognize her, even if the name wasn't on her bow. Go - right down on the bottom, Tom, and we'll get out the diving - suits and make an examination."</p> - -<p>The submarine settled to the ocean bed. Tom glanced at the - depth gage. It showed over two miles and a half. Would they - be able to venture out into water of such enormous pressure - in the comparatively frail diving suits, and wrest the gold - from the wreck? It was a serious question.</p> - -<p>The Advance came to a stop. In front of her loomed the - great bulk of the Boldero, vague and shadowy in the - flickering gleam of the searchlight As the gold-seekers - looked at her through the bull's-eyes of the conning tower, - several great forms emerged from beneath the wreck's bows.</p> - -<p>"Deep-water sharks!" exclaimed Captain Weston, "and - monsters, too. But they can't bother us. Now to get out the - gold!"</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH23" id="CH23">Chapter Twenty-Three</a></h2> - -<h3>Attacked by Sharks</h3> - -<p> For a few minutes after reaching the wreck, which had so - occupied their thoughts for the past weeks, the adventurers - did nothing but gaze at it from the ports of the submarine. - The appearance of the deep-water sharks gave them no - concern, for they did not imagine the ugly creatures would - attack them. The treasure-seekers were more engrossed with - the problem of getting out the gold.</p> - -<p> - "How are we going to get at it?" asked Tom, as he looked - at the high sides of the sunken ship, which towered well - above the comparatively small Advance.</p> - -<p>"Why, just go in and get it," suggested Mr. Damon. "Where - is gold in a cargo usually kept, Captain Weston? You ought - to know, I should think. Bless my pocketbook!"</p> - -<p>"Well, I should say that in this case the bullion would be - kept in a safe in the captain's cabin," replied the sailor. - "Or, if not there, in some after part of the vessel, away - from where the crew is quartered. But it is going to be - quite a problem to get at it. We can't climb the sides of - the wreck, and it will be impossible to lower her ladder - over the side. However, I think we had better get into the - diving suits and take a closer look. We can walk around - her."</p> - -<p>"That's my idea," put in Mr. Sharp. "But who will go, and - who will stay with the ship?"</p> - -<p>"I think Tom and Captain Weston had better go," suggested - Mr. Swift. "Then, in case anything happens, Mr. Sharp, you - and I will be on board to manage matters."</p> - -<p>"You don't think anything will happen, do you, dad?" asked - his son with a laugh, but it was not an easy one, for the - lad was thinking of the shadowy forms of the ugly sharks.</p> - -<p>"Oh, no, but it's best to be prepared," answered his - father.</p> - -<p>The captain and the young inventor lost no time in donning - the diving suits. They each took a heavy metal bar, pointed - at one end, to use in assisting them to walk on the bed of - the ocean, and as a protection in case the sharks might - attack them. Entering the diving chamber, they were shut in, - and then water was admitted until the pressure was seen, by - gauges, to be the same as that outside the submarine. Then - the sliding steel door was opened. At first Tom and the - captain could barely move, so great was the pressure of - water on their bodies. They would have been crushed but for - the protection afforded by the strong diving suits.</p> - -<p>In a few minutes they became used to it, and stepped out - on the floor of the ocean. They could not, of course, speak - to each other, but Tom looked through the glass eyes of his - helmet at the captain, and the latter motioned for the lad - to follow. The two divers could breathe perfectly, and by - means of small, but powerful lights on the helmets, the way - was lighted for them as they advanced.</p> - -<p>Slowly they approached the wreck, and began a circuit of - her. They could see several places where the pressure of the - water, and the strain of the storm in which she had - foundered, had 'opened the plates of the ship, but in no - case were the openings large enough to admit a person. - Captain Weston put his steel bar in one crack, and tried to - pry it farther open, but his strength was not equal to the - task. He made some peculiar motions, but Tom could not - understand them.</p> - -<p>They looked for some means by which they could mount to - the decks of the Boldero, but none was visible. It was like - trying to scale a fifty-foot smooth steel wall. There was no - place for a foothold. Again the sailor made some peculiar - motions, and the lad puzzled over them. They had gone nearly - around the wreck now, and as yet had seen no way in which to - get at the gold. As they passed around the bow, which was in - a deep shadow from a great rock, they caught sight of the - submarine lying a short distance away. Light streamed from - many hull's-eyes, and Tom felt a sense of security as he - looked at her, for it was lonesome enough in that great - depth of water, unable to speak to his companion, who was a - few feet in advance.</p> - -<p>Suddenly there was a swirling of the water, and Tom was - nearly thrown off his feet by the rush of some great body. A - long, black shadow passed over his head, and an instant - later he saw the form of a great shark launched at Captain - Weston. The lad involuntarily cried in alarm, but the result - was surprising. He was nearly deafened by his own voice, - confined as the sound was in the helmet he wore. But the - sailor, too, had felt the movement of the water, and turned - just in time. He thrust upward with his pointed bar. But he - missed the stroke, and Tom, a moment later, saw the great - fish turn over so that its mouth, which is far underneath - its snout, could take in the queer shape which the shark - evidently thought was a choice morsel. The big fish did - actually get the helmet of Captain Weston inside its jaws, - but probably it would have found it impossible to crush the - strong steel. Still it might have sprung the joints, and - water would have entered, which would have been as fatal as - though the sailor had been swallowed by the shark. Tom - realized this and, moving as fast as he could through the - water, he came up behind the monster and drove his steel bar - deep into it.</p> - -<p>The sea was crimsoned with blood, and the savage creature, - opening its mouth, let go of the captain. It turned on Tom, - who again harpooned it. Then the fish darted off and began a - wild flurry, for it was dying. The rush of water nearly - threw Tom off his feet, but he managed to make his way over - to his friend, and assist him to rise. A confident look from - the sailor showed the lad that Captain Weston was uninjured, - though he must have been frightened. As the two turned to - make their way back to the submarine, the waters about them - seemed alive with the horrible monsters.</p> - -<p>It needed but a glance to show what they were, Sharks! - Scores of them, long, black ones, with their ugly, undershot - mouths. They had been attracted by the blood of the one Tom - had killed, but there was not a meal for all of them off the - dying creature, and the great fish might turn on the young - inventor and his companion.</p> - -<p>The two shrank closer toward the wreck. They might get - under the prow of that and be safe. But even as they started - to move, several of the sea wolves darted quickly at them. - Tom glanced at the captain. What could they do? Strong as - were the diving suits, a combined attack by the sharks, with - their powerful jaws, would do untold damage.</p> - -<p>At that moment there seemed some movement on board the - submarine. Tom could see his father looking from the conning - tower, and the aged inventor seemed to be making some - motions. Then Tom understood. Mr. Swift was directing his - son and Captain Weston to crouch down. The lad did so, - pulling the sailor after him. Then Tom saw the bow electric - gun run out, and aimed at the mass of sharks, most of whom - were congregated about the dead one. Into the midst of the - monsters was fired a number of small projectiles, which - could be used in the electric cannon in place of the solid - shot. Once more the waters were red with blood, and those - sharks which were not killed swirled off. Tom and Captain - Weston were saved. They were soon inside the submarine - again, telling their thrilling story.</p> - -<p>"It's lucky you saw us, dad," remarked the lad, blushing - at the praise Mr. Damon bestowed on him for killing the - monster which had attacked the captain.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I was on the lookout," said the inventor. "But what - about getting into the wreck?"</p> - -<p>"I think the only way we can do it will be to ram a hole - in her side," said Captain Weston. "That was what I tried to - tell Tom by motions, but he didn't seem to understand me."</p> - -<p>"No," replied the lad, who was still a little nervous from - his recent experience. "I thought you meant for us to turn - it over, bottom side up," and he laughed.</p> - -<p>"Bless my gizzard! Just like a shark," commented Mr. - Damon.</p> - -<p>"Please don't mention them," begged Tom. "I hope we don't - see any more of them."</p> - -<p>"Oh, I fancy they have been driven far enough away from - this neighborhood now," commented the captain. "But now - about the wreck. We may be able to approach it from above. - Suppose we try to lower the submarine on it? That will save - ripping it open."</p> - -<p>This was tried a little later, but would not work. There - were strong currents sweeping over the top of the Boldero, - caused by a submerged reef near which she had settled. It - was a delicate task to sink the submarine on her decks, and - with the deep waters swirling about was found to be - impossible, even with the use of the electric plates and the - auxiliary screws. Once more the Advance settled to the ocean - bed, near the wreck.</p> - -<p> - "Well, what's to be done?" asked Tom, as he looked at the - high steel sides.</p> - -<p>"Ram her, tear a hole, and then use dynamite," decided - Captain Weston promptly. "You have some explosive, haven't - you, Mr. Swift?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes. I came prepared for emergencies."</p> - -<p>"Then we'll blow up the wreck and get at the gold."</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH24" id="CH24">Chapter Twenty-Four</a></h2> - -<h3>Ramming the Wreck</h3> - -<p> Fitted with a long, sharp steel ram in front, the Advance - was peculiarly adapted for this sort of work. In designing - the ship this ram was calculated to be used against hostile - vessels in war time, for the submarine was at first, as we - know, destined for a Government boat. Now the ram was to - serve a good turn.</p> - -<p>To make sure that the attempt would be a success, the - machinery of the craft was carefully gone over. It was found - to be in perfect order, save for a few adjustments which - were needed. Then, as it was night, though there was no - difference in the appearance of things below the surface, it - was decided to turn in, and begin work in the morning. Nor - did the gold-seekers go to the surface, for they feared they - might encounter a storm.</p> - -<p> - "We had trouble enough locating the wreck," said Captain - Weston, "and if we go up we may be blown off our course. We - have air enough to stay below, haven't we, Tom?"</p> - -<p>"Plenty," answered the lad, looking at the gages.</p> - -<p>After a hearty breakfast the next morning, the submarine - crew got ready for their hard task. The craft was backed - away as far as was practical, and then, running at full - speed, she rammed the wreck. The shock was terrific, and at - first it was feared some damage had been done to the - Advance, but she stood the strain.</p> - -<p>"Did we open up much of a hole?" anxiously asked Mr. - Swift.</p> - -<p>"Pretty good," replied Tom, observing it through the - conning tower bull's-eyes, when the submarine had backed off - again. "Let's give her another."</p> - -<p>Once more the great steel ram hit into the side of the - Boldero, and again the submarine shivered from the shock. - But there was a bigger hole in the wreck now, and after - Captain Weston had viewed it he decided it was large enough - to allow a person to enter and place a charge of dynamite so - that the treasure ship would be broken up.</p> - -<p>Tom and the captain placed the explosive. Then the Advance - was withdrawn to a safe distance. There was a dull rumble, a - great swirling of the water, which was made murky; but when - it cleared, and the submarine went back, it was seen that - the wreck was effectively broken up. It was in two parts, - each one easy of access.</p> - -<p>"That's the stuff!" cried Tom. "Now to get at the gold!"</p> - -<p>"Yes, get out the diving suits," added Mr. Damon. "Bless - my watch-charm, I think I'll chance it in one myself! Do you - think the sharks are all gone, Captain Weston?"</p> - -<p>"I think so."</p> - -<p>In a short time Tom, the captain, Mr. Sharp and Mr. Damon - were attired in the diving suits, Mr. Swift not caring to - venture into such a great depth of water. Besides, it was - necessary for at least one person to remain in the submarine - to operate the diving chamber.</p> - -<p>Walking slowly along the bottom of the sea the four gold- - seekers approached the wreck. They looked on all sides for a - sight of the sharks, but the monster fish seemed to have - deserted that part of the ocean. Tom was the first to reach - the now disrupted steamer. He found he could easily climb - up, for boxes and barrels from the cargo holds were - scattered all about by the explosion. Captain Weston soon - joined the lad. The sailor motioned Tom to follow him, and - being more familiar with ocean craft the captain was - permitted to take the lead. He headed aft, seeking to locate - the captain's cabin. Nor was he long in finding it. He - motioned for the others to enter, that the combined - illumination of the lamps in their helmets would make the - place bright enough so a search could be made for the gold. - Tom suddenly seized the arm of the captain, and pointed to - one corner of the cabin. There stood a small safe, and at - the sight of it Captain Weston moved toward it. The door was - not locked, probably having been left open when the ship was - deserted. Swinging it back the interior was revealed.</p> - -<p>It was empty. There was no gold bullion in it.</p> - -<p>There was no mistaking the dejected air of Captain Weston. - The others shared his feelings, but though they all felt - like voicing their disappointment, not a word could be - spoken. Mr. Sharp, by vigorous motions, indicated to his - companions to seek further.</p> - -<p>They did so, spending all the rest of the day in the - wreck, save for a short interval for dinner. But no gold - rewarded their search.</p> - -<p>Tom, late that afternoon, wandered away from the others, - and found himself in the captain's cabin again, with the - empty safe showing dimly in the water that was all about.</p> - -<p>"Hang it all!" thought the lad, "we've had all our trouble - for nothing! They must have taken the gold with them."</p> - -<p>Idly he raised his steel bar, and struck it against the - partition back of the safe. To his astonishment the - partition seemed to fall inward, revealing a secret - compartment. The lad leaned forward to bring the light for - his helmet to play on the recess. He saw a number of boxes, - piled one upon the other. He had accidentally touched a - hidden spring and opened a secret receptacle. But what did - it contain?</p> - -<p>Tom reached in and tried to lift one of the boxes. He - found it beyond his strength. Trembling from excitement, he - went in search of the others. He found them delving in the - after part of the wreck, but by motions our hero caused them - to follow him. Captain Weston showed the excitement he felt - as soon as he caught sight of the boxes. He and Mr. Sharp - lifted one out, and placed it on the cabin floor. They pried - off the top with their bars.</p> - -<p>There, packed in layers, were small yellow bars; dull, - gleaming, yellow bars! It needed but a glance to show that - they were gold bullion. Tom had found the treasure. The lad - tried to dance around there in the cabin of the wreck, - nearly three miles below the surface of the ocean, but the - pressure of water was too much for him. Their trip had been - successful.</p> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h2><a name="CH25" id="CH25">Chapter Twenty-Five</a></h2> - -<h3>Home With the Gold</h3> - -<p>There was no time to be lost. They were in a treacherous - part of the ocean, and strong currents might at any time - further break up the wreck, so that they could not come at - the gold. It was decided, by means of motions, to at once - transfer the treasure to the submarine. As the boxes were - too heavy to carry easily, especially as two men, who were - required to lift one, could not walk together in the - uncertain footing afforded by the wreck, another plan was - adopted. The boxes were opened and the bars, a few at a - time, were dropped on a firm, sandy place at the side of the - wreck. Tom and Captain Weston did this work, while Mr. Sharp - and Mr. Damon carried the bullion to the diving chamber of - the Advance. They put the yellow bars inside, and when quite - a number had been thus shifted, Mr. Swift, closing the - chamber, pumped the water out and removed the gold. Then he - opened the chamber to the divers again, and the process was - repeated, until all the bullion had been secured.</p> - -<p> - Tom would have been glad to make a further examination of - the wreck, for he thought he could get some of the rifles - the ship carried, but Captain Weston signed to him not to - attempt this.</p> - -<p>The lad went to the pilot house, while his father and Mr. - Sharp took their places in the engine-room. The gold had - been safely stowed in Mr. Swift's cabin.</p> - -<p>Tom took a last look at the wreck before he gave the - starting signal. As he gazed at the bent and twisted mass of - steel that had once been a great ship, he saw something - long, black and shadowy moving around from the other side, - coming across the bows.</p> - -<p>"There's another big shark," he observed to Captain - Weston. "They're coming back after us."</p> - -<p>The captain did not speak. He was staring at the dark - form. Suddenly, from what seemed the pointed nose of it, - there gleamed a light, as from some great eye.</p> - -<p>"Look at that!" cried Tom. "That's no shark!"</p> - -<p>"If you want my opinion," remarked the sailor, "I should - say it was the other submarine--that of Berg and his - friends--the Wonder. They've managed to fix up their craft - and are after the gold."</p> - -<p>"But they're too late!" cried Tom excitedly. "Let's tell - them so."</p> - -<p>"No," advised the captain. "We don't want any trouble with - them."</p> - -<p>Mr. Swift came forward to see why his son had not given - the signal to start. He was shown the other submarine, for - now that the Wonder had turned on several searchlights, - there was no doubt as to the identity of the craft.</p> - -<p>"Let's get away unobserved if we can," he suggested. "We - have had trouble enough."</p> - -<p>It was easy to do this, as the Advance was hidden behind - the wreck, and her lights were glowing but dimly. Then, too, - those in the other submarine were so excited over the - finding of what they supposed was the wreck containing the - treasure, that they paid little attention to anything else.</p> - -<p>"I wonder how they'll feel when they find the gold gone?" - asked Tom as he pulled the lever starting the pumps.</p> - -<p>"Well, we may have a chance to learn, when we get back to - civilization," remarked the captain.</p> - -<p>The surface was soon reached, and then, under fair skies, - and on a calm sea, the voyage home was begun. Part of the - time the Advance sailed on the top, and part of the time - submerged.</p> - -<p>They met with but a single accident, and that was when the - forward electrical plate broke. But with the aft one still - in commission, and the auxiliary screws, they made good - time. Just before reaching home they settled down to the - bottom and donned the diving suits again, even Mr. Swift - taking his turn. Mr. Damon caught some large lobsters, of - which he was very fond, or, rather, to be more correct, the - lobsters caught him. When he entered the diving chamber - there were four fine ones clinging to different parts of his - diving suit. Some of them were served for dinner.</p> - -<p>The adventurers safely reached the New Jersey coast, and - the submarine was docked. Mr. Swift at once communicated - with the proper authorities concerning the recovery of the - gold. He offered to divide with the actual owners, after he - and his friends had been paid for their services, but as the - revolutionary party to whom the bullion was intended had - gone out of existence, there was no one to officially claim - the treasure, so it all went to Tom and his friends, who - made an equitable distribution of it. The young inventor did - not forget to buy Mrs. Baggert a fine diamond ring, as he - had promised.</p> - -<p>As for Berg and his employers, they were, it was learned - later, greatly chagrined at finding the wreck valueless. - They tried to make trouble for Tom and his father, but were - not successful.</p> - -<p>A few days after arriving at the seacoast cottage, Tom, - his father and Mr. Damon went to Shopton in the airship. - Captain Weston, Garret Jackson and Mr Sharp remained behind - in charge of the submarine. It was decided that the Swifts - would keep the craft and not sell it to the Government, as - Tom said they might want to go after more treasure some day.</p> - -<p>"I must first deposit this gold," said Mr. Swift as the - airship landed in front of the shed at his home. "It won't - do to keep it in the house over night, even if the Happy - Harry gang is in jail."</p> - -<p>Tom helped him take it to the bank. As they were making - perhaps the largest single deposit ever put in the - institution, Ned Newton came out.</p> - -<p>"Well, Tom," he cried to his chum, "it seems that you are - never going to stop doing things. You've conquered the air, - the earth and the water."</p> - -<p>"What have you been doing while I've been under water, - Ned?" asked the young inventor.</p> - -<p>"Oh, the same old thing. Running errands and doing all - sorts of work in the bank."</p> - -<p>Tom had a sudden idea. He whispered to his father and Mr. - Swift nodded. A little later he was closeted with Mr. - Prendergast, the bank president. It was not long before Ned - and Tom were called in.</p> - -<p>"I have some good news for you, Ned," said Mr. - Prendergast, while Tom smiled. "Mr. Swift er--ahem--one of - our largest depositors, has spoken to me about you, Ned. I - find that you have been very faithful. You are hereby - appointed assistant cashier, and of course you will get a - much larger salary."</p> - -<p>Ned could hardly believe it, but he knew then what Tom had - whispered to Mr. Swift. The wishes of a depositor who brings - much gold bullion to a bank can hardly be ignored.</p> - -<p>"Come on out and have some soda," invited Tom, and when - Ned looked inquiringly at the president, the latter nodded - an assent.</p> - -<p>As the two lads were crossing the street to a drug store, - something whizzed past them, nearly running them down.</p> - -<p>"What sort of an auto was that?" cried Tom.</p> - -<p>"That? Oh, that was Andy Foger's new car," answered Ned. - "He's been breaking the speed laws every day lately, but no - one seems to bother him. It's because his father is rich, I - suppose. Andy says he has the fastest car ever built."</p> - -<p>"He has, eh?" remarked Tom, while a curious look came into - his eyes. "Well, maybe I can build one that will beat his."</p> - -<p>And whether the young inventor did or not you can learn by - reading the fifth volume of this series, to be called "Tom - Swift and His Electric Runabout; Or, The Speediest Car on - the Road."</p> - -<p>"Well, Tom, I certainly appreciate what you did for me in - getting me a better position," remarked Ned as they left the - drug store. "I was beginning to think I'd never get - promoted. Say, have you anything to do this evening? If you - haven't, I wish you'd come over to my house. I've got a lot - of pictures I took while you were away."</p> - -<p>"Sorry, but I can't," replied Tom.</p> - -<p>"Why, are you going to build another airship or -submarine?"</p> - -<p>"No, but I'm going to see-- Oh, what do you want to know - for, anyhow?" demanded the young inventor with a blush. - "Can't a fellow go see a girl without being -cross-questioned?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, of course," replied Ned with a laugh. "Give Miss - Nestor my regards," and at this Tom blushed still more. But, - as he said, that was his own affair.</p> - - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tom Swift And His Submarine Boat -by Victor Appleton - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT *** - -This file should be named 04tom10h.htm or 04tom10h.zip -Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 04tom11.txt -VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 04tom10a.txt - -This Etext was prepared for Project Gutenberg by Anthony Matonac. - -Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance -of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. -Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, -even years after the official publication date. - -Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til -midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. -The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at -Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A -preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment -and editing by those who wish to do so. - -Most people start at our Web sites at: -http://gutenberg.net or -http://promo.net/pg - -These Web sites include award-winning information about Project -Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new -eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). - - -Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement -can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is -also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the -indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an -announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. - -http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or -ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 - -Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 - -Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, -as it appears in our Newsletters. - - -Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) - -We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The -time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours -to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright -searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our -projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value -per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 -million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text -files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ -We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 -If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total -will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. - -The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! -This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, -which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. - -Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): - -eBooks Year Month - - 1 1971 July - 10 1991 January - 100 1994 January - 1000 1997 August - 1500 1998 October - 2000 1999 December - 2500 2000 December - 3000 2001 November - 4000 2001 October/November - 6000 2002 December* - 9000 2003 November* -10000 2004 January* - - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created -to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. - -We need your donations more than ever! - -As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people -and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, -Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, -Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, -Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New -Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, -Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South -Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West -Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. - -We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones -that have responded. - -As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list -will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. -Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. - -In answer to various questions we have received on this: - -We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally -request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and -you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, -just ask. - -While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are -not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting -donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to -donate. - -International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about -how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made -deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are -ways. - -Donations by check or money order may be sent to: - -Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -PMB 113 -1739 University Ave. -Oxford, MS 38655-4109 - -Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment -method other than by check or money order. - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by -the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN -[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are -tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising -requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be -made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. - -We need your donations more than ever! - -You can get up to date donation information online at: - -http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html - - -*** - -If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, -you can always email directly to: - -Michael S. Hart [hart@pobox.com] - -Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. - -We would prefer to send you information by email. - - -**The Legal Small Print** - - -(Three Pages) - -***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** -Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. -They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with -your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from -someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our -fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement -disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how -you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. - -*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK -By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept -this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive -a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by -sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person -you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical -medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. - -ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS -This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, -is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart -through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). -Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright -on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and -distribute it in the United States without permission and -without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth -below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook -under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. - -Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market -any commercial products without permission. - -To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable -efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain -works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any -medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other -things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged -disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer -codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. - -LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES -But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, -[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may -receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims -all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including -legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR -UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, -INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE -OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE -POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. - -If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of -receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) -you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that -time to the person you received it from. If you received it -on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and -such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement -copy. If you received it electronically, such person may -choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to -receive it electronically. - -THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS -TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A -PARTICULAR PURPOSE. - -Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or -the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the -above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you -may have other legal rights. - -INDEMNITY -You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, -and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated -with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including -legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the -following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, -[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, -or [3] any Defect. - -DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" -You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by -disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this -"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, -or: - -[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this - requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the - eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, - if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable - binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, - including any form resulting from conversion by word - processing or hypertext software, but only so long as - *EITHER*: - - [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and - does *not* contain characters other than those - intended by the author of the work, although tilde - (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may - be used to convey punctuation intended by the - author, and additional characters may be used to - indicate hypertext links; OR - - [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at - no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent - form by the program that displays the eBook (as is - the case, for instance, with most word processors); - OR - - [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at - no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the - eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC - or other equivalent proprietary form). - -[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this - "Small Print!" statement. - -[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the - gross profits you derive calculated using the method you - already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you - don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are - payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" - the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were - legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent - periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to - let us know your plans and to work out the details. - -WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? -Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of -public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed -in machine readable form. - -The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, -public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. -Money should be paid to the: -"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or -software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: -hart@pobox.com - -[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only -when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by -Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be -used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be -they hardware or software or any other related product without -express permission.] - -*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* - - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> - |