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.
"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.
Chapter Thirteen
Off for the Treasure
Suddenly Tom, after a moment's pause, seized a wrench and began
loosening some nuts.
"What are you doing?" asked his father faintly, for he was being
weakened by the vitiated atmosphere.
"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."
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.
"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.
"Is he dead?" cried Mr. Damon, himself gasping.
"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."
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.
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.
"I'll help," said Mr. Jackson in a whisper. He, too, was hardly able to
move.
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.
"Here's the trouble!" he murmured. "The valve's clogged. No wonder it
wouldn't work. The pumps couldn't force the water out."
It was the work of only a minute to adjust the valve. Then Tom and the
engineer managed to get the cover back on.
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.
"Now start the pumps!" cried Tom faintly. "The tanks will be emptied,
and we can get to the surface."
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.
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.
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.
"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."
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.
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.
"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."
"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?"
"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."
"Better patent it," suggested Mr. Sharp with a smile.
"Maybe I will," replied the young inventor. "But not now. We haven't
time, if we intend to get fitted out for our trip."
"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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
"All ready, dad," responded his son.
"Then let's get aboard," proposed Captain Weston. "But first let me
take an observation."
He swept the horizon with his telescope, and Tom noticed that the
sailor kept it fixed on one particular spot for some time.
"Did you see anything?" asked the lad.
"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."
"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.
The sailor raised his telescope once more and peered through a window
in the tower. He uttered an exclamation.
"What's the matter?" asked Tom.
"That other ship--a small steamer--is weighing anchor and seems to be
heading this way," was the reply.
"Maybe it's some one hired by Berg to follow us and trace our
movements," suggested Tom.
"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."
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.
Chapter Fourteen
In the Diving Suits
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.
"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."
The speed of the submarine was reduced, and in a short time the strange
steamer had overhauled her, coming to within hailing distance.
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:
"What are you following us for?"
"Following you?" repeated the man, for the strange vessel had also come
to a stop. "We're not following you."
"It looks like it," replied Mr. Swift. "You'd better give it up."
"I guess the waters are free," was the quick retort. "We'll follow you
if we like."
"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.
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.
"Send her ahead, Tom," his father said. "That fellow up above is
rubbing his eyes yet, wondering where we are, I suppose."
Forward shot the Advance under water, the powerful electrical plates
pulling and pushing her on the way to secure the sunken gold.
All that morning a fairly moderate rate of speed was maintained, as it
was thought best not to run the new machinery too fast.
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.
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.
"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."
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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."
"They certainly are a success," conceded Mr. Sharp.
"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."
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.
"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."
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.
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.
Chapter Fifteen
At the Tropical Island
It was on the evening of the fourth day later that Captain Weston, who
was steering the craft, suddenly called out:
"Land ho!"
"Where away?" inquired Tom quickly, for he had read that this was the
proper response to make.
"Dead ahead," answered the sailor with a smile. "Shall we make for it,
if I may be allowed the question?"
"What land is it likely to be?" Mr. Swift wanted to know.
"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."
"Then we'll land there," decided the inventor. "We can use some fresh
water, though our distilling and ice apparatus does very well."
They made the island just at dusk, and anchored in a little lagoon,
where there was a good depth of water.
"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?"
"Yes, you may, and we'll all go ashore. It will do us good to stretch
our legs a bit."
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.
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.
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.
"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.
"Do you think we'll have any trouble getting the gold out of the
wrecked vessel?" asked Tom of Captain Weston, after a pause.
"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."
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.
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.
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.
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:
"Good morning! Have you got the gold yet?"
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.
"Rather surprised to see us, aren't you?" went on Mr. Berg, smiling.
"Rather," admitted Tom, choking over the word.
"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."
"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.
"To whom are you speaking, Tom?" he asked.
"They're here, dad," was the youth's answer.
"Here? Who are here?"
"Berg and his employers. They've followed us, dad."
Chapter Sixteen
"We'll Race You For It"
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:
"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."
"I don't care to enter into any competition with you," said Mr. Swift
coldly.
"Ah, but I'm afraid you'll have to, whether you want to or not," was
the insolent reply.
"What's that? Do you mean to force this matter upon me?"
"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."
"Do you mean to follow us?" asked Captain Weston softly.
"Well, you can put it that way if you like," answered one of the two
men with Mr. Berg.
"I forbid it!" cried Mr. Swift hotly. "You have no right to sneak after
us."
"I guess the ocean is free," continued the rascally agent.
"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.
"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."
"Fair? What do you mean?" demanded Tom.
"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?"
"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."
"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."
"All right. I've warned you," went on the sailor, and then, motioning
to Tom and his father to follow, he went below.
"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.
"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."
"Have they a right to follow us?" asked Tom.
"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."
"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?"
"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?"