THE VOYAGE BEGUN.
“Valentine Tucker was a man of impulse and never hesitated when he knew
that a fellow being was in distress.
“He rushed into the street in time to see one man fall and another
skurry away in the gloom.
“Feeling sure of foul play he knelt over the prostrate man and felt for
his heart, as he did so his hand closed upon the handle of a dagger.
“With a sense of horror, not knowing what he did, he pulled it from the
wound. The red blood dyed his sleeve and arm.
“Before he could rise to his feet and sound an alarm, lights flashed
about him and he was in the grip of officers of the law.
“Caught thus apparently red-handed, the crime was fastened upon him.
There seemed no way for him to prove his innocence.
“Furthermore, the fact that the dead man was Alden Vance was decidedly
against him. He was thrown into prison, tried and convicted of murder.
“It was an awful fatality. At once the business so prosperous declined,
and Albert was forced to retire at a heavy loss. But he was faithful to
his brother.
“He avowed his intention of proving his brother’s innocence. There was
no one upon whom suspicion could fall save Duncan Crane, who had
disappeared.
“This fact was the saving of Valentine’s life. In view of the
possibility that Crane might be implicated, the judge was lenient, and
commuted the sentence of death to life imprisonment.
“Of course this was little better than death, but it gave Albert his
chance.
“He at once started upon the track of Crane. To Hawaii, to Yokohama, he
tracked the wretch.
“Here the real murderer was stricken with the plague. Upon his death-bed
he made full and absolute confession.
“It was duly written out and witnessed by the American Consul. Armed
with this proof of his brother’s innocence, Albert started for home.
“He was happy in the thought that his brother would be vindicated upon
his arrival in San Francisco.
“But alas for his hopes. Fate had decreed that the confession should
never get there. It was upon his person when devoured by the silver
whale.
“Valentine yet lingers in prison; his family are starving. Now you have
the whole sad story. I know you are a Christian and a philanthropist,
Frank. You will agree with me that we ought to do something to right
this great wrong if we can.”
Frank had listened to the thrilling story with the deepest interest.
Now he said in a puzzled way:
“Well and good, George; but how can we do it?”
“Capture the silver whale.”
“Capture the whale! What earthly good will that do?”
“We can, perhaps, recover the confession.”
Frank whistled in surprise.
“Why, how absurd!” he exclaimed. “It must have become absorbed long ago
in the whale’s stomach. In any event the creature has no doubt long ago
been captured and destroyed.”
“No,” said Stanhope, firmly; “I do not believe that. I have heard of the
silver whale many times since. Numerous whaling captains have reported
it in parts contiguous to the locality where poor Tucker met his fate. I
believe with this submarine boat we can pursue and capture the silver
whale.”
“Very well; but the confession——”
“It was folded and kept in a metal box or case which Tucker wore in his
belt. It could not be absorbed, and I have seen objects of metal many
times taken from the stomach of a whale.”
Frank’s face lit up.
“So it was in a metal case.”
“Yes.”
“Then there is a chance!” cried the young inventor, springing up.
“George, I am deeply interested. If the silver whale is yet in
existence, we will run it down and recover the confession, if possible.
It at least affords us an object for our submarine voyage.”
“Correct!” cried Stanhope. “I knew you would grasp the idea, Frank.”
“We will at once start for the North Pacific. Have your effects ready.”
“They are all ready!” declared Stanhope. “I have explored every country
upon the face of the earth. Now it is my happy privilege to explore the
bed of the sea. Am I not a lucky man?”
“Begorra, Misther Frank,” cried a rollicking voice from the yard. “We
have ivery bit of provisions aboord, an’ shure it’s all ready to start
we are!”
“Good!” cried Frank. “There shall be no delay on my part. We will be off
at the quickest possible moment.”
Stanhope at once went out and telegraphed Mrs. Tucker in San Francisco.
* * * * *
DEAR MADAM,—We start very soon in the submarine boat Dolphin for the
North Pacific in quest of the white whale. Let us hope we shall find the
evidence to clear your husband. Be of cheerful mind.
GEORGE STANHOPE.
* * * * *
The remainder of the day was spent in completing the preparations for
the start.
The next morning all was announced in readiness.
The Dolphin floated in the tank all ready for the start.
The voyagers went aboard, and Frank gave orders for the big gates to be
opened. This was done, and the boat floated into the canal.
Here it was in plain view of the great crowd which was waiting outside
to greet it with cheers. The Dolphin floated down the canal toward the
river.
Soon it was in the current of the larger stream, and then Frank started
the electric engines to greater speed.
This sent the Dolphin ahead at a lively rate and Readestown began to
fade from view.
All of the voyagers were upon the main deck by the open door of the
pilot-house. Frank was at the wheel.
“Take a good look at Readestown,” said the young inventor. “It may be
your last one!”
Instinctively Barney and Pomp turned.
“Begorra, it’s the foinest spot on earth!” cried the Celt. “May we live
to return to dear old Radestown!”
“Golly! I done fink dat we mus’ do dat,” averred Pomp. “Dis chile neber
gwine to leabe his bones in no oder place!”
“Don’t yez be too shure, naygur,” declared Barney, shaking his head.
“Shure, it’s many a close call we’ll be afther havin’ yit, me lad.
There’s no spendin’ a year or more at the bottom av the say widout some
bit av a risk.”
“You are right, Barney,” said the explorer, Stanhope; “but we are going
to look upon the bright side of this thing. We shall sail the North
Pacific, capture the silver whale, return and see old America again in
safety. Mark my prophecy.”
“I hope you have hit it right, George,” laughed Frank; “at least you are
right in looking on the bright side.”
So the submarine voyagers left home in quite a cheerful frame of mind.
But they little dreamed of the thrilling experiences which the near
future held.
They had no means of guessing the terrible perils through which they
were to pass.
A voyage under the sea can scarcely be attended by aught but danger and
risk.
Readestown was soon left out of sight.
The Dolphin sped on down the river current to the sea. Thus far Frank
had kept the boat on the surface.
When the open sea was reached he said:
“I think that for the first thousand miles of our course we will travel
faster under water. I have studied the ocean bed, and there are no
obstructions to encounter at the proper mean elevation.”
“Then we are to start out at once with a thousand mile voyage under
water?” asked the explorer Stanhope.
“Yes.”
“Good! I am very glad of that. There is much in the Atlantic worthy of
study. You will make the Pacific by way of Cape Horn?”
To Stanhope’s surprise Frank shook his head.
“No,” he said. “That is the longest route.”
“What other is there?”
“By the Northwest Passage.”
Stanhope was surprised.
“Why, man,” he exclaimed, “that has never been discovered. It does not
exist!”
“Yes, it does,” averred Frank, “but it is never navigable to surface
vessels, owing to its being choked with ice. But the Dolphin can go
under the ice.”
“Under the ice?”
“Exactly.”
“Wonderful!” cried Stanhope, excitedly. “I never thought of that. It is
certainly the nearest way to the North Pacific. We shall pass into
Behring Sea?”
The Dolphin was already out of sight of land, and headed northward. She
was a fast sailer, and rode the waves like a duck.
Frank now decided to begin his submarine voyage. He went into the
pilot-house and pressed a lever.
Instantly every door and window was hermetically sealed and the electric
lights were turned on full force.
The Dolphin took a plunge beneath the surface.
Down it went until the glare of the electric lights revealed a rare and
wonderful scene.
There were marine plants of queer and beautiful sort, cliffs, crags and
reefs of vari-colored coral, thousands of fish of all hues and shapes,
and many other strange and marvelous things.
The voyagers were for a time enchained by this wonderful exhibition.
Particularly was Stanhope enchanted, and he was anxious to possess some
of the wonderful specimens that he saw.
“How can I get some of that lovely coral, Frank?” he cried. “It is a
species I never saw before.”
“There is only one way,” said Frank.
“And how is that?”
“Simply put on a diving suit and go out there and get them.”
“Can I do that?”
Before Frank could answer a startling and terrible thing happened. A cry
of terror came from Barney.
The Celt had been in the pilot-house and chanced accidentally to press
the motive valve. Instantly the Dolphin darted forward like an arrow.
Barney gripped the valve and tried to shut off the current and check the
awful speed of the boat.
But he was unable to do this. For some reason or other the valve stuck
and would not move.
No harm would have been done had the boat been a fathom higher in the
water, as there was no obstacle which she could not easily have passed.
But a moment later there was a terrific rending shock. Every one was
thrown from his feet.
The Dolphin came to a dead stop, and for an instant all was darkness.