A RUN NOT WANTED.
"Andy! Andy! Rise up!" cried Oscar, with increasing horror. "Tell me
that you are not dead!"
But Andy did not budge, nor did even a groan escape his lips.
"If he is dead, and George Dross, what will I do?" thought the young
naval captain.
Never had his heart so failed him as now. He was still weak from the
shock, and to think that his two best friends might be lost to him
forever was sufficient to make him collapse utterly.
The electricity was now playing around every part of the engine room,
causing little flashes of fire and numerous sparks to fly hither and
thither. It was a pretty sight, but woe to him who should come within
the influence of that display!
Oscar dragged George Dross' body into another compartment, and as he
did so one of the other hands appeared.
"Captain," he cried, hoarsely, "we are running too fast!"
"I know it, but I cannot help it."
"The trap----"
"Don't touch the trap."
"But the water----"
"The lightning has played the old Harry with our engine. Everything is
charged with electricity. He tried to close the trap, and look at him."
Oscar pointed to Andy and the man gave a start of horror. Then he
stared at the body of Dross.
"Is he dead, too?"
"I trust not, but I am by no means sure, Gilson."
"But what shall we do, captain? I reckon all of the others are either
stunned or dead."
"The lookout, what of him?" demanded Oscar, quickly.
"On the floor in a heap."
"Too bad! We might run into something, and then----"
Oscar did not finish, but Gilson, who was a general all-around helper
on the submarine craft, understood what was in his mind.
"We'll go to smash, eh?"
"Yes, Gilson. But be careful what you try to do."
"Can't we turn the electricity off?"
"We can if the switch is all right."
It may be mentioned here that all on board wore rubber shoes, so that
no electricity might ever shock them through the feet while walking in
dangerous places.
Together the young captain and Gilson hurried to where the switchboard
was located, between the engine room and the tiny compartment built for
the lookout.
"Ginger!" came from Gilson. "Burnt out! That was a strong stroke of
lightning, and no mistake!"
Gilson was right. The switchboard was completely wrecked and lay in a
black mass on the floor. It had been burning, but the fire was now out,
for it could not communicate with the steel plates of the new Holland.
"Now what's to do, captain? How are you going to control that current?"
The question was one not easy to answer.
"I'll have to make a thorough examination first," replied Oscar. "In
the meantime you attend to the others and see if some of them at least
are not alive."
"Lieutenant Greggs don't look much alive," said Gilson. "Nor does
George Dross. But I'll do what I can for all hands."
Left to himself, Oscar made the entire rounds of the submarine craft,
surveying all of the intricate electric machinery with care.
"It's a wonder the lightning didn't set off some of the torpedoes or
dynamite bombs," he said to himself. "If they had gone off we would
have been blown to kingdom come."
The result of the examination was far from satisfactory. Many of the
electric wires on board had become badly "crossed," and a new machine,
called an electrogratrode, used for regulating the current, was running
in a manner that completely puzzled the young inventor.
"This is a brand new experience, that's sure," he told himself. "If I
ever get out of this alive I'll beware of thunderstorms in the future."
The new Holland continued to dash along over the surface of the water
and at every big wave a large quantity of water came pouring down the
companionway, until the well-hole was full and overflowing in spite of
the fact that the pumping engine was working faster than ever before.
"Something has got to be done," muttered Oscar, with set teeth. "If
that water gets too high it will carry the electricity everywhere and
we'll be killed on the spot."
Getting out a long hook covered with rubber he began to work on the
plate of the trap-door.
For some time he could not budge it and more than once a slight shock
of electricity made him halt. But at last the trap shut with a click.
"Shut," he muttered, and then came a thought that made him turn pale.
Had he locked himself and the others in what would prove their tomb of
steel?
The water had now stopped coming in and then the well-hole speedily
became empty. But the pumping engine ran on as madly as ever, with a
whirr that shook the Holland XI. from stem to stern.
Soon Gilson came running to him.
"Dross is alive," he cried, "and so are most of the others."
"Is Lieutenant Greggs alive?"
"I can't tell about him, sir. If he is he was touched pretty heavily."
"Well, do what you can, Gilson. I have no time to attend to them. I
must stop this machinery or the boat will be ripped to bits."
"Shall I stop the pumping engine. That seems to be O. K?"
"No, for if that power is turned off it will only be added to the
screw, and we have too much power there already. See how we are
flying--as fast as an express train."
"That's true, sir, and let me add, it's not the worst of it."
"No? What do you mean?"
"We are running due East, captain."
"I know that, Gilson."
"By this time we must be within two or three miles of land. If we can't
stop the Holland XI.----"
"We must stop her!" ejaculated the young captain. "If we don't she'll
strike shore like a battering ram!"
"Right you are, sir."
Oscar waited to say no more, but rushed to where the steering apparatus
of the submarine craft was located.
The electricity was still playing all over the compartment, yet he felt
that he must at least change the course of the new Holland or all would
surely be lost.
With a rubber glove on his hand he took hold of one of the levers and
tried to swing it over.
At first it refused to budge. Then came a snap and a click and the
lever slid over to where he wanted it and three notches further.
Instantly the Holland XI. gave a shiver from stem to stern and started
to run in a small circle.
The engines pounded away as before and the submarine craft tilted until
it was next to impossible to stand on the floor.
Then came an explosion from the engine room and Captain Oscar was
enveloped in a blueish smoke which threatened to strangle him on the
spot.