第23章

"Oh, were going this time!" exclaimed Tom."And I hope everything turns out the way I want it to," he added meaningly.

"We'll find the treasure on the ship all right, if we can find the ship," said Mr.Hardley."That part is your job, Mr.Swift.""And I'll find her if she's where you say she went down," answered Tom."Now then, as soon as Ned comes we'll start."Ned Newton had been intrusted with some last-moment messages, but he arrived a little later, and hurried on board the M.N.1 which lay at her dock, just afloat.

"All aboard!" called Tom, when he saw his financial manager coming down the pier."We're ready to start now.""Bless my fountain pen!" exclaimed Mr.Damon, "but we ought to do something, Tom--sing a song, make a speech or something, oughtn't we"We'll sing a song of victory when we come back," replied Tom, with a laugh."Everything all right at home, Ned?" he asked, for his chum had just come on from Shopton.

"Yes; your father sent his regards, but he told me to make a last appeal to you to install a gyro-scope rudder.""It's too late for that now," said Tom."He attaches, I think, too much importance to that device.I shan't need it with the improvements I have made to the craft.Get aboard!"Ned climbed down the hatchway, which, however, was not closed, as it was decided to navigate the craft on the surface until it was necessary to submerge her because of too rough water, or when the vicinity of thewreck was reached.

"Though we will go down to the bottom when we get to the Atlantic for the purpose of testing her in deep water," decided Tom."Most of the time we'll steam on the surface, for we'll save our batteries that way, and it's more comfortable breathing natural air."So, with part of her deck above the surface, the M.N.1 began her voyage, sent on her way by the cheers of the small force of Tom's workmen at the submarine plant.The general public was not admitted, for the object of the quest was kept secret from all save those immediately interested.

"Rad, him be plenty mad he not come," said Koku to Tom, as the giant moved about the cabin, putting things to rights.

"Well, don't start crowing over him until we get back," warned the young inventor."He may have the laugh on us.""Rad no laugh," declared Koku."Rad him too mad dat I come on trip." "A submarinevoyageisno placeforold,faithfulEradicate,"murmured Tom."He's better off looking after my father."The first part of the trip was without incident of moment.No mishap attended the voyage of the M.N.1 down the river, out into the bay, and so on to the great Atlantic.

Fairly good time was made, as there was no particular object in speeding, and on the second day after leaving the dock Tom gave orders for the hatch to be closed, the deck cleared, and everything made tight and fast.

"What's up?" asked Ned, hearing the instructions passed around."We're approaching deep water," was the answer."I'm going tosubmerge."

A little later, by means of her diving rudders, aided also by the tanks, the M.N.1 began to sink.Down, down, down she went.

"Now I'll be able to show you some pretty sights, Mr.Hardley," said Tom, as he and his friends entered the forward compartment, while the steel shutters were rolled back from the heavy glass windows."We'll be in deep waters presently."Ten minutes later the depth gauge showed that they were down aboutthree hundred feet, and that is pretty deep for a submarine.But Tom's boat was capable of even greater depths than that.

At first there was nothing much to observe save the opal-tinted water illuminated by the powerful lights of the submarine.Small, and evidently frightened, fish darted to and fro, but there was nothing especially to attract the attention of Tom and his friends, who had made much more sensational trips than this under water.

Mr.Hardley, however, was fascinated, and kept close to the observation windows.

"Are there any wrecks around here?" he asked Tom.

"Possibly," was the answer."Though they do not contain any treasure, I imagine--brick schooners or cargo boats would be about all."The submarine went deeper, plowing her way through the Atlantic at a depth of more than three hundred and fifty feet, for Tom wanted to subject her to a good test.

Suddenly Mr.Hardley, who was now alone at the window on the port side, uttered a cry of alarm.

"Look! Look!" he fairly shouted."We're surrounded by a school of sharks! What monsters! Are we in danger?"