按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
you bring me the galvanometer？〃
〃Yes； and all the other things；〃 and the young inventor proceeded to
take the articles from the bundles he carried。
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。
〃You and Mr。 Jackson have put on several new plates；〃 observed the
lad after a pause。
〃Yes；〃 admitted his father。 〃Garret and I weren't idle； were we；
4
… Page 5…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
Garret？〃 and he nodded to the aged engineer； who had been in his employ
for many years。
〃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。
〃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！〃
〃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。〃
〃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。〃
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。
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。
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。
〃Do you intend to go as deep as that？〃 asked Tom； looking up from a
5
… Page 6…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
paper he was reading。
〃Possibly；〃 replied his father； and his son resumed his perusal of the
sheet。
〃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。〃
〃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。
〃Did I see what？〃 asked Mr。 Swift。
〃Why； this account of the sinking of the treasure ship。〃
〃Treasure ship？ No。 Where？〃
〃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。
〃What do I think of it？ Why； I think it's too bad for the revolutionists；
Tom； of course。〃
〃No； I mean about the treasure being still on board the ship。 What
6
… Page 7…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
about that？〃
〃Well； it's likely to stay there； if the divers can't get at it。 Now； Mr。
Sharp； about the propellers〃
〃Wait； dad！〃 cried Tom earnestly。
〃Why； Tom； what's the matter？〃 asked Mr。 Swift in some surprise。
〃How soon before we can finish our submarine？〃 went on Tom； not
answering the question。
〃About a month。 Why？〃
〃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； fin