tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第1节
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
TOM SWIFT AND HIS
SUBMARINE BOAT
（or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
VICTOR APPLETON
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER One
News of a Treasure Wreck
There was a rushing； whizzing； throbbing noise in the air。 A great
body； like that of some immense bird； sailed along； casting a grotesque
shadow on the ground below。 An elderly man； who Was seated on the
porch of a large house； started to his feet in alarm。
〃Gracious goodness！ What was that； Mrs。 Baggert？〃 he called to a
motherly…looking woman who stood in the doorway。 〃What happened？〃
〃Nothing much； Mr。 Swift；〃 was the calm reply 〃I think that was Tom
and Mr。 Sharp in their airship； that's all。 I didn't see it； but the noise
sounded like that of the Red Cloud。〃
〃Of course！ To be sure！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Barton Swift； the well…known
inventor； as he started down the path in order to get a good view of the air；
unobstructed by the trees。 〃Yes； there they are；〃 he added。 〃That's the
airship； but I didn't expect them back so soon。 They must have made good
time from Shopton。 I wonder if anything can be the matter that they
hurried so？〃
He gazed aloft toward where a queerly…shaped machine was circling
about nearly five hundred feet in the air； for the craft； after Swooping
down close to the house； had ascended and was now hovering just above
the line of breakers that marked the New Jersey seacoast； where Mr。 Swift
had taken up a temporary residence。
〃Don't begin worrying； Mr。 Swift；〃 advised Mrs。 Baggert； the
housekeeper。 〃You've got too much to do； if you get that new boat done； to
worry。〃
〃That's so。 I must not worry。 But I wish Tom and Mr。 Sharp would land；
for I want to talk to them。〃
As if the occupants of the airship had heard the words of the aged
inventor； they headed their craft toward earth。 The combined aeroplane
and dirigible balloon； a most wonderful traveler of the air； swung around；
and then； with the deflection rudders slanted downward； came on with a
rush。 When near the landing place； just at the side of the house； the motor
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
was stopped； and the gas； with a hissing noise； rushed into the red
aluminum container。 This immediately made the ship more buoyant and it
landed almost as gently as a feather。
No sooner had the wheels which formed the lower part of the craft
touched the ground than there leaped from the cabin of the Red Cloud a
young man。
〃Well； dad！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Here we are again； safe and sound。 Made
a record； too。 Touched ninety miles an hour at timesdidn't we； Mr。
Sharp？〃
〃That's what；〃 agreed a tall； thin； dark…complexioned man； who
followed Tom Swift more leisurely in his exit from the cabin。 Mr。 Sharp； a
veteran aeronaut； stopped to fasten guy ropes from the airship to strong
stakes driven into the ground。
〃And we'd have done better； only we struck a hard wind against us
about two miles up in the air； which delayed us；〃 went on Tom。 〃Did you
hear us coming； dad？〃
〃Yes； and it startled him；〃 put in Mrs。 Baggert。 〃I guess he wasn't
expecting you。〃
〃Oh； well； I shouldn't have been so alarmed； only I was thinking
deeply about a certain change I am going to make in the submarine； Tom。 I
was day…dreaming； I think； when your ship whizzed through the air。 But
tell me； did you find everything all right at Shopton？ No signs of any of
those scoundrels of the Happy Harry gang having been around？〃 and Mr。
Swift looked anxiously at his son。
〃Not a sign； dad；〃 replied Tom quickly。 〃Everything was all right。 We
brought the things you wanted。 They're in the airship。 Oh； but it was a fine
trip。 I'd like to take another right out to sea。〃
〃Not now； Tom；〃 said his father。 〃I want you to help me。 And I need
Mr。 Sharp's help； too。 Get the things out of the car； and we'll go to the
shop。〃
〃First I think we'd better put the airship away；〃 advised Mr。 Sharp。 〃I
don't just like the looks of the weather； and； besides； if we leave the ship
exposed we'll be sure to have a crowd around sooner or later； and we don't
want that。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃No； indeed；〃 remarked the aged inventor hastily。 〃I don't want people
prying around the submarine shed。 By all means put the airship away； and
then come into the shop。〃
In spite of its great size the aeroplane was easily wheeled along by
Tom and Mr。 Sharp； for the gas in the container made it so buoyant that it
barely touched the earth。 A little more of the powerful vapor and the Red
Cloud would have risen by itself。 In a few minutes the wonderful craft； of
which my readers have been told in detail in a previous volume； was
safely housed in a large tent； which was securely fastened。
Mr。 Sharp and Tom； carrying some bundles which they had taken from
the car； or cabin； of the craft； went toward a large shed； which adjoined the
house that Mr。 Swift had hired for the season at the seashore。 They found
the lad's father standing before a great shape； which loomed up dimly in
the semi…darkness of the building。 It was like an immense cylinder；
pointed at either end； and here and there were openings； covered with
thick glass； like immense； bulging eyes。 From the number of tools and
machinery all about the place； and from the appearance of the great
cylinder itself； it was easy to see that it was only partly completed。
〃Well； how goes it； dad？〃 asked the youth； as he deposited his bundle
on a bench。 〃Do you think you can make it work？〃
〃I think so； Tom。 The positive and negative plates are giving me
considerable trouble； though。 But I guess we can solve the problem。 Did
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；
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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；〃 rem
