tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第11节
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〃We're going on a different sort of trip this time；〃 said the youth。
〃Where？〃
〃Under water。〃
〃Under water？ Bless my sponge bath！ You don't mean it！〃
〃Yes。 Dad has completed the submarine he was working on when we
were off in the airship； and it will be launched the day after to…morrow。〃
〃Oh； that's so。 I'd forgotten about it。 He's going to try for the
Government prize； isn't he？ But tell me more about it。 Bless my scarf…pin；
but I'm glad I met you！ Going into town； I take it。 Well； I just came from
there； but I'll walk back with you。 Do you thinkis there any possibility
that I could go with you？ Of course； I don't want to crowd you； but〃
〃Oh； there'll be plenty of room；〃 replied the young inventor。 〃In fact；
more room than we had in the airship。 We were talking only the other day
about the possibility of you going with us； but we didn't think you'd risk
it。〃
〃Risk it？ Bless my liver！ Of course I'll risk' it！ It can't be as bad as
sailing in the air。 You can't fall； that's certain。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃No； but maybe you can't rise；〃 remarked Tom grimly。
〃Oh； we won't think of that。 Of course； I'd like to go。 I fully expected
to be killed in the Red Cloud； but as I wasn't I'm ready to take a chance in
the water。 On the whole； I think I prefer to be buried at sea； anyhow。 Now；
then； will you take me？〃
〃I think I can safely promise；〃 answered Tom with a smile at his
friend's enthusiasm。
The two were approaching the city； having walked along as they talked。
There were still some sand dunes near the road； and they kept on the side
of these； nearest the beach； where they could watch the breakers。
〃But you haven't told me where you are going；〃 went on Mr。 Damon；
after blessing a few dozen objects。 〃Where do the Government trials take
place？〃
〃Well；〃 replied the lad； 〃to be frank with you； we have abandoned our
intention of trying for the Government prize。〃
〃Not going to try for it？ Bless my slippers！ Why not？ Isn't fifty
thousand dollars worth striving for？ And； with the kind of a submarine you
say you have； you ought to be able to win。〃
〃Yes； probably we could win；〃 admitted the young inventor； 〃but we
are going to try for a better prize。〃
〃A better one？ I don't understand。〃
〃Sunken treasure；〃 explained Tom。 〃There's a ship sunk off the coast
of Uruguay； with three hundred thousand dollars in gold bullion aboard。
Dad and I are going to try to recover that in our submarine。 We're going to
start day after to…morrow； and； if you like； you may go along。〃
〃Go along！ Of course I'll go along！〃 cried the eccentric man。 〃But I
never heard of such a thing。 Sunken treasure！ Three hundred thousand
dollars in gold！ My； what a lot of money！ And to go after it in a submarine！
It's as good as a story！〃
〃Yes； we hope to recover all the treasure；〃 said the lad。 〃We ought to
be able to claim at least half of it。〃
〃Bless my pocketbook！〃 cried Mr。 Damon； but Tom did not hear him。
At that instant his attention was attracted by seeing two men emerge from
behind the sand dune near which he and Mr。 Damon had halted
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momentarily； when the youth explained about the treasure。 The man
looked sharply at Tom。 A moment later the first man was joined by another；
and at the sight of him our hero could not repress an exclamation of alarm。
For the second man was none other than Addison Berg。
The latter glanced quickly at Tom； and then； with a hasty word to his
companion； the two swung around and made off in the opposite direction
to that in which they had been walking。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked Mr。 Damon； seeing the young inventor was
strangely affected。
〃Thatthat man；〃 stammered the lad。
〃You don't mean to tell me that was one the Happy Harry gang； do
you？〃
〃No。 But one； or both of those men； may prove to be worse。 That
second man was Addison Berg； and he's agent for a firm of submarine boat
builders who are rivals of dad's。 Berg has been trying to find out why we
abandoned our intention of competing for the Government prize。〃
〃I hope you didn't tell him。〃
〃I didn't intend to；〃 replied Tom； smiling grimly； 〃but I'm afraid I have；
however He certainly overheard what I said。 I spoke too loud。 Yes； he
must have heard me。 That's why he hurried off so。〃
〃Possibly no harm is done。 You didn't give the location of the sunken
ship。〃
〃No； but I guess from what I said it will be easy enough to find。 Well；
if we're going to have a fight for the possession of that sunken gold； I'm
ready for it。 The Advance is well equipped for a battle。 I must tell dad of
this。 It's my fault。〃
〃And partly mine； for asking you such leading questions in a public
place；〃 declared Mr。 Damon。 〃Bless my coat…tails； but I'm sorry！ Maybe；
after all； those men were so interested in what they themselves were
saying that they didn't understand what you said。〃
But if there had been any doubts on this score they would have been
dissolved had Tom and his friend been able to see the actions of Mr。 Berg
and his companion a little later。 The plans of the treasure…hunters had been
revealed to their ears。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER Eight
Another Treasure Expedition
While Tom and Mr。 Damon continued on to Atlantis after the oil； the
young inventor lamenting from time to time that his remarks about the real
destination of the Advance had been overheard by Mr。 Berg； the latter and
his companion were hastening back along the path that ran on one side of
the sand dunes。
〃What's your hurry？〃 asked Mr。 Maxwell； who was with the submarine
agent。 〃You turned around as if you were shot when you saw that man and
the lad。 There didn't appear to be any cause for such a hurry。 From what I
could hear they were talking about a submarine。 You're in the same
business。 You might be friends。〃
〃Yes； we might；〃 admitted Mr。 Berg with a peculiar smile； 〃but； unless
I'm very much mistaken； we're going to be rivals。〃
〃Rivals？ What do you mean？〃
〃I can't tell you now。 Perhaps I may later。 But if you don't mind； walk a
little faster； please。 I want to get to a long…distance telephone。〃
〃What for？〃
〃I have just overheard something that I wish to communicate to my
employers； Bentley & Eagert。〃
〃Overheard something？ I don't see what it could be； unless that lad〃
〃You'll learn in good time；〃 went on the submarine agent。 〃But I must
telephone at once。〃
A little later the two men had reached a trolley line that ran into
Atlantis； and they arrived at the city before Mr。 Damon and Tom got there；
as the latter had to go by a circuitous route。 Mr。 Berg lost no time in
calling up his firm by telephone。
〃I have had another talk with Mr。 Swift；〃 he reported to Mr。 Bentley；
who came to the instrument in Philadelphia。
〃Well； what does he say？〃 was the impatient question。 〃I can't
understand his not wanting to try for the Government prize。 It is
astonishing。 You said you were going to discover the reason； Mn Berg； but
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you haven't done so。〃
〃I have。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Well； the reason Mr。 Swift and his son don't care to try for the fifty
thousand dollar prize is that they are after one of three hundred thousand
dollars。〃
〃Three hundred thousand dollars！〃 cried Mr； Bentley。 〃What
government is going to offer such a prize as that for submarines； when
they are getting almost as common as airships？ We ought to have a try for
that oursel
