tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第12节
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！
they are getting almost as common as airships？ We ought to have a try for
that ourselves。 What government is it？〃
〃No government at all。 But I think we ought to have a try for it； Mr。
Bentley。〃
〃Explain。〃
〃Well； I have just learned； most accidentally； that the Swifts are going
after sunken treasurethree hundred thousand dollars in gold bullion。〃
〃Sunken treasure？ Where？
〃I don't know exactly； but off the coast of Uruguay；〃 and Mr。 Berg
rapidly related what he had overheard Tom tell Mr。 Damon。 Mr。 Bentley
was much excited and impatient for more details； but his agent could not
give them to him。
〃Well；〃 concluded the senior member of the firm of submarine boat
builders； 〃if the Swifts are going after treasure； so can we。 Come to
Philadelphia at once； Mr。 Berg； and we'll talk this matter over。 There is no
time to lose。 We can afford to forego the Government prize for the chance
of getting a much larger one。 We have as much right to search for the
sunken gold as the Swifts have。 Come here at once； and we will make our
plans。〃
〃All right；〃 agreed the agent with a smile as he hung up the receiver。 〃I
guess；〃 he murmured to himself； 〃that you won't be so high and mighty
with me after this； Tom Swift。 We'll see who has the best boat； after all。
We'll have a contest and a competition； but not for a government prize。 It
will be for the sunken gold。〃
It was easy to see that Mr。 Berg was much pleased with himself。
Meanwhile； Tom and Mr。 Damon had reached Atlantis； and had
43
… Page 44…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
purchased the oil。 They started back； but Tom took a street leading toward
the center of the place； instead of striking for the beach path； along which
they had come。
〃Where are you going？〃 asked Mr。 Damon。
〃I want to see if that Andy Foger has come back here；〃 replied the lad；
and he told of having been shut in the tank by the bully。
〃I've never properly punished him for that trick；〃 he went on； 〃though
we did manage to burst his auto tires。 I'm curious to know how he knew
enough to turn that gear and shut the tank door。 He must have been
loitering near the shop； seen me go in the submarine alone； watched his
chance and sneaked in after me。 But I'd like to get a complete explanation；
and if I once got hold of Andy I could make him talk；〃 and Tom clenched
his fist in a manner that augured no good for the squint…eyed lad。 〃He was
stopping at the same hotel with Mr。 Berg； and be hurried away after the
trick he played on me。 I next saw him in Shopton； but I thought perhaps he
might have come back here。 I'm going to inquire at the hotel；〃 he added。
Andy's name was not on the register since his hasty flight； however；
and Tom； after inquiring from the clerk and learning that Mr。 Berg was
still a guest at the hostelry； rejoined Mr。 Damon。
〃Bless my hat！〃 exclaimed that eccentric individual as they started
back to the lonely beach where the submarine was awaiting her advent
into the water。 〃The more I think of the trip I'm going to take； the more I
like it。〃
〃I hope you will；〃 remarked Tom。 〃It will be a new experience for all
of us。 There's only one thing worrying me； and that is about Mr。 Berg
having overheard what I said。〃
〃Oh； don't worry about that。 Can't we slip away and leave no trace in
the water？〃
〃I hope so； but I must tell dad and Mr。 Sharp about what happened。〃
The aged inventor was not a little alarmed at what his son related； but
he agreed with Mr。 Damon； whom he heartily welcomed； that little was to
be apprehended from Berg and his employers。
〃They know we're after a sunken wreck； but that's all they do know；〃
said Tom's father。 〃We are only waiting for the arrival of Captain Alden
44
… Page 45…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
Weston； and then we will go。 Even if Bentley & Eagert make a try for the
treasure we'll have the start of them； and this will be a case of first come；
first served。 Don't worry； Tom。 I'm glad you're going； Mn Damon。 Come； I
will show you our submarine。〃
As father and son； with their guest； were going to the machine shop；
Mr。 Sharp met them。 He had a letter in his hand。
〃Good news！〃 the balloonist cried。 〃Captain Weston will be with us to…
morrow。 He will arrive at the Beach Hotel in Atlantis； and wants one of us
to meet him there。 He has considerable information about the wreck。〃
〃The Beach Hotel；〃 murmured Tom。 〃That is where Mr。 Berg is
stopping。 I hope he doesn't worm any of our secret from Captain Weston；〃
and it was with a feeling of uneasiness that the young inventor continued
after his father and Mr。 Damon to where the submarine was。
45
… Page 46…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER Nine
Captain Weston's Advent
〃Bless my water ballast； but that certainly is a fine boat！〃 cried Mr。
Damon； when he had been shown over the new craft。 〃I think I shall feel
even safer in that than in the Red Cloud。〃
〃Oh； don't go back on the airship！〃 exclaimed Mn Sharp。 〃I was
counting on taking you on another trip。〃
〃Well； maybe after we get back from under the ocean；〃 agreed Mr。
Damon。 〃I particularly like the cabin arrangements of the Advance。 I think
I shall enjoy myself。〃
He would be hard to please who could not take pleasure from a trip in
the submarine。 The cabin was particularly fine； and the sleeping
arrangements were good。
More supplies could be carried than was possible on the airship； and
there was more room in which to cook and serve food。 Mr。 Damon was
fond of good living； and the kitchen pleased him as much as anything else。
Early the next morning Tom set out for Atlantis； to meet Captain
Weston at the hotel。 The young inventor inquired of the clerk whether the
seafaring man had arrived； and was told that he had come the previous
evening。
〃Is he in his room？〃 asked Tom。
〃No；〃 answered the clerk with a peculiar grin。 〃He's an odd character。
Wouldn't go to bed last night until we had every window in his room open；
though it was blowing quite hard； and likely to storm。 The captain said he
was used to plenty of fresh air。 Well； I guess he got it； all right。〃
〃Where is he now？〃 asked the youth； wondering what sort of an
individual he was to meet。
〃Oh； he was up before sunrise； so some of the scrubwomen told me。
They met him coming from his room； and he went right down to the beach
with a big telescope he always carries with him。 He hasn't come back yet。
Probably he's down on the sand。〃
〃Hasn't he had breakfast？〃
46
… Page 47…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃No。 He left word he didn't want to eat until about four bells； whatever
time that is。〃
〃It's ten o'clock；〃 replied Tom； who had been studying up on sea terms
lately。 〃Eight bells is eight o'clock in the morning； or four in the afternoon
or eight at night； according to the time of day。 Then there's one bell for
every half hour； so four bells this morning would be ten o'clock in this
watch； I suppose。〃
〃Oh； that's the way it goes； eh？〃 asked the clerk。 〃I never could get it
through my head。 What is twelve o'clock noon？〃
〃That's eight bells； too； so is twelve o'clock midnight。 Eight bells is as
high as they go on a ship。 But I guess I'll go down and see if I can meet the
captain。 It will soon be ten o'clock； or four bells； and he must be hungry
for breakfast。 By the way； is that Mr。 Berg still here？〃
〃No； he went away early this morning。 He and Captain Weston seemed
to strike up quite an acquaintance； the night clerk told me。 They sat and
smoked together until long after midnight； or eight bells；〃 and the clerk
smiled as he glanced down at the big diamond ring on his little finger。
〃They did？〃 fairly exploded Tom； for he had visions of what the wily
Mr。 Berg might worm out of the simple captain。
〃Yes。 Why； isn't the captain
