tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第15节
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trembling with eagerness； for the completion of the ship meant much to
him。
〃One moment；〃 begged Captain Weston。 〃If you don't mind； I'll take an
observation；〃 he went on； and he swept the horizon with his telescope。
〃All clear；〃 he reported。 〃I think we may go aboard and make a trial trip。〃
Little time was lost in entering the cabin and engine… room； Garret
Jackson accompanying the party to aid with the machinery。 It did not take
long to start the motors； dynamos and the big gasolene engine that was the
vital part of the craft。 A little water was admitted to the tanks for ballast；
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
since the food and other supplies were not yet on board。 The Advance now
floated with the deck aft of the conning tower showing about two feet
above the surface of the creek。 Mr。 Swift and Tom entered the pilot house。
〃Start the engines；〃 ordered the aged inventor； 〃and we'll try my new
system of positive and negative electrical propulsion。〃
There was a hum and whir in the body of the ship beneath the feet of
Tom and his father。 Captain Weston stood on the little deck near the
conning tower。
〃All ready？〃 asked the youth through the speaking tube to Mr。 Sharp
and Mr。 Jackson in the engine…room。
〃All ready；〃 came the answer。
Tom threw over the connecting lever； while his father grasped the
steering wheel。 The Advance shot forward； moving swiftly along； about
half submerged。
〃She goes！ She goes！〃 cried Tom
〃She certainly does； if I may be permitted to say so；〃 was the calm
contribution of Captain Weston。 〃I congratulate you。〃
Faster and faster went the new craft。 Mr。 Swift headed her toward the
open sea； but stopped just before passing out of the creek； as he was not
yet ready to venture into deep water。
〃I want to test the auxiliary propellers；〃 he said。 After a little longer
trial of the electric propulsion plates； which were found to work
satisfactorily； sending the submarine up and down the creek at a fast rate；
the screws； such as are used on most submarines； were put into gear。 They
did well； but were not equal to the plates； nor was so much expected of
them。
〃I am perfectly satisfied；〃 announced Mr。 Swift as he once more
headed the boat to sea。 〃I think； Captain Weston； you had better go below
now。〃
〃Why so？〃
〃Because I am going to completely submerge the craft。 Tom； close the
conning tower door。 Perhaps you will come in here with us； Captain
Weston； though it will be rather a tight fit。〃
〃Thank you； I will。 I want to see how it feels to be in a pilot house
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
under water。〃
Tom closed the water…tight door of the conning tower。 Word was sent
through the tube to the engine…room that a more severe test of the ship was
about to be made。 The craft was now outside the line of breakers and in
the open sea。
〃Is everything ready； Tom？〃 asked his father in a quiet voice。
〃Everything；〃 replied the lad nervously； for the anticipation of being
about to sink below the surface was telling on them all； even on the calm；
old sea captain。
〃Then open the tanks and admit the water；〃 ordered Mr。 Swift。
His son turned a valve and adjusted some levers。 There was a hissing
sound； and the Advance began sinking。 She was about to dive beneath the
surface of the ocean； and those aboard her were destined to go through a
terrible experience before she rose again。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER Eleven
On the Ocean Bed
Lower and lower sank the submarine。 There was a swirling and
foaming of the water as she went down； caused by the air bubbles which
the craft carried with her in her descent。 Only the top of the conning tower
was out of water now； the ocean having closed over the deck and the
rounded back of the boat。 Had any one been watching they would have
imagined that an accident was taking place。
In the pilot house； with its thick glass windows； Tom； his father and
Captain Weston looked over the surface of the ocean； which every minute
was coming nearer and nearer to them。
〃We'll be all under in a few seconds；〃 spoke Tom in a solemn voice； as
he listened to the water hissing into the tanks。
〃Yes； and then we can see what sort of progress we will make；〃 added
Mr。 Swift。 〃Everything is going fine； though；〃 he went on cheerfully。 〃I
believe I have a good boat。〃
〃There is no doubt of it in my mind；〃 remarked Captain Weston； and
Tom felt a little disappointed that the sailor did not shout out some such
expression as 〃Shiver my timbers！〃 or 〃Keel…haul the main braces； there；
you lubber！〃 But Captain Weston was not that kind of a sailor； though his
usually quiet demeanor could be quickly dropped on necessity； as Tom
learned later。
A few minutes more and the waters closed over the top of the conning
tower。 The Advance was completely submerged。 Through the thick glass
windows of the pilot house the occupants looked out into the greenish
water that swirled about them； but it could not enter。 Then； as the boat
went lower； the light from above gradually died out； and the semi…darkness
gave place to gloom。
〃Turn on the electrics and the searchlight； Tom；〃 directed his father。
There was the click of a switch； and the conning tower was flooded
with light。 But as this had the effect of preventing the three from peering
out into the water； just as one in a lighted room cannot look out into the
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
night； Tom shut them off and switched on the great searchlight。 This
projected its powerful beams straight ahead and there； under the ocean；
was a pathway of illumination for the treasure… seekers。
〃Fine！〃 cried Captain Weston； with more enthusiasm than he had yet
manifested。 〃That's great； if you don't mind me mentioning it。 How deep
are we？〃
Tom glanced at a gage on the side of the pilot tower。
〃Only about sixty feet；〃 he answered。
〃Then don't go any deeper！〃 cried the captain hastily。 〃I know these
waters around here； and that's about all the depth you've got。 You'll be on
the bottom in a minute。〃
〃I intend to get on the bottom after a while；〃 said Mr。 Swift； 〃but not
here。 I want to try for a greater distance under water before I come to rest
on the ocean's bed。 But I think we are deep enough for a test。 Tom； close
the tank intake pipes and we'll see how the Advance will progress when
fully submerged。〃
The hissing stopped； and then； wishing to see how the motors and
other machinery would work； the aged inventor and his son； accompanied
by Captain Weston； descended from the conning tower； by means of an
inner stairway； to the interior of the ship。 The submarine could be steered
and managed from below or above。 She was now floating about sixty…five
feet below the surface of the bay。
〃Well； how do you like it？〃 asked Tom of Mr。 Damon； as he saw his
friend in an easy chair in the living…room or main cabin of the craft；
looking out of one of the plate…glass windows on the side。
〃Bless my spectacles； it's the most wonderful thing I ever dreamed of！〃
cried the queer character； as he peered at the mass of water before him。
〃To think that I'm away down under the surface； and yet as dry as a bone。
Bless my necktie； but it's great！ What are we going to do now？〃
〃Go forward；〃 replied the young inventor。
〃Perhaps I had better make an observation；〃 suggested Captain Weston；
taking his telescope from under his arm； where he had carried it since
entering the craft； and opening it。 〃We may run afoul of something； if you
don't mind me mentioning such a disagreeable subject。〃 Then
