tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第17节
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came down here to allow them to scratch their backs on the steel plates。〃
For some time they remained on the bottom； watching the wonderful
sight of the fishes that swam all about them。
〃Well； I think we may as well rise；〃 announced Mr。 Swift； after they
had been on the bottom about an hour； moving here and there。 〃We didn't
bring any provisions； and I'm getting hungry； though I don't know how the
others of you feel about it。〃
〃Bless my dinner…plate； I could eat； too！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃Go up； by
all means。 We'll get enough of under…water travel once we start for the
treasure。〃
〃Send her up； Tom；〃 called his father。 〃I Want to make a few notes on
some needed changes and improvements。〃
Tom entered the lower pilot house； and turned the valve that opened
the tanks。 He also pulled the lever that started the pumps； so that the water
ballast would be more quickly emptied； as that would render the
submarine buoyant； and she would quickly shoot to the surface。 To the
surprise of the lad； however； there followed no outrushing of the water。
The Advance remained stationary on the ocean bed。 Mr。 Swift looked up
from his notes。
〃Didn't you hear me ask you to send her up； Tom？〃 he inquired mildly。
〃I did； dad； but something seems to be the matter；〃 was the reply。
〃Matter？ What do you mean？〃 and the aged inventor hastened to
where his son and Captain Weston were at the wheels； valves and levers。
〃Why； the tanks won't empty； and the pumps don't seem to work。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃Let me try；〃 suggested Mr。 Swift； and he pulled the various handles。
There was no corresponding action of the machinery。
〃That's odd；〃 he remarked in a curious voice 〃Perhaps something has
gone wrong with the connections。 Go look in the engine…room； and ask Mr。
Sharp if everything is all right there。〃
Tom made a quick trip； returning to report that the dynamos； motors
and gas engine were running perfectly。
〃Try to work the tank levers and pumps from the conning tower；〃
suggested Captain Weston。 〃Sometimes I've known the steam steering gear
to play tricks like that。〃
Tom hurried up the circular stairway into the tower。 He pulled the
levers and shifted the valves and wheels there。 But there was no emptying
of the water tanks。 The weight and pressure of water in them still held the
submarine on the bottom of the sea； more than a mile from the surface。
The pumps in the engine…room were working at top speed； but there was
evidently something wrong in the connections。 Mr。 Swift quickly came to
this conclusion。
〃We must repair it at once；〃 he said。 〃Tom； come to the engine…room。
You and I； with Mr。 Jackson and Mr。 Sharp； will soon have it in shape
again。〃
〃Is there any danger？〃 asked Mr。 Damon in a perturbed voice。 〃Bless
my soul； it's unlucky to have an accident on our trial trip。〃
〃Oh； we must expect accidents；〃 declared Mr。 Swift with a smile。
〃This is nothing。〃
But it proved to be more difficult than he had imagined to re…establish
the connection between the pumps and the tanks。 The valves； too； had
clogged or jammed； and as the pressure outside the ship was so great； the
water would not run out of itself。 It must be forced。
For an hour or more the inventor； his son and the others； worked away。
They could accomplish nothing。 Tom looked anxiously at his parent when
the latter paused in his efforts。
〃Don't worry；〃 advised the aged inventor。 〃It's got to come right sooner
or later。〃
Just then Mr。 Damon； who had been wandering about the ship； entered
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
the engine…room。
〃Do you know；〃 he said； 〃you ought to open a window； or something。〃
〃Why； what's the matter？〃 asked Tom quickly； looking to see if the odd
man was joking。
〃Well； of course I don't exactly mean a window；〃 explained Mr。
Damon； 〃but we need fresh air。〃
〃Fresh air！〃 There was a startled note in Mr。 Swift's voice as he
repeated the words。
〃Yes； I can hardly breathe in the living…room； and it's not much better
here。〃
〃Why； there ought to be plenty of fresh air；〃 went on the inventor。 〃It is
renewed automatically。〃
Tom jumped up and looked at an indicator。 He uttered a startled cry。
〃The air hasn't been changed in the last hour！〃 he exclaimed。 〃It is bad。
There's not enough oxygen in it。 I notice it； now that I've stopped working。
The gage indicates it； too。 The automatic air…changer must have stopped
working。 I'll fix it。〃
He hurried to the machine which was depended on to supply fresh air
to the submarine。
〃Why； the air tanks are empty！〃 the young inventor cried。 〃We haven't
any more air except what is in the ship now！〃
〃And we're rapidly breathing that up；〃 added Captain Weston
solemnly。
〃Can't you make more？〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃I thought you said you
could make oxygen aboard the ship。〃
〃We can；〃 answered Mr。 Swift； 〃but I did not bring along a supply of
the necessary chemicals。 I did not think we would be submerged long
enough for that。 But there should have been enough in the reserve tank to
last several days。 How about it； Tom？〃
〃It's all leaked out； or else it wasn't filled；〃 was the despairing answer。
〃All the air we have is what's in the ship； and we can't make more。〃
The treasure…seekers looked at each other。 It was an awful situation。
〃Then the only thing to do is to fix the machinery and rise to the
surface；〃 said Mr。 Sharp simply。 〃We can have all the air we want； then。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃Yes； but the machinery doesn't seem possible of being fixed；〃 spoke
Tom in a low voice。
〃We must do it！〃 cried his father。
They set to work again with fierce energy； laboring for their very lives。
They all knew that they could not long remain in the ship without oxygen。
Nor could they desert it to go to the surface； for the moment they left the
protection of the thick steel sides the terrible pressure of the water would
kill them。 Nor were the diving suits available。 They must stay in the craft
and die a miserable death…unless the machinery could be repaired and the
Advance sent to the surface。 The emergency expanding lifting tank was
not yet in working order。
More frantically they toiled； trying every device that was suggested to
the mechanical minds of Tom； his father； Mr。 Sharp or Mr。 Jackson； to
make the pumps work。 But something was wrong。 More and more foul
grew the air。 They were fairly gasping now。 It was difficult to breathe； to
say nothing of working； in that atmosphere。 The thought of their terrible
position was in the minds of all。
〃Oh； for one breath of fresh air！〃 cried Mr。 Damon； who seemed to
suffer more than any of the others。 Grim death was hovering around them；
imprisoned as they were on the ocean's bed； over a mile from the surface。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER Thirteen
Off for the Treasure
Suddenly Tom； after a moment's pause； seized a wrench and began
loosening some nuts。
〃What are you doing？〃 asked his father faintly； for he was being
weakened by the vitiated atmosphere。
〃I'm going to take this valve apart；〃 replied his son。 〃We haven't
looked there for the trouble。 Maybe it's out of order。〃
He attacked the valve with energy； but his hands soon lagged。 The lack
of oxygen was telling on him。 He could no longer work quickly。
〃I'll help；〃 murmured Mr。 Sharp thickly。 He took a wrench； but no
sooner had he loosened one nut than he toppled over。 〃I'm all in；〃 he
murmured feebly。
〃Is he dead？〃 cried Mr。 Damon； himself gasping。
〃No； only fainted。 But he s
