tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第2节
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〃Well； if everything goes well we'll be in position to make a trial trip
inside of a month；〃 remarked the aged inventor。 〃look here； Mr。 Sharp； I
made a change in the steering gear； which I'd like you and Tom to
consider。〃
The three walked around to the rear of the odd…looking structure； if an
object shaped like a cigar can be said to have a front and rear； and the
inventor； his son； and the aeronaut were soon deep in a discussion of the
technicalities connected with under…water navigation。
A little later they went into the house； in response to a summons from
the supper bell； vigorously rung by Mrs。 Baggert。 She was not fond of
waiting with meals； and even the most serious problem of mechanics was；
in her estimation； as nothing compared with having the soup get cold； or
the possibility of not having the meat done to a turn。
The meal was interspersed with remarks about the recent airship flight
of Tom and Mr。 Sharp； and discussions about the new submarine。 This talk
went on even after the table was cleared off and the three had adjourned to
the sitting… room。 There Mr。 Swift brought out pencil and paper； and soon
he and Mr。 Sharp were engrossed in calculating the pressure per square
inch of sea water at a depth of three miles。
〃Do you intend to go as deep as that？〃 asked Tom； looking up from a
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
paper he was reading。
〃Possibly；〃 replied his father； and his son resumed his perusal of the
sheet。
〃Now；〃 went on the inventor to the aeronaut； 〃I have another plan。 In
addition to the positive and negative plates which will form our motive
power； I am going to install forward and aft propellers； to use in case of
accident。〃
〃I say； dad！ Did you see this？〃 suddenly exclaimed Tom； getting up
from his chair； and holding his finger on a certain place in the page of the
paper。
〃Did I see what？〃 asked Mr。 Swift。
〃Why； this account of the sinking of the treasure ship。〃
〃Treasure ship？ No。 Where？〃
〃Listen；〃 went on Tom。 〃I'll read it： 'Further advices from Montevideo；
Uruguay； South America； state that all hope has been given up of
recovering the steamship Boldero； which foundered and went down off
that coast in the recent gale。 Not only has all hope been abandoned of
raising the vessel； but it is feared that no part of the three hundred
thousand dollars in gold bullion which she carried will ever be recovered。
Expert divers who were taken to the scene of the wreck state that the depth
of water； and the many currents existing there； due to a submerged shoal；
preclude any possibility of getting at the hull。 The bullion； it is believed；
was to have been used to further the interests of a certain revolutionary
faction； but it seems likely that they will have to look elsewhere for the
sinews of war。 Besides the bullion the ship also carried several cases of
rifles； it is stated； and other valuable cargo。 The crew and what few
passengers the Boldero carried were； contrary to the first reports； all saved
by taking to the boats。 It appears that some of the ship's plates were sprung
by the stress in which she labored in a storm； and she filled and sank
gradually。' There！ what do you think of that； dad？〃 cried Tom as he
finished。
〃What do I think of it？ Why； I think it's too bad for the revolutionists；
Tom； of course。〃
〃No； I mean about the treasure being still on board the ship。 What
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
about that？〃
〃Well； it's likely to stay there； if the divers can't get at it。 Now； Mr。
Sharp； about the propellers〃
〃Wait； dad！〃 cried Tom earnestly。
〃Why； Tom； what's the matter？〃 asked Mr。 Swift in some surprise。
〃How soon before we can finish our submarine？〃 went on Tom； not
answering the question。
〃About a month。 Why？〃
〃Why？ Dad； why can't we have a try for that treasure？ It ought to be
comparatively easy to find that sunken ship off the coast of Uruguay。 In
our submarine we can get close up to it； and in the new diving suits you
invented we can get at that gold bullion。 Three hundred thousand dollars！
Think of it； dad！ Three hundred thousand dollars！ We could easily claim
all of it； since the owners have abandoned it； but we would be satisfied
with half。 Let's hurry up； finish the submarine； and have a try for it。〃
〃But； Tom； you forget that I am to enter my new ship in the trials for
the prize offered by the United States Government。〃
〃How much is the prize if you win it？〃 asked Tom。
〃Fifty thousand dollars。〃
〃Well； here's a chance to make three times that much at least； and
maybe more。 Dad； let the Government prize go； and try for the treasure。
Will you？〃
Tom looked eagerly at his father； his eyes shining with anticipation。
Mr。 Swift was not a quick thinker； but the idea his son had proposed made
an impression on him。 He reached out his hand for the paper in which the
young inventor had seen the account of the sunken treasure。 Slowly he
read it through。 Then he passed it to Mr。 Sharp。
〃What do you think of it？〃 he asked of the aeronaut
〃There's a possibility；〃 remarked the balloonist 〃We might try for it。
We can easily go three miles down； and it doesn't lie as deeply as that； if
this account is true。 Yes； we might try for it。 But we'd have to omit the
Government contests。〃
〃Will you； dad？〃 asked Tom again。
Mr。 Swift considered a moment longer。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃Yes； Tom； I will；〃 he finally decided。 〃Going after the treasure will be
likely to afford us a better test of the submarine than would any
Government tests。 We'll try to locate the sunken Boldero。〃
〃Hurrah！〃 cried the lad； taking the paper from Mr。 Sharp and waving it
in the air。 〃That's the stuff！ Now for a search for the submarine treasure！〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER Two
Finishing the Submarine
〃What's the matter？〃 cried Mrs。 Baggert； the housekeeper； hurrying in
from the kitchen； where she was washing the dishes。 〃Have you seen some
of those scoundrels who robbed you； Mr。 Swift？ If you have； the police
down here ought to〃
〃No； it's nothing like that；〃 explained Mr。 Swift。 〃Tom has merely
discovered in the paper an account of a sunken treasure ship； and he wants
us to go after it； down under the ocean。〃
〃Oh； dear！ Some more of Captain Kidd's hidden hoard； I suppose？〃
ventured the housekeeper。 〃Don't you bother with it； Mr。 Swift。 I had a
cousin once； and he got set in the notion that he knew where that pirate's
treasure was。 He spent all the money he had and all he could borrow
digging for it； and he never found a penny。 Don't waste your time on such
foolishness。 It's bad enough to be building airships and submarines
without going after treasure。〃 Mrs。 Baggert spoke with the freedom of an
old friend rather than a hired housekeeper； but she had been in the family
ever since Tom's mother died； when he was a baby； and she had many
privileges。
〃Oh； this isn't any of Kidd's treasure；〃 Tom assured her。 〃If we get it；
Mrs。 Baggert； I'll buy you a diamond ring。〃
〃Humph！〃 she exclaimed； as Tom began to hug her in boyish fashion。
〃I guess I'll have to buy all the diamond rings I want； if I have to depend
on your treasure for them；〃 and she went back to the kitchen。
〃Well；〃 went on Mr。 Swift after a pause； 〃if we are going into the
treasure…hunting business； Tom； we'll have to get right to work。 In the first
place； we must find out more about this ship； and just where it was su
