tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第3节
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place； we must find out more about this ship； and just where it was sunk。〃
〃I can do that part；〃 said Mr。 Sharp。 〃I know some sea captains； and
they can put me on the track of locating the exact spot。 In fact； it might not
be a bad idea to take an expert navigator with us。 I can manage in the air
all right； but I confess that working out a location under water is beyond
me。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃Yes； an old sea captain wouldn't be a bad idea； by any means；〃
conceded Mr。 Swift。 〃Well； if you'll attend to that detail； Mr。 Sharp； Tom；
Mr。 Jackson and I will finish the submarine。 Most of the work is done；
however； and it only remains to install the engine and motors。 Now； in
regard to the negative and positive electric plates； I'd like your opinion；
Tom。〃
For Tom Swift was an inventor； second in ability only to his father； and
his advice was often sought by his parent on matters of electrical
construction； for the lad had made a specialty of that branch of science。
While father and son were deep in a discussion of the apparatus of the
submarine； there will be an opportunity to make the reader a little better
acquainted with them。 Those of you who have read the previous volumes
of this series do not need to be told who Tom Swift is。 Others； however；
may be glad to have a proper introduction to him。
Tom Swift lived with his father； Barton Swift； in the village of
Shopton； New York。 The Swift home was on the outskirts of the town； and
the large house was surrounded by a number of machine shops； in which
father and son； aided by Garret Jackson； the engineer； did their
experimental and constructive work。 Their house was not far from Lake
Carlopa； a fairly large body of water； on which Tom often speeded his
motor
In the first volume of this series； entitled 〃Tom Swift and His Motor…
Cycle；〃 it was told how be became acquainted with Mr。 Wakefield Damon；
who suffered an accident while riding one of the speedy machines。 The
accident disgusted Mr。 Damon with motor…cycles； and Tom secured it for a
low price。 He had many adventures on it； chief among which was being
knocked senseless and robbed of a valuable patent model belonging to his
father； which he was taking to Albany。 The attack was committed by a
gang known as the Happy Harry gang； who were acting at the instigation
of a syndicate of rich men； who wanted to secure control of a certain
patent turbine engine which Mr。 Swift had invented。
Tom set out in pursuit of the thieves； after recovering from their attack；
and had a strenuous time before he located them。
In the second volume； entitled 〃Tom Swift and His Motor… Boat；〃 there
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
was related our hero's adventures in a fine craft which was recovered from
the thieves and sold at auction。 There was a mystery connected with the
boat； and for a long time Tom could not solve it。 He was aided； however；
by his chum； Ned Newton； who worked in the Shopton Bank； and also by
Mr。 Damon and Eradicate Sampson； an aged colored whitewasher； who
formed quite an attachment for Tom。
In his motor…boat Tom had more than one race with Andy Foger； a rich
lad of Shopton； who was a sort of bully。 He had red hair and squinty eyes；
and was as mean in character as he was in looks。 He and his cronies； Sam
Snedecker and Pete Bailey； made trouble for Tom； chiefly because Tom
managed to beat Andy twice in boat races。
It was while in his motor…boat； Arrow； that Tom formed the
acquaintance of John Sharp； a veteran balloonist。 While coming down
Lake Carlopa on the way to the Swift home； which had been entered by
thieves； Tom； his father and Ned Newton； saw a balloon on fire over the
lake。 Hanging from a trapeze on it was Mr。 Sharp； who had made an
ascension from a fair ground。 By hard work on the part of Tom and his
friends the aeronaut was saved； and took up his residence with the Swifts。
His advent was most auspicious； for Tom and his father were then
engaged in perfecting an airship； and Mr。 Sharp was able to lend them his
skill； so that the craft was soon constructed。
In the third volume； called 〃Tom Swift and His Airship；〃 there was set
down the doings of the young inventor； Mr。 Sharp and Mr。 Damon on a
trip above the clouds。 They undertook it merely for pleasure； but they
encountered considerable danger； before they completed it； for they nearly
fell into a blazing forest once； and were later fired at by a crowd of excited
people。 This last act was to effect their capture； for they were taken for a
gang of bank robbers； and this was due directly to Andy Foger。
The morning after Tom and his friends started on their trip in the air；
the Shopton Bank was found to have been looted of seventy…five thousand
dollars。 Andy Foger at once told the police that Tom Swift had taken the
money； and when asked how he knew this； he said he had seen Tom
hanging around the bank the night before the vault was burst open； and
that the young inventor had some burglar tools in his possession。 Warrants
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
were at once sworn out for Tom and Mr。 Damon； who was also accused of
being one of the robbers； and a reward of five thousand dollars was
offered。
Tom； Mr。 Damon and Mr。 Sharp sailed on； all unaware of this； and
unable to account for being fired upon； until they accidentally read in the
paper an account of their supposed misdeeds。 They lost no time in starting
back home； and on； the way got on the track of the real bank robbers； who
were members of the Happy Harry gang。
How the robbers were captured in an exciting raid； how Tom
recovered most of the stolen money； and how he gave Andy Foger a
deserved thrashing for giving a false clue was told of； and there was an
account of a race in which the Red Cloud （as the airship was called） took
part； as well as details of how Tom and his friends secured the reward；
which Andy Foger hoped to collect。
Those of you who care to know how the Red Cloud was constructed；
and how she behaved in the air； even during accidents and when struck by
lightning； may learn by reading the third volume； for the airship was one
of the most successful ever constructed。
When the craft was finished； and the navigators were ready to start on
their first long trip； Mr。 Swift was asked to go with them。 He declined； but
would not tell why； until Tom； pressing him for an answer； learned that his
father was planning a submarine boat； which he hoped to enter in some
trials for Government prizes。 Mr。 Swift remained at home to work on this
submarine； while his son and Mr。 Sharp were sailing above the clouds。
On their return； however； and after the bank mystery had been cleared
up； Tom and Mr。 Sharp； aided Mr。 Swift in completing the submarine； until；
when the present story opens； it needed but little additional work to make
the craft ready for the water。
Of course it had to be built near the sea； as it would have been
impossible to transport it overland from Shopton。 So； before the keel was
laid； Mr。 Swift rented a large cottage at a seaside place on the New Jersey
coast and there； after； erecting a large shed； the work on the Advance； as
the under…water ship was called； was begun。
It was soon to be launched in a large creek that extended in from the
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
ocean and had plenty of water at high tide。 Tom and Mr。 Sharp made
several trips back and forth from Shopton in their airship； to see that all
was safe at home and occasionally to get needed tools and supplies from
the shops； for not all the apparatus could be moved from Shopton to the
coast。
It was when returning from on
