tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第4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！
the shops； for not all the apparatus could be moved from Shopton to the
coast。
It was when returning from one of these trips that Tom brought with
him the paper containing an account of the wreck of the Boldero and the
sinking of the treasure she carried。
Until late that night the three fortune…hunters discussed various
matters。
〃We'll hurry work on the ship；〃 said Mr。 Swift it length。 〃Tom； I
wonder if your friend； Mr。 Damon； would care to try how it seems under
Water？ He stood the air trip fairly well。〃
〃I'll write and ask him；〃 answered the lad。 〃I'm sure he'll go。〃
Securing； a few days later； the assistance of two mechanics； whom he
knew he could trust； for as yet the construction of the Advance was a
secret； Mr。 Swift prepared to rush work on the submarine； and for the next
three weeks there were busy times in the shed next to the seaside cottage。
So busy； in fact； were Tom and Mr。 Sharp； that they only found
opportunity for one trip in the airship； and that was to get some supplies
from the shops at home。
〃Well；〃 remarked Mr。 Swift one night； at the close of a hard day's work；
〃another week will see our craft completed。 Then we will put it in the
water and see how it floats； and whether it submerges as I hope it does。
But come on； Tom。 I want to lock up。 I'm very tired to…night。〃
〃All right； dad；〃 answered the young inventor coming from the
darkened rear of the shop。 〃I just want to〃
Ne paused suddenly； and appeared to be listening。 Then he moved
softly back to where he had come from。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked his father in a whisper。 〃What's up； Tom？〃
The lad did not answer Mr。 Swift； with a worried look on his face；
followed his son。 Mr。 Sharp stood in the door of the shop。
〃I thought I heard some one moving around back here；〃 went on Tom
quietly。
13
… Page 14…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃Some one in this shop！〃 exclaimed the aged inventor excitedly。
〃Some one trying to steal my ideas again！ Mr。 Sharp； come here！ Bring
that rifle！ We'll teach these scoundrels a lesson！〃
Tom quickly darted hack to the extreme rear of the building。 There
was a scuffle； and the next minute Tom cried out：
〃What are you doing here？〃
〃Ha！ I beg your pardon；〃 replied a voice。 〃I am looking for Mr。 Barton
Swift。〃
〃My father；〃 remarked Tom。 〃But that's a queer place to look for him。
He's up front。 Father； here's a man who wishes to see you；〃 he called。
〃Yes； I strolled in； and seeing no one about I went to the rear of the
place；〃 the voice went on。 〃I hope I haven't transgressed。〃
〃We were busy on the other side of the shop； I guess；〃 replied Tom；
and he looked suspiciously at the man who emerged from the darkness
into the light from a window。 〃I beg your pardon for grabbing you the way
I did；〃 went on the lad； 〃but I thought you were one of a gang of men
we've been having trouble with。〃
〃Oh； that's all right；〃 continued the man easily。 〃I know Mr。 Swift； and
I think he will remember me。 Ah； Mr。 Swift； how do you do？〃 he added
quickly； catching sight of Tom's father； who； with Mr。 Sharp； was coming
to meet the lad。
〃Addison Berg！〃 exclaimed the aged inventor as he saw the man's face
more plainly。 〃What are you doing here？〃
〃I came to see you；〃 replied the man。 〃May I have a talk with you
privately？〃
〃II suppose so；〃 assented Mr。 Swift nervously。 〃Come into the
house。〃
Mr。 Berg left Tom's side and advanced to where Mr。 Swift was
standing。 Together the two emerged from the now fast darkening shop and
went toward the house。
〃Who is he？〃 asked Mr。 Sharp of the young inventor in a whisper。
〃I don't know；〃 replied the lad； 〃but； whoever he is； dad seems afraid
of him。 I'm going to keep my eyes open。〃
14
… Page 15…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER Three
Mr。 Berg is Astonished
Following his father and the stranger whom the aged inventor had
addressed as Mr。 Berg； Tom and Mr。 Sharp entered the house； the lad
having first made sure that Garret Jackson was on guard in the shop that
contained the sub marine。
〃Now；〃 said Mr。 Swift to the newcomer； 〃I am at your service。 What is
it you wish？〃
〃In the first place； let me apologize for having startled you and your
friends；〃 began the man。 〃I had no idea of sneaking into your workshop；
but I had just arrived here； and seeing the doors open I went in。 I heard no
one about； and I wandered to the back of the place。 There I happened to
stumble over a board〃
〃And I heard you；〃 interrupted Tom。
〃Is this one of your employees？〃 asked Mr。 Berg in rather frigid tones。
〃That is my son；〃 replied Mr。 Swift。
〃Oh； I beg your pardon。〃 The man's manner changed quickly。 〃Well； I
guess you did hear me； young man。 I didn't intend to hark my shins the
way I did； either。 You must have taken me for a burglar or a sneak thief。〃
〃I have been very much bothered by a gang of unscrupulous men；〃
said Mr。 Swift； 〃and I suppose Tom thought it was some of them sneaking
around again。〃
〃That's what I did；〃 added the lad。 〃I wasn't going to have any one
steal the secret of the submarine if I could help it。〃
〃Quite right！ Quite right！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Berg。 〃But my purpose was
an open one。 As you know； Mr。 Swift； I represent the firm of Bentley &
Eagert； builders of submarine boats and torpedoes。 They heard that you
were constructing a craft to take part in the competitive prize tests of the
United States Government； and they asked me to come and see you to
learn when your ship would be ready。 Ours is completed； but we recognize
that it will be for the best interests of all concerned if there are a number of
contestants； and my firm did not want to send in their entry until they
15
… Page 16…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
knew that you were about finished with your ship。 How about it？ Are you
ready to compete？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Swift slowly。 〃We are about ready。 My craft needs a
few finishing touches； and then it will be ready to launch。〃
〃Then we may expect a good contest on your part；〃 suggested Mr。
Berg。
〃Well；〃 began the aged inventor； 〃I don't know about that。〃
〃What's that？〃 exclaimed Mr。 Berg。
〃I said I wasn't quite sure that we would compete；〃 went on Mr。 Swift。
〃You see； when I first got this idea for a submarine boat I had it in mind to
try for the Government prize of fifty thousand dollars。〃
〃That's what we want； too；〃 interrupted Mr。 Berg with a smile。
〃But；〃 went on Tom's father； 〃since then certain matters have come up；
and I think； on the whole； that we'll not compete for the prize after all。〃
〃Not compete for the prize？〃 almost shouted the agent for Bentley &
Eagert。 〃Why； the idea！ You ought to compete。 It is good for the trade。 We
think we have a very fine craft； and probably we would beat you in the
tests； but〃
〃I wouldn't be too sure of that；〃 put in Tom。 〃You have only seen the
outside of our boat。 The inside is better yet。〃
〃Ah； I have no doubt of that；〃 spoke Mr。 Berg； 〃but we have been at
the business longer than you have； and have had more experience。 Still we
welcome competition。 But I am very much surprised that you are not
going to compete for the prize； Mr。 Swift。 Very much surprised； indeed！
You see； I came down from Philadelphia to arrange so that we could both
enter our ships at the same time。 I understand there is another firm of
submarine boat builders who are going to try for the prize； and I want to
arrange a date that will he satisfactory to all。 I am greatly astonished that
you are not going to compete。〃
〃Well； we were going to；〃 said Mr。 Swift； 〃only we have changed our
minds； that's all。 My son and I have other plans。〃
〃May I ask what they are？〃 questi
