第35章

The Race

Directed by Captain Weston, who glanced at the compass and told him which way to steer to clear the outer coral reef, Tom sent the submarine ahead, signaling for full speed to the engine-room, where his father and Mr.Sharp were.The big dynamos purred like great cats, as they sent the electrical energy into the forward and aft plates, pulling and pushing the Advance forward.On and on she rushed under water, but ever as she shot ahead the disturbance in the phosphorescent water showed her position plainly.She would be easy to follow.

"Can't you get any more speed out of her?" asked the captain of thelad.

"Yes," was the quick reply; "by using the auxiliary screws I think wecan.I'll try it."

He signaled for the propellers, forward and aft, to be put in operation, and the motor moving the twin screws was turned on.At once there was a perceptible increase to the speed of the Advance.

"Are we leaving them behind?" asked Tom anxiously, as he glanced at the speed gage, and noted that the submarine was now about five hundred feet below the surface.

"Hard to tell," replied the Captain."You'd have to take an observation to make sure.""I'll do it," cried the youth."You steer, please, and I'll go in the conning tower.I can look forward and aft there, as well as straight up.Maybe I can see the Wonder."Springing up the circular ladder leading into the tower, Tom glanced through the windows all about the small pilot house.He saw a curious sight.It was as if the submarine was in a sea of yellowish liquid fire.She was immersed in water which glowed with the flames that contained no heat.So light was it, in fact, that there was no need of the incandescents in the tower.The young inventor could have seen to read a paper by the illumination of the phosphorus.But he had something else to do thanobserve this phenomenon.He wanted to see if he could catch sight of the rival submarine.

At first he could make out nothing save the swirl and boiling of the sea, caused by the progress of the Advance through it.But suddenly, as he looked up, he was aware of some great, black body a little to the rear and about ten feet above his craft.

"A shark!" he exclaimed aloud."An immense one, too."But the closer he looked the less it seemed like a shark.The position of the black object changed.It appeared to settle down, to be approaching the top of the conning tower.Then, with a suddenness that unnerved him for the time being, Tom recognized what it was; it was the underside of a ship.He could see the plates riveted together, and then, as be noted the rounded, cylindrical shape, he knew that it was a submarine.It was the Wonder.She was close at hand and was creeping up on the Advance.But, what was more dangerous, she seemed to be slowly settling in the water.Another moment and her great screws might crash into the Conning tower of the Swifts' boat and shave it off.Then the water would rush in, drowning the treasure-seekers like rats in a trap.

With a quick motion Tom yanked over the lever that allowed more water to flow into the ballast tanks.The effect was at once apparent.The Advance shot down toward the bottom of the sea.At the same time the young inventor signaled to Captain Weston to notify those in the engine- room to put on a little more speed.The Advance fairly leaped ahead, and the lad, looking up through the bull's-eye in the roof of the conning tower, had the satisfaction of seeing the rival submarine left behind.

The youth hurried down into the interior of the ship to tell what he had seen, and explain the reason for opening the ballast tanks.He found his father and Mr.Sharp somewhat excited over the unexpected maneuver of the craft.