REWARD FOR BOY ANARCHISTS!
Then followed an account of the burning of the hotel at Easton, a vivid description with pictures, of how it had been blown up in an attempt toassassinateLord Peckham, and how the two boys, sons of an English anarchist, had escaped.
The rest of the story was given over to a description which Jack and Mark could see wasmeant for them though it was incorrect in several particulars. How the boys had escaped the detective, through the trolley car mishap, was related, and then came the startling announcement that the hotel authorities had offered a reward of $1,000 for the capture of either or both of the boy anarchists. To this Lord Peckham had added an equal sum.
"Well, it looks as if we were of some importance in the world," remarked Jack.
"Rather," agreed Mark. "Think of having a price on our heads! Well, that detective certainly is a hustler. When is that paper dated?"
Jack looked and saw that the sheet had been issued in Charleston the day previous. It had probably been thrown overboard from some steamer, and had drifted toward shore.
While the boys were speculating over the matter Professor Henderson came on deck. He saw something was up, and soon had the whole story from the boys.
"I shouldn't worry about it," said the inventor. "They've got to catch you first, and it isn't like running away when you know you are guilty. You boys had no more to do with the fire than the man in the moon. And we'll soon be beyond the reach of rewards and newspapers."
Nevertheless, the boys brooded over the matter. It seemed that they were still under a cloud, and they wished very much that it could be cleared away.
However there were soon busy times. The rising tide floated the boat, and soon it was riding safely at anchor. The professor needed some small bits of machinery, and had decided to send the boys to the nearest town for them. But the news in the paper changed his plans, and he sent Bill and Washington, who soon returned with the needed articles.
"Now we'll make another start," said Mr. Henderson, as soon as all were on board once more. "This time I hope we will keep on until we reach the south pole!"
He started the engine, thePorpoisesank beneath the waves, and with a hum of the big screw that throbbed and vibrated, was away again.
For several days thePorpoiseplowed her way beneath the surface of the ocean. Obedient to the directing hand of Professor Henderson she rose or sank as the tanks were emptied or filled. He put the craft through several rather difficult movements to test her under all conditions. In each one she was a success.
Dinner was sometimes eaten five hundred feet below the surface. Then while Washington washed the dishes and cleaned up the galley, Jack and Mark looked from the side windows at the strange life under water.
They were getting farther south now and the water was warmer as the equator was approached. This produced a great variety of animal life, and the ocean fairly swarmed with fishes, big and little, strange and curious that could be seen from the glass bull's-eyes.
Great sharks swam up alongside of thePorpoise, keeping pace with her in spite of her speed. Their cruel tigerish eyes and ugly mouths madethe boys shudder as they looked at the creatures. Then came odd creatures that seemed neither of the land or sea, but which swam along with their horrible bodies flapping up against the glass. One and all, the inhabitants of the ocean seemed to resent the intrusion of the submarine.
One day the boys turned the light out in the cabin and sat in the darkness the better to observe the fishes. The sea, in the vicinity of the ship, was illuminated with a sort of glow that diffused from the searchlight.
Suddenly, as the boys were watching, there came a thud on the glass window at the port side. They glanced in that direction to see some horrible thing peering in at them through the window.
At first they were greatly frightened. Two big eyes of green, with rims of what looked like red fire, stared at them, and, there was an ugly mouth lined with three rows of teeth.
"It's only a fish," said Mark.
"Well, I wouldn't like to meet it outside," said Jack. "I'd rather be here. My, but it's a nasty sight!"
"Let's give Washington a little scare," suggested Mark.
"How?"
"We'll go out and tell him some one in the cabinwantsto see him. The fish will stay there.See, it is fastened to the glass by some sort of suction arrangement, like the octupus fish have on their arms. Then we'll look in and see what Wash does."
Jack agreed to the plan. The boys left the cabin, and Mark called to the colored man, who was in the engine room.
"I'll go right instanter this minute," said Washington. "Don't no grass grow under dis chile's feet!"
"Now listen," said Mark as he and Jack tiptoed after the colored man.
Washington had no sooner entered the darkened cabin, and caught sight of the horrible staring red and green eyes looking straight at him, than he let out a yell that could be heard all over the ship. Then the colored man dropped on his knees and began to implore:
"Good please Mr. Satan fish, doan take Washington White," he begged. "It's all a mistake. I didn't do nuffin. Good please Mr. Satan fish, take some one else. It's disproportionate to de circumulation ob de interiorness ob dis subicecream ship, so kindly pass me by dis time!"
"What's the matter?" asked Amos Henderson, as he came hurrying into the cabin, seeking the cause for Washington's loud cry.
Jack and Mark, who came in at that juncture,were a little bit ashamed of the trick they had played.
"What is the trouble?" repeated Mr. Henderson.
"We's all goin' to be devoured alibe!" cried Washington pointing to the fish, that still clung to the glass.
"Ah, a sucker fish!" remarked the inventor. "A large specimen, too. Don't be afraid Washington, it can't hurt you."
"He looks like he could," said the colored man. "Look at dem teef!"
Indeed the creature's mouth was a horrible sight, as it opened and shut.
"I'll show you how to get rid of him," said the professor.
He turned on the electric lights in the cabin, flooding the room with a bright glow. The big fish darted off, and, when the lights were turned out again, the terrible eyes did not reappear, much to their satisfaction.
"The lights scared it away," remarked the inventor. "But you mustn't get frightened so easily, Washington. You'll see stranger sights than that before you're through with this voyage."
"Oh I wasn't 'fraid," spoke up Washington. "I were jest 'stonished, dat's all."
"What did you get down on your knees for?" asked Mark with a grin.
"I might hab been lookin' for my collar button, for all you knows," replied Washington, with an air of great dignity, and went back to the engine room.
For several days after this thePorpoisecontinued on her way south. Now and then appearing on the surface to renew the supply of fresh air, and again skimming along under the surface, or deep down, the strange craft kept on. It grew much warmer, and even when some distance below the surface the heat could be felt in an uncomfortable manner.
"We're getting near the equator," explained the professor.
One afternoon, when dinner had just been finished, and the ship, under the direction of Washington, was gliding along well under the sea, there came a sudden shock.
"We've hit something!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson as he jumped for the conning tower. The shock was repeated.
"What was it?" asked someone.
"Shut down the engine!" yelled the inventor to the colored man. "What do you want to go on ramming an object after you've once hit it? Slow down the engine!"
"Power's shut off!" cried Washington. "We didn't hit nothin'! Something hit us!"
"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Henderson.
"Somethin's rammin' us," went on Washington.
"It must be a big monster. I was sterrin' along an' there was nothin' in de road, when all of a suddint, ker-plunk! We's hit. Look ahead, an' you can't see nothin'!"
The professor, and the boys, who had followed him, gazed out of the conning tower window. There was nothing forward but a vast expanse of water.
The next instant the ship careened as something struck her a violent blow on the port side. Everyone almost toppled over from the force of the impact.
"Dar he goes agin!" cried Washington.
"We're attacked by a whale!" said the professor. "We must rise to the surface or it may damage the ship."
"If it's a whale I'd like to get a shot at it," put in Andy Sudds, from the foot of the companion ladder leading into the tower.
"I don't know that it is a whale," went on the inventor. "But it must be something very big and strong."
"It's a monster of some sort," put in Andy, "and I want a chance at him."
"It's too risky," murmured the professor. "We couldn't get down to bottom here, as the water is several miles deep, and the pressure would crush thePorpoise, strong as she is."
Once more came a terrible blow and the ship rocked in a swirl of foam beneath the waves. In quick succession two more fierce onslaughts were made by the unseen monster.
"We'll have to do something," muttered Andy.
"You're right," agreed the professor. "Our only chance is to rise to the surface, for I do not believe the creature will follow us there. Empty the tanks, Washington."
The colored man started the pumps, and the professor watched the gages that told the depth of the craft. The pointer should have begun to swing around in a few seconds after the tanks began to empty. Instead it remained stationary.
"Strange," said Mr. Henderson. "I wonder if anything is wrong with the machinery."
"More like the whale, or whatever it is, is on top of the boat, holding her down," suggested Andy.
There was no doubt of this a moment later, for there were several violent blows on the upper part of thePorpoise.
The crew of the submarine were held prisoners below the surface by the unknown monster!
For a few minutes the thought of the awful fate that would be theirs if the ship should be wrecked under the water made each one speechless. As they stood looking at each other, not knowing what to do, the attack was renewed on the port side.
The big fish, whale or whatever it was, kept pounding away.
"I have an idea!" cried Andy suddenly.
"What is it?" asked the professor quickly.
"Let me put a diving dress on," began the old hunter.
"I tell you we can't sink to the bottom in this depth of water," interrupted the professor.
"We don't need to," put in Andy. "All I want is a diving suit and a chance to stand out in the diving chamber. I guess I can fix Mr. Whale, if I have one of those electric guns."
"Quick! Get a diving suit, Washington!" cried Mr. Henderson. He saw what the old hunter planned to do.
In a few minutes Andy was dressed in the suit. The attacks of the monster had redoubled in frequency, and the ship rocked as in a storm.
Andy stepped into the diving chamber, clasping the electric gun. Theinnerdoor was tightly closed and then the sea cocks that admitted water from the outside were opened. When the pressure inside the chamber was equal to that of the oceanoutside some one pulled the lever that opened the outer door.
Andy knew better than to step outside. He remained in the chamber, like a sentinel hid in the embrasure of a wall, for the chamber was a sort of big dent in the side of thePorpoise.
Once more the ship rocked from a terrific blow, and the old hunter was nearly thrown out and into the fathomless depths below.
He clung to the door lever and peered out. Through the big glass eyes of his copper helmet he saw headed straight at him a whale that seemed larger than the submarine.
"It's all up with me and the ship, too," thought Andy as he stood in the small chamber and watched the oncoming of the monster.
However, he was not going to die without a fight, so he raised the electric gun. Yet he knew it was a most forlorn chance.
He aimed straight down the big open mouth and pulled the trigger. The next instant the water all about him was a mass of foam, through which he could dimly see that the whale had halted.
And, as the old hunter watched, in awe and fear at what he saw, he noted that instead of one monster there seemed to be a pair. Together they were threshing the sea into a bloody foam.
Then, turning on the searchlight in his helmet, Andy beheld a terrible sight. The whale had been attacked by a gigantic swordfish at the moment the hunter had fired the shot, and it was that, and not the electric bullet, that had stopped the infuriated animal's rush at the ship.
Ancient enemies, the whale and swordfish, hadmet in mortal combat. The swordfish had engaged the whale just as it was about to strike what would probably have been a blow that would have disabled the submarine, for with the door of the diving chamber open, the onslaught might not have been withstood.
Rushing here and there, the whale seeking to destroy his enemy with a sweep of the enormous flukes, and the swordfish plunging his bony weapon again and again into the whale, the two monsters fought until the water about the ship was a mass of foam and blood.
Much as he wanted to see the end of the fight, Andy knew it was dangerous to remain longer with the door open.
He closed it, pressed the lever which started thepumps, forcing the water from the chamber and, in a few minutes, emerged into the interior of the ship.
Mr. Henderson, realizing that something out of the ordinary was going on, had opened the slides of the bull's-eye windows, and those in the submarine saw part of the fight between the whale and swordfish.
As soon as Andy had removed his diving suit he advised that the ship be sent to the surface, as there might be danger should the monsters get too close in their struggles.
Accordingly the pumps, which had been stopped when it was found impossible to raise the ship, because of the weight of the whale, were started and thePorpoisewas soon on the surface.
The manhole cover was opened and Andy, with Jack and Mark, went out on deck. They had no sooner stepped out on the platform than there was a commotion in the water.
"They're going to fight up here!" exclaimed Mark.
A big body shot upward and fell back with a splash, rocking the submarine.
"There's the whale," observed Andy. "But I reckon he won't fight any more. He's dead."
It was so. The swordfish had conquered, and the lifeless body of the whale floated on top of the water, only to sink a little later.
"It was a great battle," said Jack. "I'm glad I was inside the ship."
The course was due south, and every minute it seemed to the boys that it was getting warmer, for they were approaching the equator. Every hour brought them nearer the south pole, though they were still several thousand miles from it.
After a while quite a wind sprang up, and as the sea roughened the professor decided to go down under the surface. ThePorpoisesunk as the tanks filled and, in a little while, the submarine was incalm water, and was forging ahead at three-quarter speed.
It was three days after the adventure with the whale when, as the ship was going along at a good rate, that there seemed to be a gradual slacking in the progress.
"I wonder what Washington is slowing down for," said the professor rising from the dinner table at which all save the colored man had been sitting. "I told him to keep right on. He must have seen something ahead. I'll take a look."
The inventor went to the conning tower, where Washington wassteering.
"What are you stopping for?" he asked.
"I'm not slowin' down," replied the colored man. "Guess another ob dem debil fishes has grabbed holt ob de ship. Dey suttinly am de most koslostrous conglomerations ob inconsequence dat I eber see."
"You must keep your big words for another time," remarked Mr. Henderson, who seemed worried. "Hurry to the engine-room and see if the machinery is all right. We certainly are slowing down, from some cause or other."
ThePorpoisewas now scarcely moving, though from the vibration it was evident that the engines were working almost at top speed. Washington came back and reported that the big screw was revolving properly and that all the machinery was working well.
"Then we're caught in something," said the professor. "Shut off the power, Washington, I don't want to strain things."
The ship was now scarcely making a foot a minute, and, a little later, when the colored man had turned off the engine, the submarine became stationary, merely undulating with the roll and heave of the ocean.
Hurrying to the cabin, Captain Henderson opened the side window shutters, turned off the electric lights and peered out.
"I can't see anything," he said. "Yet I should be able to, as we are not very deep."
The gage showed that the ship was submerged only thirty feet, and at that depth there should have been no difficulty in seeing, at least dimly, objects under water. But the windows showed as black as night.
"Bring me one of the portable searchlights," called Mr. Henderson.
Washington brought one, operated by a storage battery. Holding it so the reflector cast the beams out of the bull's-eye and into the water on the opposite side, the inventor peered forth.
"I was afraid of this!" he murmured.
"What is it?" asked Jack.
"We are caught in the Sargasso Sea," replied Mr. Henderson.
"The Sargasso Sea?" repeated Mark, in a questioning tone. "What is that?"
"It is a great sea of grass," replied the captain. "An immense ocean of sea weed, that sometimes floats on the surface and sometimes a little below. The stalks or blades of the grass are very long and closely matted together."
"Is there any danger?" asked Andy in some alarm.
"Very much," answered the professor quietly. "A ship, once fairly entangled in the grass or sea weed, seldom gets out. If it is a sailing ship the weed clings to the rudder, making steerage impossible, and even in a strong wind the ship cannot get free of the mass. The grass winds about thepropellersof steamships, and holds them as tight as in a vise.
"Sometimes a great storm may tear the mass of weed loose from the bottom of the ocean, and then the ship is free. But the Sargasso Sea is the graveyard of many a fine vessel."
The pumps were set going. Anxiously everyone watched the gage. The pointer never moved, but remained at thirty feet. ThePorpoisewas caught.
"Well, since we can't go up, let us see if wecan go down," said the inventor. "Perhaps we can dive under the sea weed."
The cocks of the tanks were opened and the water rushed in. Under the weight of it the ship should have sunk to the bottom. Instead it remained just where it was, thirty feet below the surface.
"Try the screw again," suggested Andy, "Maybe we can back out."
The bigpropellerin the tube was started going in a reverse direction, but thePorpoiseonly moved a few feet and then stopped. To go forward was equally impossible.
The submarine was held fast in the grip of the long, sinuous, snake-like fingers of the terrible sea grass. Weak as one strand was, the thousands combined served to fasten the ship as securely as wire cables would have done. The weeds had entangled themselves all around the craft and refused to let go.
"Well," remarked Mr. Henderson when all efforts had failed. "We must think of a new plan."
He spoke cheerfully, for he did not want the boys and other members of the crew to know how worried he was. This was a danger he had never counted on when he planned to go to the south pole.
"There is no great hurry," Mr. Henderson went on in a few minutes. "We can stay here for several days if need be, and by that time a storm may tear the grass loose."
"If we had our old hay sythes here," spoke Bill, "me an' Tom could put on divin' suits an' go out an' cut the sea weed."
"I'm afraid that wouldn't work," answered Mr. Henderson. "I'll think up some plan, soon."
He started toward the engine room to look over the machinery. He was met by Washington, who seemed much alarmed.
"What's the matter?" asked the inventor.
"De air tank hab busted an' all de air is escapin' out!" cried the colored man. "We'll all smothercate!"
The professor jumped past Washington and hurried into the room where the tanks were kept, carrying the reserve supply of air for breathing when the ship was under water. A loud hissing told that the leak was a large one.
"Quick! Bring me some tools and a steel plug," shouted the captain.
Mark hurried in with the things the professor wanted. But before the plug could be put in the hole the air stopped hissing.
"The leak is fixed!" cried Jack.
"No," said the professor in a strange voice.
"But the air no longer rushes out."
"For a good reason, there is no longer any air to rush out. It is all gone!"
"Do you mean to say that all the reserve stock has been lost?" exclaimed Andy.
"I fear so. The leak must have been a bad one. The air was stored in tanks under pressure, and, as you know, we released it as we needed it. Now it is all gone."
"All? Then we shall smother," said Jack, and his voice trembled.
"Not at once," went on Mr. Henderson in a calm voice. "There is enough air in the entire ship, including that which has leaked from the tanks to last us five hours. After that——" he paused and looked at his watch.
"Well?" asked Andy. "After that?"
"There is enough stored in the small tanks of the diving suits to last another two hours, perhaps. Seven hours in all."
"Then what?" asked Mark.
"We shall smother to death," said the professor in a low tone. "That is," he went on, "unless before that time we can raise thePorpoiseto the surface of the sea and get a fresh supply of air."
"Then we must work to raise the ship," put in Bill. "Let' get out and see if we can't cut through the sea weed."
"It would be useless," said Mr. Henderson. "We can only depend on the power of the ship herself. But do not be discouraged. We may escape. Come, Washington, start the engine again. By keeping it going constantly we can, perhaps, break loose from the grass. It is our only hope."
Steadily the machinery worked. It might aswell have remained stationary, however, as far as any noticeable effect was made on the boat's progress. The grass of the Sargasso Sea held thePorpoisein a firm grasp.
Four hours passed. There was nothing to do but wait and see what would happen. It all depended on the engines. Silently the navigators of the realms under the ocean sat and hoped. Now and then the professor would go to the engine room to adjust the machines.
The atmosphere in the cabin was growing noticeably heavier. The boys' heads began to ring with strange noises, and there was a tightness across their chests. The lack of fresh air was beginning to tell.
"We might as well use that in the diving suit reservoirs," remarked the professor. "We will feel better, at least for a little while."
The helmets of the suits were brought in, and the vapor released from the small tanks. A change was at once noticed. The old stale air in the cabin was forced out of the exhaust pipes, and the fresh took its place. Every one felt better.
Faster and faster revolved the big screw. The ship vibrated more and more. Yet it did not move, nor did it rise. The crew were still prisoners beneath the water.
For an hour or so conditions were fairly comfortable. Then the same unpleasantness was experienced as was noticed before.
"If we could only open a window," sighed Mark, "and let in a lot of fresh air, how nice it would be."
The air rapidly became more foul. Soon Washington was gasping for breath. Tom and Bill showed signs of uneasiness.
"Lie down on the floor," counseled the professor. "You will find the air a little fresher down there."
They all did as he advised, the inventor himself stretching out at full length. A little relief was experienced.
They knew it could not last long. Even the professor seemed to have given up hope. The engine was not going to free the ship in time to save the lives of those on board.
Washington crawled to the engine room, as some of the bearings needed oiling. The professor seemed in despair. He opened one of the slides that covered the glass bulls eye windows. Then he turned off the electric lights. The opening was black, showing that the sea of grass still surrounded them. With a groan Mr. Henderson turned aside. The last hope was gone. He sank down on the floor of the darkened cabin.
Just then Mark happened to look at the bull's-eye. He saw a glimmer of light. Then he noticed several fishes swimming about. The water was clear. The grass had disappeared from the vicinity of the window.
"Look!" cried Mark to the professor.
The inventor peered forth. As he did so he uttered a cry. Then he staggered rather than ran to the engine room.
"What are you doing?" he called to Washington.
"I jest let some ob de sulphuric acid out ob de storage battery tank," replied the colored man.
"That's it! That's it!" exclaimed the professor. "Quick, let some more out, Washington. Let out all there is in that tank. It will save our lives."
Wonderingly Washington obeyed. The air in the ship was growing more foul every second. It was hard to breathe even on the floor, and all were gasping for breath. A few minutes more and they would all become unconscious and death would come in a little while if the air was not freshened.
The professor staggered back to the main cabin. He looked out of the bull's-eye windows. Then he exclaimed:
"See, it is getting lighter! Thank Heaven we are saved!"
The next instant the ship began to move backward. Then with increasing speed it pulled out of the grip of the long grass, and in another minute was floating on top of the water, at the edge of the Sargasso Sea.
"Quick! Open the man hole cover!" said Amos Henderson.
Washington threw back the lever cams, and in rushed the fresh air. It was a blessed relief from the terrible oppressiveness of the foul atmosphere of the boat. They all breathed deeply, and, in a few minutes the effects of their long imprisonment had passed off.
They went out on the small deck. It was getting dusk, and the reflection of the red sunset shone brightly on the heaving water.
"I 'spected I'd neber see dis again," said Washington. "Thought suah I was a gone chicken!"
"We had a most fortunate escape," said the professor. "You did the trick for us when you let the acid run from that tank into the sea. It mingled with the water and burned or ate through the stems of the grass so they no longer held the ship. I saw what had happened as soon as I looked out of the bull's-eye, and that's why I had you turn out all the acid you could. It was just as if liquid fire had touched the sea weed and burnt it off."
"Golly!" exclaimed Washington. "Fust I know I'll be a perfessor myself!"
Supper was eaten with the ship on the surface of the ocean, for it was impossible to go below until the leak in the air tanks had been repaired. Work was begun on this the next day, and though it proved a difficult job it was accomplished by Mr. Henderson and the boys.
There were several minor repairs to be made to the machinery, and it was a week before all was in readiness for another descent beneath the waves. In the meanwhile the craft had moved slowly southward on the surface, where no very great speed was possible.
Toward evening, on the seventh day after their adventure with the Sargasso Sea, the travelers closed the man hole, and with air tanks well filled slowly sank beneath the waves. Supper was eaten at a depth of sixty feet, and after the meal, while Washington was washing the dishes, the others sat and looked out through the bull's-eyes at the big fishes which floated past.
"I wouldn't like to catch one of them air things on my hook an' line," observed Bill, as a particularly large fish went past. "I reckon I'd have trouble landin' him."
"More likely he'd pull you in," said Mark.
For several minutes they watched the strangeprocession of deep-sea life. Presently Jack, who was sitting near the engine room door, sprang up. At the same instant there was the sound of an explosion.
"What's the matter?" cried the professor.
"Come quick!" yelled Washington.
"It's a fire!" yelled Jack. "One of the electrical fuses has blown out, and the ship is on fire!"
They all rushed toward the engine room. It was dark, because the lights had gone out all over the ship, and they could see only by the glare of the flames, which were increasing.
"Light one of the oil lanterns!" called the professor, and Bill did so.
"Unreel the hose," the inventor continued, and Mark and Jack ran to do this.
In a few minutes the line was stretched into the engine room, and water was being thrown on the flames, for Washington had started the pump as soon as he saw the conflagration.
The fire was in one corner, near the electrical switch board, and had been caused by the blowing out of one of the fuses, which occasioned the little explosion. The wood work near the switches was blazing fiercely, and soon the ship was filled with smoke.
"Empty the ballast tanks!" called the professor. "We must rise to the surface!"
"We'll all be burned up!" cried Tom. "Firstwe nearly smother and then we get on fire. Neber saw such luck!"
With a rush thePorpoisebegan to rise, as her tanks were lightened. With steady hands, though with fear in their hearts, Jack and Mark continued to play the water on the flames, while the professor and Washington got out a second line and aided them.
"The fire is dying out!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson. "We'll soon get the best of it."
In five minutes the worst was over, though it had been an anxious time, and one of danger. The ship came to the surface, and the open man-hole let out the thick smoke that had nearly suffocated the travelers.
As soon as it was cool enough in the engine room an examination was made of the damage done. It was not as bad as the professor had feared, and the running part of the ship was not harmed. A new fuse was put in and the electric lights turned on.
The night was spent with the ship floating on the surface of the ocean, only enough speed being kept up to give her steerage way. The professor did not want to go below the waves until he had repaired the switch board.
Watch was kept, for, though they were out of the regular line of ocean travel, there was notelling when a vessel might come along and run them down, for thePorpoisedid not show above the waves more than a few feet, and carried no lights.
Mark had the watch just after midnight, and was sitting in the conning tower, the door of which opened out on the small deck. He had swept the surface of the water with powerful glasses and was sure there were no ships in sight. So, feeling that he would like to stretch his legs, he walked up and down on the platform.
He had reached the after end, and was about to turn and go back, when he was startled to see between him and the conning tower a white object. At first Mark thought it was a cloud of mist, or something the matter with his eyes. He rubbed them, but the object did not disappear.
Then it moved, and, to his horror Mark saw that it had the shape of a man, tall and thin. The two arms were outstretched, and to Mark's imagination seemed to be pointed toward him.
In spite of trying not to be, Mark was frightened.
He did not believe in ghosts, and had always felt that all stories about them were due to persons' imaginations. Now he saw something that was hard to explain.
As he watched it, the white object turned andglided without making the slightest noise, toward the conning tower. It entered and Mark breathed a sigh of relief.
Perhaps, after all, it was some one from down in the cabin, maybe the professor himself in his night shirt, who had come up to see that all was right.
"I'll go and look," said Mark to himself.
He had to nerve himself for the ordeal, as, in spite of assuring himself that there were no such things as ghosts, he was frightened.
It was absolutely quiet. The only sound was the gentle swish of the water against the sides of the ship. The engine was running so slowly that it caused no noise.
Half way on his journey to the conning tower Mark paused. There, advancing toward him, was the white object. With outstretched arms it glided nearer and nearer until Mark's heart was beating as if it would burst through his ribs. His mouth was dry and he could not have cried out had he tried.
There was a splash in the water off to the left as some big fish sprang out and dropped back again. Involuntarily Mark turned in that direction. Then he thought of the ghost and looked for it again. To his surprise the white object was nowhere to be seen!
The boy waited a few minutes, and then, screwing up his courage, he went to the tower. There was no one inside, and, along the length of deck nothing was to be seen of the ghost.
"I wonder if I have been asleep and dreaming," the boy asked himself. He gave his leg a pinch, and the sensation of pain told him he was not slumbering.
"Well, I'll say nothing about it," Mark went on to himself. "They'll only laugh at me."
Entering the tower Mark looked for the glasses in order to make another observation. He could not find them, yet he was sure he had left them on a shelf in the tower.
"I wonder if the ghost took them," he said.
He heard some one coming up the iron stairs of the small companionway that led down into the interior of the ship through the man-hole. At first he thought it was his queer midnight visitor returning. Then the head and shoulders of Jack appeared.
"I've come to relieve you," said Jack. "Your watch is up; it's two o'clock. Here are the night glasses. I found them on the cabin table. I thought you had them with you."
"I did," replied Mark.
"Then how did they get below?"
"I—I don't know," said Mark.
The mystery was deepening, yet he did not want to tell Jack just yet.
"Well, that's queer," remarked Jack. "Maybe the captain came up and got them while you were asleep."
"I didn't go to sleep," answered Mark rather crossly.
Jack said nothing more, but took his place in the conning tower, while Mark went below. Thinking to discover if the ghost might by any chance have been one of the persons on thePorpoise, Mark looked into each bunk. From the captain to Washington, all the inmates were peacefully slumbering.
"Queer," murmured Jack, as he took a look into the engine room before turning in. The engine needed no attention, as it worked automatically, and all there was to do was to steer the ship. Even this needed little care as the course was a straight one, and the wheel could be locked, leaving the lookout little to do.
"Did you see anything during your watch?" asked Mark of Jack the next morning.
"See anything? What do you mean?"
"I mean anything unusual."
"Nothing, only a school of porpoises went past and gave me a little scare. They were like a lot of water kittens at play."
Mark concluded he would say nothing of the white visitor until he ascertained whether any one else had seen it.
It was several nights later, when the ship was once more proceeding slowly along the surface of the water, that the ghost again appeared. This time Washington had the midnight watch.
But the colored man was not one to remain quiet when he had such a scary visitor, and his yells aroused the ship.
"It's a ghostess! A big white ghostess!" yelled Washington. "I don seen it wid my eyes, an' it waved his arms at me. I's goin' to die suah!"
"What's all this nonsense?" demanded the professor sternly. Then Washington, more or less excitedly, told of what he had seen. It was just as it had happened to Mark.
"You were dreaming," said the professor to Washington. "There are no such things as ghosts."
Every one, from old Andy to Tom and Bill, had been roused by Washington's cries, and listened to his story. At the close of the recital of how the white thing had suddenly disappeared, Washington refused to continue his watch, unless some one stayed with him.
Mark volunteered to do this. He was anxiousto see if the ghost would reappear to him. But nothing happened; and the rest of the night passed off quietly.
The next day thePorpoisewas taken below the surface, in order to allow of better speed being made. She was running along, submerged to a depth of two hundred feet, when there came a sudden jar, and the ship stopped.
"More trouble!" exclaimed the professor.
He opened the slide covering the bull's-eye windows and looked out. All about was swirling muddy water.
"Can you see anything?" the inventor called to Jack, who was in the conning tower.
"We've run into a mud-bank, and are stuck fast," called back the boy.
"Reverse the engine!" called the professor. "Maybe we can back the ship out."
Washington set the big screw to revolving in the opposite direction. ThePorpoiseshook and shivered but the mud held her fast.
"We must have gone in pretty deep," commented Amos Henderson. "Luckily it was soft mud instead of a rocky reef or we'd have damaged the ship beyond repair."
For several minutes the engines were kept on the reverse, but all to no purpose. The sticky mud was like glue in its holding power and the ship had buried her prow deep into it.
"I guess we'll have to dig our way out," said the professor, after taking a careful view of the big mud bank from the conning tower. "Washington, get out the diving suits and the spades."
"Are we really going out in the water to dig?" asked Tom.
"Of course," said Mr. Henderson. "You'll be as safe as in the ship, wearing one of my divingsuits. We'll all have to help, for it will be quite a task."
The queer suits were brought out, and the reservoirs in the helmets were filled with compressed air. It was decided to have Washington remain within thePorpoise, to watch the machinery and start the engine when the digging was partly done, in order to see if the ship would not pull herself free when some of the mud had been removed from the prow.
"And we may need Washington for another purpose," said the professor.
"What for?" asked Mark.
"Well, he'll have to stay by the diving tank, to let us in quickly in case of emergency."
"Do you think there'll be an emergency?" asked Jack.
"You never can tell," was the answer. "We are in deep water, and I don't want any accidents to happen."
In a few minutes all save Washington were in their diving suits and ready to go out and walk on the bottom of the sea. They entered the tank, the door was closed, and then water was slowly admitted from the ocean. When the tank was full, led by the professor, they stepped out on the muddy floor of the ocean.
At first the pressure of the water at so great adepth bothered them. But, as we know, the diving suits were reinforced with plates of steel, and so strong that little more than an extra weight of water was noticed. They soon became used to it. Each one carried a spade, while the professor, Andy and the boys each had, slung about their necks by straps, one of the electric guns.
Cautiously they walked toward the big mud bank. They had to go slowly because of the weight of the water above them, and because they might at any minute step into some muck hole and sink down. Fortunately, however, they found there was a firm bottom right up to where the bank of mud reared upward.
Turning on the electric lights in their helmets, the voyagers were able to see quite distinctly. ThePorpoisehad rammed her nose into the under-water hill for a distance of about ten feet. It was going to be no easy matter to get her free, but the divers lost no time.
Vigorously they attacked the big hill of mud. They dug their spades in and tossed the earth to one side. It was a strange place to work. At first the weight of water hampered every one, but they soon became used to it and were able to proceed more rapidly.
From the conning tower Washington kept watch of their progress. When they had gone inabout five feet he started the engines, hoping thePorpoisemight now pull herself free. But the mud still held.
By signs, for it was of course impossible for any one to hear or speak, attired as they were in helmets and suits, the professor motioned that they must dig deeper.
Once more they attacked the big mud bank with their shovels. Farther and farther they went into the muck until it seemed that the nose of the submarine must be free. But when Washington started the engines it was obvious that the ship was still held.
Again the digging was resumed. All at once, while every one was wielding his spade to best advantage, a shadow seemed to cover the water. It loomed up large and black, and the professor stopped and gazed upward. What he saw made him drop his spade and grab the gun that was about his neck.
Floating in the water above the diggers, were three immense sharks. Their cruel mouths were partly open, showing three rows of big teeth, and they were slowly turning over on their backs to make a sudden rush and devour the men and boys. Owing to the peculiar shape of its maw a shark can not bite until it turns over.
The professor motioned for Bill and Tom tomove behind him, and signalled for Jack, Mark and Andy to stand close with their weapons ready.
The sharks floated lazily downward as if they knew they had the diggers at their mercy. To run and escape was impossible, for no one could run hampered by the weight of water and his diving suit.
One of the terrible fish opened its mouth wider and, with a flirt of its tail aimed straight for the professor. Mr. Henderson raised his gun, and took careful aim at the middle of the fish, half turned over. Unerringly the electric bullet sped on its way. It entered the soft under part of the shark, and immediately the thing struggled in its death agony.
The water was dyed with blood. At the same instant the other sharks rushed forward in a swirl of foam. The boys and Andy fired as best they could, and must have hit one of the creatures for there was a greater commotion.
But the fight was not over. Instantly the ocean seemed alive with the giant fish. Attracted by the blood of the killed ones, scores of the tigers of the seas rushed toward the scene of combat making matters livelier than ever.
The professor, the boys and Andy fired their guns at random. Redder and more red became the water until their helmet lamps barely glowedin the crimson sea. It seemed that a whole army of the voracious sharks had attacked them.
The professor realized that to stay and attempt to fight all the sharks in that part of the ocean was impossible. He motioned for the boys and Andy to follow him. Then he slowly led the way back to the ship.
But the sharks were not to be gotten rid of so easily. Several of the largest followed the diggers, their horrible eyes, and big mouths with rows of cruel teeth, striking terror to the hearts of all.
One of the creatures made a rush for Bill and Tom who were close together. Either or both of the men would have been bitten in twain, in spite of the protection of their diving suits, had not Mark, with a snap shot, killed the fierce fish.
It was now a running fight, and yet not so much that, because to run was impossible. However, they hurried all they could, and, by dint of quick firing kept the ugly creatures at bay until the side of the ship, where the diving tank was placed, was reached.
The professor stepped to one side, and motioned for the others to proceed him in entering. Little time was lost. As Bill, the last one in, stepped past the steel door the inventor attempted to enter. To do so he had to let go of his gun.
Instantly one of the sharks made a rush for theold man. But Andy was on the watch. He leaned forward, and, from his weapon sent a bullet straight down the throat of the monster. The electric missile did its work well, and the lifeless body of the shark was devoured by the others of its tribe.
The professor pulled the door shut behind him. Then he set the pump to work to empty the tank. As he did so there was a tremor to the ship. What could it mean?
In a few minutes the tank was empty and the divers stepped out into the ship, freed from the oppressive weight of water. The ship continued to vibrate and seemed to be in motion.
"What is it?" asked Mark as soon as he had his helmet off.
"De ship am free! We've got off de mud bank!" exclaimed Washington, running in from the engine room.
It was true. Enough had been dug so that, with the power of the screw working backward, there was sufficient force to pull thePorpoisefrom her perilous position.
"Empty the tanks and rise to the surface," said the professor.
In a few minutes the ship was on top of the waves, the adventurers freed from the double danger of the mud and sharks. They congratulatedeach other on the good outcome of the fight with the monster fishes.
Wearied with their labors and the battle under the waves, the travelers sat up on the deck breathing in the fresh breeze. Then, after a while, supper was made ready and eaten with good appetites.
It was decided hereafter to sail along near the surface at night, and not to submerge the ship deeply save during daylight, when it was easier to distinguish objects under the water.
Following this plan thePorpoisesteamed along just awash that night, and the next day was sent down about fifty feet below the surface.
One afternoon, when the travelers were resting, having partaken of a fine meal, the professor went on deck to make some observations, the ship having been raised for that purpose. He came down, somewhat excited.
"Well, we're half way to the pole," he announced.
"How can you tell?" asked Mark.
"Because we have just crossed the equator. We went over the imaginary line three minutes ago."
"I was wondering what made it so warm," said Jack.
"I guess you dreamed it was hotter," spoke the professor. "It has been just as hot as this forthe last few days. Crossing the line makes no difference."
"Then we are really in the southern hemisphere now," said Mark.
"That's where we are," replied Mr. Henderson.
He put his instruments away.
"Well, we may as well go below the surface again," he remarked.
"Come quick! Hurry up!" yelled Washington from the deck. "Dar's a shipwreck up heah! Somebody's on it!"
The professor, followed by the boys and Tom, Bill and Andy hastened on deck. They saw Washington pointing excitedly off to the west. There, rising and falling on the easy swell, was the wreck of a large vessel.
She had been a three masted schooner, but now only the stumps of the masts remained and the craft was rolling to and fro. It had settled low in the water, and was quite deep by the head, so that, at times, the waves broke over the bow in a shower of spray.
But what attracted the attention of the adventurers more than anything else was the sight of two figures near what had been the after cabin of the ship.
There they stood, frantically waving their hands toward those on the submarine. Across the water that separated the two craft, there came a faint hail.
"I suppose they are nearly dead," exclaimed the inventor. "We must save them."
He ordered thePorpoisesent ahead slowly toward the wreck. The distance was about half a mile, and was soon covered. As the submarine approached closer those on the schooner could be observed more plainly.
"One of 'em is a woman!" exclaimed Jack, who was using the glasses.
"Let me see," spoke the professor.
"You're right," he added. "The other is a little girl."
A few minutes later thePorpoisewas alongside. The woman and child came to the rail of the schooner, which was barely five feet above the waves.
"Can you jump down, or shall I come aboard and get you?" asked Mr. Henderson seeing the woman hesitate.
"I can jump down, if you will catch the child," said the woman. "Oh I am so glad you came," she added. "We are almost dead from hunger and thirst, and the wreck is ready to sink and cannot last many hours longer."
"Pass the little girl down to me," spoke Andy. "Then you jump. We'll save you all right."
The little girl reached the deck in safety, and the woman, who proved to be her mother, followed.
"Now take us to your ship," said the woman.
"You must be a long way from her, as she is not in sight."
"Our ship is right here," spoke Mr. Henderson with a smile.
"Where, I don't see her," and the woman looked in all directions.
"Allow me to introduce you to Profess Amos Henderson's famous submarine, thePorpoise," spoke the inventor with a bow. "But come, let us go below. You must be suffering, and here I am making speeches."
"Indeed I am hungry, and thirsty too," said the woman. "So is Nellie. But I thought this was merely a small boat, sent from some large ship to get us."
The woman and girl descended to the cabin of the submarine, where Washington set before them a fine meal. Under the advice of the professor they partook sparingly of food and drink at first, as, having eaten nothing in many hours, the inventor said they must begin by taking a little at a time.
As soon as they had finished and become somewhat rested, the woman told her story. She was Mrs. Johnson, a widow, her husband having once owned and been captain of the schooner that was wrecked. After his death she and her daughter, having become part owners of the craft, disposingof a third interest to the former mate of the ship, had set out on one of the voyages to South American ports.
They had had good weather going, and took on a valuable cargo of lumber and rare woods. But the return trip was more perilous. Heavy storms had buffeted the craft almost from the time of leaving port, and in one heavy blow, ten days before, the ship had been wrecked.
"What became of the crew?" asked Mr. Henderson.
"They took to the boats," replied Mrs. Johnson. "My little girl and myself were to go with the mate and his men. The waves were fearfully high, and, as they held the boat close to the schooner so we could get in, a big roller smashed the little craft. The men must have all been drowned for I never afterwards caught sight of one of them."
"But the other boats?" asked the inventor.
"They had gotten too far away to hail, supposing that I would be taken care of by the mate. There was nothing for Nellie and I to do but stay on board, expecting the ship to sink every minute."
"And you have been there ever since?" inquired Andy.
"Ever since. That was ten days ago. Every day I thought it would be our last. The stormpassed away and the sea became calm but the ship kept settling lower and lower. Only the fact that part of the cargo was wood kept her afloat so long. I managed to get some provisions and water up on deck, but the sea had spoiled most of the stuff. We had to eat only a little at a time, as I knew it would be some days before we could be rescued, if we ever were. Two days ago we ate the last of the food and drank almost the last of the water."
"Then you had nothing since then," spoke Jack.
"Only a few drops of rain that I caught on a piece of sail," answered Mrs. Johnson.
"Never mind, you can have all you want now, mother," said Nellie, coming over to pat her parent's cheek. "Oh," the child went on, "I was so thirsty I could just cry when I thought of such things as ice cream sodas."
"I guess you could," agreed Mark. "Well, we can't give you any soda water, but we have plenty of the other kind."
Mrs. Johnson was much interested in thePorpoiseand Professor Henderson showed her all about the craft. Though the quarters were rather cramped, a small cabin was fitted up for the lady and her daughter.
"We will travel a bit under the water so youcan get used to it," said the captain after a tour of the ship had been made. The tanks were filled, and thePorpoisesank beneath the waves. At first Mrs. Johnson was much frightened, and Nellie cried. But when they saw how skillfully the ship was managed, and how easy it was to rise again, they lost their fears.
For several days the voyage was continued. Mrs. Johnson and Nellie remained aboard as there was no place to land them, and they said they wished to stay until they met some ship sailing north.
One day, just at dusk, when thePorpoise, after a long run under the water had come to the surface, the professor, came up on deck to take a look around. Washington and Andy accompanied him.
"Looks like land, off there to the left," remarked the old hunter.
"Get the glasses, Washington," said Mr. Henderson. "It may be a ship."
He took a long and careful look through the binoculars.
"It's some sort of land," he announced. "We'll go over in the morning and see what it is. Probably it's an island, for there's no main land in these parts. We are in the middle of the southern Atlantic now."
The next morning, after breakfast, thePorpoisewas headed toward the dark spot on the surface of the water that the professor had gazed at the evening before. As they came nearer it was seen that the place was a large island.
"But it's a mighty queer one," spoke Mr. Henderson. "It looks more like a big volcano than anything else."
As the ship came nearer it was seen that this was true. The island rose abruptly from the surface of the sea in a big ridge, slightly rounded. There appeared to be no signs of life on the land, but in the air overhead hovered several big birds. These circled about and then fluttered down, seemingly about the middle of the island.
"We'll sail around and see if there's a place to land," spoke the inventor. "There doesn't seem to be a good harbor on this side."
Slowly thePorpoisemade the circuit. The island appeared to be almost round. When they had gone about half way around Andy, who was staring ahead, cried out:
"Look out Professor! Don't go any nearer or we'll be sucked into the whirlpool!"
The inventor looked where the hunter pointed. Then he beheld the strangest sight he had ever seen. The island was low toward where Andy pointed and they beheld the waters of the oceanpouring over the edge of it, and falling down into an immense hole with a roar like that of Niagara Falls.
"Reverse the ship!" cried Professor Henderson. "Send her back quickly, Washington, or we'll be sucked down!"
The colored man lost no time, and the big screw was sent whirling in the opposite direction. And it was high time, for already the onward rush of the falling waters was slowly drawing the ship toward the big cavern.
"That was a lucky escape," commented Amos Henderson. "Well, as we can't land there we'll try the other way around."
The ship was headed in the opposite direction, and, after an hour's sailing, a good harbor was discovered. ThePorpoisewas anchored in shallow water close to the shore and in a small boat the professor, Andy and the two boys went to the strange island.
They found it merely an immense circle of land with the middle part taken up by the big hole. And such a hole as it was! It was so wide across that they could not see the farther side, and the depth they could only guess at. Looking down they could only see great rolling masses of clouds or vapor.
"Perhaps it's steam," suggested Jack.
"Maybe it is," agreed the professor. "If this is a volcano, with lava in it, the water of the ocean, pouring in on the other side, may be changed to steam."
"Do you suppose this hole leads to the centre of the earth?" asked Mark. "I've read somewhere, that the earth is hollow."
"Some scientists believe it," commented the professor. "This looks like a big enough hole to lead clear through to China. Hark, you can hear the roar of the water now."
They listened, and the wind brought to them the sound of the sea pouring down into the unfathomable depths.
"Let's throw a big rock down," suggested Jack. "Maybe we can hear it strike bottom."
With the aid of Mark he cast a big boulder down into the depths. They listened intently, but not the slightest sound echoed back.
"I guess the bottom is too far away for you to hear the stone land," said the professor.