"It will be flood tide now in ten minutes," remarked Captain Weston quietly, looking at his watch.Then he took an observation through the telescope."No hostile ships hanging in the offing," he reported."All is favorable, if you don't mind me saying so," and he seemed afraid lest his remark might give offense.
"Get ready," ordered Mr.Swift."Tom, see that the ropes are all clear," for it had been decided to ease the Advance down into the water by means of strong cables and windlasses, as the creek was so narrow that the submarine, if launched in the usual way, would poke her nose into the opposite mud bank and stick there.
"All clear," reported the young inventor.
"High tide!" exclaimed the captain a moment later, snapping shut his watch.
"Let go!" ordered Mr.Swift, and the various windlasses manned by the inventor, Tom and the others began to unwind their ropes.Slowly the ship slid along the greased ways.Slowly she approached the water.How anxiously they all watched her! Nearer and nearer her blunt nose, with the electric propulsion plate and the auxiliary propeller, came to the creek, the waters of which were quiet now, awaiting the turn of the tide.
Now little waves lapped the steel sides.It was the first contact of the Advance with her native element.
"Pay out the rope faster!" cried Mr.Swift.
The windlasses were turned more quickly Foot by foot the craft slid along until, with a final rush, the stern left the ways and the submarine was afloat.Now would come the test.Would she ride on an even keel, or sink out of sight, or turn turtle? They all ran to the water's edge, Tom in the lead.
"Hurrah!" suddenly yelled the lad, trying to stand on his head."She floats! She's a success! Come on! Let's get aboard!"For, true enough, the Advance was riding like a duck on the water.She had been proportioned just right, and her lines were perfect.She rode as majestically as did any ship destined to sail on the surface, and not intended to do double duty.
"Come on, we must moor her to the pier," directed Mr.Sharp."The tide will turn in a few minutes and take her out to sea."He and Tom entered a small boat, and soon the submarine was tied to a small dock that had been built for the purpose.
"Now to try the engine," suggested Mr.Swift, who was almost trembling with eagerness; for the completion of the ship meant much to him.
"One moment," begged Captain Weston."If you don't mind, I'll take an observation," he went on, and he swept the horizon with his telescope."All clear," he reported."I think we may go aboard and make a trial trip."Little time was lost in entering the cabin and engine- room, Garret Jackson accompanying the party to aid with the machinery.It did not take long to start the motors, dynamos and the big gasolene engine that was the vital part of the craft.A little water was admitted to the tanks for ballast,since the food and other supplies were not yet on board.The Advance now floated with the deck aft of the conning tower showing about two feet above the surface of the creek.Mr.Swift and Tom entered the pilot house.
"Start the engines," ordered the aged inventor, "and we'll try my new system of positive and negative electrical propulsion."There was a hum and whir in the body of the ship beneath the feet of Tom and his father.Captain Weston stood on the little deck near the conning tower.
"All ready?" asked the youth through the speaking tube to Mr.Sharp and Mr.Jackson in the engine-room.
"All ready," came the answer.
Tom threw over the connecting lever, while his father grasped the steering wheel.The Advance shot forward, moving swiftly along, about half submerged.
"She goes! She goes!" cried Tom
"She certainly does, if I may be permitted to say so," was the calm contribution of Captain Weston."I congratulate you."Faster and faster went the new craft.Mr.Swift headed her toward the open sea, but stopped just before passing out of the creek, as he was not yet ready to venture into deep water.
"I want to test the auxiliary propellers," he said.After a little longer trial of the electric propulsion plates, which were found to work satisfactorily, sending the submarine up and down the creek at a fast rate, the screws, such as are used on most submarines, were put into gear.They did well, but were not equal to the plates, nor was so much expected of them.
"I am perfectly satisfied," announced Mr.Swift as he once more headed the boat to sea."I think, Captain Weston, you had better go below now.""Why so?"
"Because I am going to completely submerge the craft.Tom, close the conning tower door.Perhaps you will come in here with us, Captain Weston, though it will be rather a tight fit.""Thank you, I will.I want to see how it feels to be in a pilot houseunder water."
Tom closed the water-tight door of the conning tower.Word was sent through the tube to the engine-room that a more severe test of the ship was about to be made.The craft was now outside the line of breakers and in the open sea.
"Is everything ready, Tom?" asked his father in a quiet voice."Everything," replied the lad nervously, for the anticipation of beingabout to sink below the surface was telling on them all, even on the calm, old sea captain.
"Then open the tanks and admit the water," ordered Mr.Swift.
His son turned a valve and adjusted some levers.There was a hissing sound, and the Advance began sinking.She was about to dive beneath the surface of the ocean, and those aboard her were destined to go through a terrible experience before she rose again.
