tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第4章
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〃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
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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？〃 questioned Mr。 Berg。
〃You may；〃 exclaimed Tom quickly； 〃but I don't believe we can tell
you。 They're a secret；〃 he added more cordially。
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〃Oh； I see；〃 retorted Mr。 Berg。 〃Well； of course I don't wish to
penetrate any of your secrets； but I hoped we could contest together for the
Government prize。 It is worth trying for I assure youfifty thousand
dollars。 Besides； there is the possibility of selling a number of submarines
to the United States。 It's a fine prize。〃
〃But the one we are after is a bigger one；〃 Cried Tom impetuously； and
the moment he had spoken the wished he could recall the words。
〃Eh？ What's that？〃 exclaimed Mr。 Berg。 〃You don't mean to say
another government has offered a larger prize？ If I had known that I would
not have let my firm enter into the competition for the bonus offered by
the United States。 Please tell me。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 went on Tom more soberly。 〃I shouldn't have spoken。 Mr。
Berg； the plans of my father and myself are such that we can't reveal them
now。 We are going to try for a prize； but not in competition with you。 It's
an entirely different matter。〃
〃Well； I guess you'll find that the firm of Bentley & Eagert are capable
of trying for any prizes that are offered；〃 boasted the agent。 〃We may be
competitors yet。〃
〃I don't believe so；〃 replied Mr。 Swift
〃We may；〃 repeated Mr。 Berg。 〃And if we do； please remember that we
will show no mercy。 Our boats are the best。〃
〃And may the best boat win；〃 interjected Mr。 Sharp。 〃That's all we ask。
A fair field and no favors。〃
〃Of course；〃 spoke the agent coldly。 〃Is this another son of yours？〃 he
asked。
〃No but a good friend；〃 replied the aged inventor。 〃No； Mr。 Berg； we
won't compete this time。 You may tell your firm so。〃
〃Very good；〃 was the other's stiff reply。 〃Then I will bid you good
night。 We shall carry off the Government prize； but permit me to add that I
am very much astonished； very much indeed； that you do not try for the
prize。 From what I have seen of your submarine you have a very good one；
almost as good； in some respects； as ours。 I bid you good night；〃 and with
a bow the man left the room and hurried away from the house。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER Four
Tom is Imprisoned
〃Well； I must say he's a cool one；〃 remarked Tom； as the echoes of
Mr。 Berg's steps died away。 〃The idea of thinking his boat better than ours！
I don't like that man； dad。 I'm suspicious of him。 Do you think he came
here to steal some of our ideas？〃
〃No； I hardly believe so； my son。 But how did you discover him？〃
〃Just as you saw； dad。 I heard a noise and went back there to
investigate。 I found him sneaking around； looking at the electric propeller
plates。 I went to grab him just as he stumbled over a hoard。 At first I
thought it was one of the old gang。 I'm almost sure he was trying to
discover something。〃
〃No； Tom。 the firm he works for are good business men； and they
would not countenance anything like that。 They are heartless competitors；
however； and if they saw a legitimate chance to get ahead of me and take
advantage； they would do it。 But they would not sneak in to steal my ideas。
I feel sure of that。 Besides； they have a certain type of submarine which
they think is the best ever invented； and they would hardly change at this
late day。 They feel sure of winning the Government prize； and I'm just as
glad we're not going to have a contest。〃
〃Do you think our boat is better than theirs？〃
〃Much better； in many respects。〃
〃I don't like that man Berg； though；〃 went on Tom。
〃Nor do I；〃 added his father。 〃There is something strange about him。
He was very anxious that I should compete。 Probably he thought his firm's
boat would go so far ahead of ours that they would get an extra bonus。 But
I'm glad he didn't see our new method of propulsion。 That is the principal
improvement in the Advance over other types of submarines。 Well；
another week and we will be ready for the test。〃
〃Have you known Mr。 Berg long； dad？〃
〃Not very。 I met him in Washington when I was in the patent office。
He was taking out papers on a submarine for his firm at the same time I
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
got mine for the Advance。 It is rather curious that he should come all the
way here from Philadelphia。 merely to see if I was going to compete。
There is something strange about it； something that I can't understand。〃
The time was to come when Mr。 Swift and his son were to get at the
bottom of Mr。 Berg's reasons； and they learned to their sorrow that he had
penetrated some of their secrets。
Before going to bed that night Tom and Mr。 Sharp paid a visit to the
shed where the submarine was resting on the ways； ready for launching。
They found Mr。 Jackson on guard and the engineer said that no one had
been around。 Nor was anything found disturbed。
〃It certainly is a great machine；〃 remarked the lad as he looked up at
the cigar…shaped bulk towering over his head。 〃Dad has outdone himself
this trip。〃
〃It looks all right；〃 commented Mr。 Sharp。 〃Whether it will work is
another question。〃
〃Yes； we can't tell until it's in the water；〃 con ceded Tom。 〃But I hope it
does。 Dad has spent much time and money on it。〃
The Advance was； as her name indicated； much in advance of previous
submarines。 There was not so much difference in outward construction as
there was in the means of propulsion and in the manner in which the
interior and the machinery were arranged。
The submarine planned by Mr。 Swift and Tom jointly； and constructed
by them； with the aid of Mr。 Sharp and Mr。 Jackson； was shaped like a
Cigar； over one hundred feet long and twenty feet in diameter at the
thickest part。 It was divided into many compartments； all water…tight； so
that if one or even three were flooded the ship would still be useable。
Buoyancy was provided for by having several tanks for the
introduction of compressed air； and there was an emergency arrangement
so that a collapsible aluminum container could be distended and filled
with a powerful gas。 This was to be used if； by any means； the ship was
disabled on the bottom of the ocean。 The container could be expanded and
filled； and would send the Advance to the surface。
Another peculiar feature was that the engine…room； dynamos and other
apparatus were all contained amidships。 This gave stability to the craft；
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
and also enabled the same engine to operate both shafts and propellers； as
well as both the negative forward electrical plates； and the positive rear
ones。
These plates were a new idea in submarine construction； and were the
o
