tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第7章
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shop； perhaps you will ask him to step here。〃
〃Certainly；〃 answered the lad； wondering why the agent had returned。
Getting the blueprints； and asking Mr。 Berg to sit down on the porch； Tom
delivered the message。
〃You come back with me； Tom；〃 said his father。 〃I want you to be a
witness to what he says。 I'm not going to get into trouble with these
people。〃
Mr。 Berg came to the point at once。
〃Mr。 Swift；〃 he said； 〃I wish you would reconsider your determination
not to enter the Government trials。 I'd like to see you compete。 So would
my firm。〃
〃There is no use going over that again；〃 replied the aged inventor。 〃I
have another object in view now than trying for the Government prize。
What it is I can't say； but it may develop in timeif we are successful；〃 and
he looked at his son； smiling the while。
Mr。 Berg tried to argue； but it was of no avail Then he changed his
manner； and said：
〃Well； since you won't； you won't； I suppose。 I'll go back and report to
my firm。 Have you anything special to do this morning？〃 he went on to
Tom。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃Well； I can always find something to keep me busy；〃 replied the lad；
〃but as for anything special〃
〃I thought perhaps you'd like to go for a trip in my auto；〃 interrupted
Mr。 Berg。 〃I had asked a young man who is stopping at the same hotel
where I am to accompany me； but he has unexpectedly left； and I don't
like to go alone。 His name waslet me see。 I have a wretched memory for
names； but it was something like Roger or Moger。〃
〃Foger！〃 cried Tom。 〃Was it Andy Foger？〃
〃Yes； that was it。 Why； do you know him？〃 asked Mr。 Berg in some
surprise。
〃I should say so；〃 replied Tom。 〃He was the cause of what might have
resulted in something serious for me；〃 and the lad explained about being
imprisoned in the tank。
〃You don't tell me！〃 cried Mr。 Berg。 〃I had no idea he was that kind of
a lad。 You see； his father is one of the directors of the firm by whom I am
employed。 Andy came from home to spend a few weeks at the seaside； and
stopped at the same hotel that I did。 He went off yesterday afternoon； and I
haven't seen him since； though he promised to go for a ride with me。 He
must have come over here and entered your shop unobserved。 I remember
now he asked me where the submarine was being built that was going to
compete with our firm's； and I told him。 I didn't think he was that kind of a
lad。 Well； since he's probably gone back home； perhaps you will come for
a ride with me； Tom。〃
〃I'm afraid I can't go； thank you；〃 answered the lad。 〃We are very busy
getting our submarine in shape for a trial。 But I can imagine why Andy left
so hurriedly。 He probably learned that a doctor had been summoned for
me； though； as it happened； I didn't need one。 But Andy probably got
frightened at what he had done； and left。 I'll make him more sorry； when I
meet him。〃
〃Don't blame you a bit；〃 commented Mr。 Berg。 〃Well； I must be getting
back。〃
He hastened out to his auto； while Tom and his father watched the
agent。
〃Tom； never trust that man；〃 advised the aged inventor solemnly。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃Just what I was about to remark；〃 said his son。 〃Well； let's get back to
work。 Queer that he should come here again； and it's queer about Andy
Foger。〃
Father and son returned to the machine shop； while Mr。 Berg puffed
away in his auto。 A little later； Tom having occasion to go to a building
near the boundary line of the cottage property which his father had hired
for the season； saw； through the hedge that bordered it； an automobile
standing in the road。 A second glance showed him that it was Mr。 Berg's
machine。 Something had gone wrong with it； and the agent had alighted to
make an adjustment。
The young inventor was close to the man； though the latter was
unaware of his presence。
〃Hang it all！〃 Tom heard Mr。 Berg exclaim to himself。 〃I wonder what
they can be up to？ They won't enter the Government contests； and they
won't say why。 I believe they're up to some game； and I've got to find out
what it is。 I wonder if I couldn't use this Foger chap？〃
〃He seems to have it in for this Tom Swift；〃 Mr。 Berg went on； still
talking to himself； though not so low but that Tom could hear him。 〃I think
I'll try it。 I'll get Andy Foger to sneak around and find out what the game is。
He'll do it； I know。〃
By this time the auto was in working order again； and the agent took
his seat and started off。
〃So that's how matters lie； eh？〃 thought Tom。 〃Well； Mr。 Berg； we'll be
doubly on the lookout for you after this。 As for Andy Foger； I think I'll
make him wish he'd never locked me in that tank。 So you expect to find
out our 'game；' eh； Mr。 Berg？ Well； when you do know it； I think it will
astonish you。 I only hope you don't learn what it is until we get at that
sunken treasure； though。〃
But alas for Tom's hopes。 Mr。 Berg did learn of the object of the
treasure…seekers； and sought to defeat them； as we shall learn as our story
proceeds。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER Six
Turning the Tables
When the young inventor informed his father what he had overheard
Mr。 Berg saying； the aged inventor was not as much worried as his son
anticipated。
〃All we'll have to do； Tom；〃 he said； 〃is to keep quiet about where we
are going。 Once we have the Advance afloat； and try her out； we can start
on our voyage for the South American Coast and search for the sunken
treasure。 When we begin our voyage under water I defy any one to tell
where we are going； or what our plans are。 No； I don't believe we need
worry about Mr。 Berg； though he probably means mischief。〃
〃Well； I'm going to keep my eyes open for him and Andy Foger；〃
declared Tom。
The days that followed were filled with work。 Not only were there
many unexpected things to do about the submarine； but Mr。 Sharp was
kept busy making inquiries about the sunken treasure ship。 These inquiries
had to he made carefully； as the adventurers did not want their plans talked
of； and nothing circulates more quickly than rumors of an expedition after
treasure of any kind。
〃What about the old sea captain you were going to get to go with us？〃
asked Mr。 Swift of the balloonist one afternoon。 〃Have you succeeded in
finding one yet？〃
〃Yes； I am in communication with a man think will be just the person
for us。 His name is Captain Alden Weston； and he has sailed all over the
world。 He has also taken part in more than one revolution； and； in fact； is a
soldier of fortune。 I do not know him personally； but a friend of mine
knows him； and says he will serve us faithfully。 I have written to him； and
he will he here in a few days。〃
〃That's good。 Now about the location of the wreck itself。 Have you
been able to learn any more details？〃
〃Well； not many。 You see； the Boldero was abandoned in a storm； and
the captain did not take very careful observations。 As nearly as it can be
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
figured out the treasure ship went to the bottom in latitude forty…five
degrees south； and longitude twenty…seven east from Washington。 That's a
pretty indefinite location； but I hope； once we get off the Uruguay coast；
we can better it。 We can anchor or lay outside the harbor； and in the small
boat we carry go ashore and possibly gain more details。 For it was at
Montevideo that the shipwrecked passengers and sailors landed。〃
〃Does Captain Weston know our object？〃 inquired Tom。
〃No； and I don't propose to tell him until we are ready to start；〃 replied
Mr。 Sharp。 〃I don't know just how he'll consider a submarine trip after
treasure； but if I spring it on him suddenly he's less likely to back out。 Oh；
I think he'll go。〃
Somewhat unexpectedly the next day it was discovered that certain
tools and appliances were needed for the submarine； and they had been
left in the house at Shopton； where Eradicate Sampson was in charge as
caretaker during the absence of Mr。 Swift and his son and the housekeeper。
〃Well； I suppose we'll have to go back after them；〃 remarked Tom。
〃We'll take the airship； dad； and make a two… days' trip of it。 Is there
anything else you want？〃
〃Well； you might bring a bundle of papers you'll find in the lower right
hand drawer of my desk。 They contain some memoranda I need。〃
Tom and Mr。 Sharp had become so used to traveling in the airship that
it seemed no novelty to them； though they attracted much attention
wherever they went。 They soon had the Red Cloud in readiness for a flight；
and rising in the air above the shop that contained the powerful submarine；
a craft utterly different in type from the aeroplane； the nose of the airship
was pointed toward Shopton。
They made a good flight and landed near the big shed where the bird
of the air was kept。 It was early evening when they got to the Swift
homestead； and Eradicate Sampson was glad to see them。
Eradicate was a good cook； and soon had a meal ready for the travelers。
Then； while Mr。 Sharp selected the tools and other things needed； and put
them in the airship ready for the start back the next morning； Tom
concluded he would take a stroll into Shopton； to see if he could see his
friend； Ned Newton。 It was early evening； and the close of a beautiful day；
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