Boy Scouts in a Submarine | Page 7

begin to understand," Ned said.
"Then that son of Captain Moore is after the gold?" asked Jack.
"That is what we suspect."
"Well," Frank said, then, "it wouldn't be any fun to go after the old wreck if all was clear sailing."
"Right you are!" cried Jimmie.
"But how did they get the Diver here so quickly?" asked Ned.
"The same way I got the Sea Lion here," was the Lieutenant's reply. "They engaged a special train, took the boat to pieces as far as practicable and sent her over."
"But she is something of a whale as compared with the little Sea Lion," urged Ned. "It was easy enough to get our boat across the continent."
"Not quite so easy as you think," laughed the officer. "Still," he added, "here she is, all ready for the trip. There are plenty of provisions, and everything is in fine working order. You, Mr. Nestor, took a hand in taking the submarine to pieces, and you ought to know all about her."
"I think I do," was the reply, "still, I should have liked the chance of putting her together again."
"It is all right as it is," was the reply. "You doubtless had a good time in New York while the work was being done here. When I left for the big city to ride over with you she was nearly ready, and now, on our arrival, she is, as you see, right and fit."
"But I thought we were to cross the Pacific in a steamer and pick up the Sea Lion over there," Ned observed.
"Right you are," the Lieutenant answered, "but the Sea Lion is to be taken over by the big steamer, too."
"Then they've got to take her to pieces again," wailed Jimmie, "and it will be weeks before we get started."
"You are wrong there," the officer replied. "The Sea Lion will be picked up by something like a floating dock and towed over. How does that strike you?"
"Out of water?" asked Frank.
"Of course. Novel way of carrying a submarine, eh?"
"I should say so."
"Over there," the Lieutenant went on, "there would be no facilities for assembling the parts. That is why the work was done here."
"Of course," laughed Frank.
"And this floating dry dock," continued the officer, "will be roofed over and its contents kept secret. A short distance from the Taya Islands, she will be shucked of her shell and take to the water. No one will know what her mission is."
"It seems to me that everything is pretty cleverly planned," Ned remarked. "I hope all my plans will come together as nicely as the plans of the Government have."
"That will be a big tow for a steamer," Jimmie suggested.
"Yes, it is awkward, but there seemed to be no other way. The Diver will be far in the rear and you take water off the Taya Islands."
"And on the way over," Ned said, "I can live in the Sea Lion and continue my studies of the machinery."
"That is the idea," said the Lieutenant.
"When are we to be picked up?" asked Jack.
The Lieutenant lifted a hand for silence.
From outside, seemingly from underneath the keel of the Sea Lion, came a grating sound, which was followed by a slight, though steady, lifting of the vessel.
"Gee!" cried Jimmie, springing to his feet. "I guess we're up against an earthquake!"
The boys were all moving about now, but Lieutenant Scott remained in his chair, a smile on his face.
The Sea Lion rose steadily, and there was a slight tip to port. Ned sat down with a shamed look on his face.
"I should have known," he said.
"Say," Jack exclaimed, "was the submarine put together on the float that is going to carry her across?"
"Of course she was," laughed the Lieutenant. "The pieces brought on from New York were assembled on the float. Some of the larger pieces, the ones most difficult to handle, were made here from patterns sent on from the east. Then, when all was ready, the float was dropped out of sight so the submarine would lie on the surface, as we found her."
"And now they're lifting the float?" asked Jimmie.
"Exactly," was the reply. "Suppose you go outside, on the conning tower, and look about."
"You bet," cried Jack, and then there was a rush for the stairway, or half-ladder, rather, leading to the tower.
The Sea Lion was still lifting, though where the power came from no one could determine. While Ned studied over the problem Lieutenant Scott laid a hand on his shoulder.
"You want to know what makes the wheels go round?" laughed the officer. "Well, I'll tell you. The bottom of the float forms a tank. Now do you see?"
"And there's a large hose laid from the tank to the shore, and the water is being pumped out! I see."
"That's it," replied the Lieutenant. "Now that we are getting up high