Boy Scouts in a Submarine | Page 7

assistance you require.
"And remember this: You are not to destroy or mislay any documents
you may find in the gold room. You are not to reveal the purpose of
your mission at any port you may touch on the way out, or at any port
you may visit for the purpose of reporting progress.
"If at any time you have reason to believe that another submarine is
working or loitering about in the vicinity of the wreck, you are to report
the fact without delay and a man-of-war will be sent to you."
"And that means--"
Ned did not complete the sentence, for the officer hastened to explain
the meaning of the warning.
"The Diver," he said, "is somewhere on this coast."
Ned gave a quick start of surprise.
"I knew it!" shouted Jimmie. "I just knew we were in for somethin' of
the kind! There'll be doin's."
"I reckon we can take care of the Diver," said Frank, "and Mr. Arthur
Moore, son of Captain Henry Moore, with it."
"Don't underestimate the Diver," warned Lieutenant Scott. "She is a
peach of a submarine, and Mr. Arthur Moore knows how to operate her.
She is almost the latest thing in submarines."
"Why didn't the Government buy her, then?" demanded Jack.
"Principally because she was withdrawn from the market," was the

reply.
"I 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