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 sonanticipated.
"All we'll have to do, Tom," he said, "is to keep quiet about where weare going. Once we have the Advance afloat, and try her out, we canstart on our voyage for the South American Coast and search for thesunken treasure. When we begin our voyage under water I defy any one totell where we are going, or what our plans are. No, I don't believe weneed worry about Mr. Berg, though he probably means mischief."
"Well, I'm going to keep my eyes open for him and Andy Foger," declaredTom.
The days that followed were filled with work. Not only were there manyunexpected things to do about the submarine, but Mr. Sharp was keptbusy making inquiries about the sunken treasure ship. These inquirieshad to be made carefully, as the adventurers did not want their planstalked of, and nothing circulates more quickly than rumors of anexpedition 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 succeededin finding one yet?"
"Yes; I am in communication with a man I think will be just the personfor us. His name is Captain Alden Weston, and he has sailed all overthe world. He has also taken part in more than one revolution, and, infact, is a soldier of fortune. I do not know him personally, but afriend of mine knows him, and says he will serve us faithfully. I havewritten to him, and he will be here in a few days."
"That's good. Now about the location of the wreck itself. Have youbeen able to learn any more details?"
"Well, not many. You see, the Boldero was abandoned in a storm, and thecaptain did not take very careful observations. As nearly as it can befigured out the treasure ship went to the bottom in latitude forty-fivedegrees south, and longitude twenty-seven east from Washington. That'sa pretty indefinite location, but I hope, once we get off the Uruguaycoast, we can better it. We can anchor or lay outside the harbor, andin the small boat we carry go ashore and possibly gain more details.For it was at Montevideo that the shipwrecked passengers and sailorslanded."
"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 submarinetrip after treasure, but if I spring it on him suddenly he's lesslikely to back out. Oh, I think he'll go."
Somewhat unexpectedly the next day it was discovered that certain toolsand appliances were needed for the submarine, and they had been left inthe house at Shopton, where Eradicate Sampson was in charge ascaretaker during the absence of Mr. Swift and his son and thehousekeeper.
"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 thereanything else you want?"
"Well, you might bring a bundle of papers you'll find in the lowerright hand drawer of my desk. They contain some memoranda I need."
Tom and Mr. Sharp had become so used to traveling in the airship thatit seemed no novelty to them, though they attracted much attentionwherever they went. They soon had the Red Cloud in readiness for aflight, and rising in the air above the shop that contained thepowerful submarine, a craft utterly different in type from theaeroplane, the nose of the airship was pointed toward Shopton.
They made a good flight and landed near the big shed where the bird ofthe air was kept. It was early evening when they got to the Swifthomestead, 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, andput them in the airship ready for the start back the next morning, Tomconcluded he would take a stroll into Shopton, to see if he could seehis friend, Ned Newton. It was early evening, and the close of abeautiful day, a sharp shower in the morning having cooled the air.
Tom was greeted by a number of acquaintances as he strolled along, for,since the episode of the bank robbery, when he had so unexpectedlyreturned with the thieves and the cash, the lad was better known thanever.
"I guess Ned must be home," thought our hero as he looked in vain forhis chum among the throng on the streets. "I've got time to take astroll down to his house."
Tom was about to cross the street when he was startled by the sound ofan automobile horn loudly blown just at his side. Then a voice called:
"Hey, there! Git out of the way if you don't want to be run over!"
He looked up, and saw a car careening along. At the wheel was thered-haired bully, Andy Foger, and in the tonneau were Sam Snedecker andPete Bailey.
"Git out of the way," added Sam, and he grinned maliciously at Tom.
The latter stepped back, well out of the path of the car, which was notmoving very fast. Just in front of Tom was a puddle of muddy water.There was no necessity for Andy steering into it, but he saw hisopportunity, and a moment later one of the big pneumatic tires hadplunged into the dirty fluid, spattering it all over Tom, some evengoing as high as his face.
"Ha! ha!" laughed Andy. "Maybe you'll get out of my way next time, TomSwift."
The young inventor was almost speechless from righteous anger. He wipedthe mud from his face, glanced down at his clothes, which were all butruined, and called out:
"Hold on there, Andy Foger! I want to see you!" for he thought of thetime when Andy had shut him in the tank.
"Ta! ta!" shouted Pete Bailey.
"See you later," added Sam.
"Better go home and take a bath, and then sail away in your submarine,"went on Andy. "I'll bet it will sink."
Before Tom could reply the auto had turned a corner. Disgusted andangry, he tried to sop up some of the muddy water with hishandkerchief. While thus engaged he heard his name called, and lookedup to see Ned Newton.
"What's the matter? Fall down?" asked his chum.
"Andy Foger," replied Tom.
"That's enough," retorted Ned. "I can guess the rest. We'll have totar and feather him some day, and ride him out of town on a rail. I'dkick him myself, only his father is a director in the bank where Iwork, and I'd be fired if I did. Can't afford any such pleasure. Butsome day I'll give Andy a good trouncing, and then resign before theycan discharge me. But I'll be looking for another job before I do that.Come on to my house, Tom, and I'll help you clean up."
Tom was a little more presentable when he left his chum's residence,after spending the evening there, but he was still burning for revengeagainst Andy and his cronies. He had half a notion to go to Andy'shouse and tell Mr. Foger how nearly serious the bully's prank at thesubmarine had been, but he concluded that Mr. Foger could only upholdhis son. "No, I'll settle with him myself," decided Tom.
Bidding Eradicate keep a watchful eye about the house, and leaving wordfor Mr. Damon to be sure to come to the coast if he again called at theShopton house, Tom and Mr. Sharp prepared to make their return tripearly the next morning.
The gas tank was filled and the Red Cloud arose in the air. Then, withthe propellers moving at moderate speed, the nose of the craft waspointed toward the New Jersey coast.
A few miles out from Shopton, finding there was a contrary wind in theupper regions where they were traveling, Mr. Sharp descended severalhundred feet. They were moving over a sparsely settled part of thecountry, and looking down, Tom saw, speeding along a highway, anautomobile.
"I wonder who's in it?" he remarked, taking down a telescope andpeering over the window ledge of the cabin. The next moment he uttereda startled exclamation.
"Andy Foger, Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey!" he cried. "Oh, I wish Ihad a bucket of water to empty on them."
"I know a better way to get even with them than that," said Mr. Sharp.
"How?" asked Tom eagerly.
"I'll show you," replied the balloonist. "It's a trick I once played ona fellow who did me an injury. Here, you steer for a minute until I getthe thi
ng fixed, then I'll take charge."
Mr. Sharp went to the storeroom and came back with a long, stout ropeand a small anchor of four prongs. It was carried to be used inemergencies, but so far had never been called into requisition.Fastening the grapple to the cable, the balloonist said:
"Now, Tom, they haven't seen you. You stand in the stern and pay outthe rope. I'll steer the airship, and what I want you to do is to catchthe anchor in the rear of their car. Then I'll show you some fun."
Tom followed instructions. Slowly he lowered the rope with the danglinggrapple. The airship was also sent down, as the cable was not quitelong enough to reach the earth from the height at which they were. Theengine was run at slow speed, so that the noise would not attract theattention of the three cronies who were speeding along, all unconsciousof the craft in the air over their heads. The Red Cloud was moving inthe same direction as was the automobile.
The anchor was now close to the rear of Andy's car. Suddenly it caughton the tonneau and Tom called that fact to Mr. Sharp.
"Fasten the rope at the cleat," directed the balloonist.
Tom did so, and a moment later the aeronaut sent the airship up byturning more gas into the container. At the same time he reversed theengine and the Red Cloud began pulling the touring car backward, alsolifting the rear wheels clear from the earth.
A startled cry from the occupants of the machine told Tom and hisfriend that Andy and his cronies were aware something was wrong. Amoment later Andy, looking up, saw the airship hovering in the airabove him. Then he saw the rope fast to his auto. The airship was notrising now, or the auto would have been turned over, but it was slowlypulling it backward, in spite of the fact that the motor of the car wasstill going.
"Here! You let go of me!" cried Andy. "I'll have you arrested if youdamage my car."
"Come up here and cut the rope," called Tom leaning over and lookingdown. He could enjoy the bully's discomfiture. As for Sam and Pete,they were much frightened, and cowered down on the floor of the tonneau.
"Maybe you'll shut me in the tank again and splash mud on me!" shoutedTom.
The rear wheels of the auto were lifted still higher from the ground,as Mr. Sharp turned on a little more gas. Andy was not proof againstthis.
"Oh! oh!" he cried. "Please let me down, Tom. I'm awful sorry for whatI did! I'll never do it again! Please, please let me down! Don't! You'lltip me over!"
He had shut off his motor now, and was frantically clinging to thesteering wheel.
"Do you admit that you're a sneak and a coward?" asked Tom, "rubbing itin."
"Yes, yes! Oh, please let me down!"
"Shall we?" asked Tom of Mr. Sharp.
"Yes," replied the balloonist. "We can afford to lose the rope andanchor for the sake of turning the tables. Cut the cable."
Tom saw what was intended. Using a little hatchet, he severed the ropewith a single blow. With a crash that could be heard up in the airwhere the Red Cloud hovered, the rear wheels of the auto dropped to theground. Then came two loud reports.
"Both tires busted!" commented Mr. Sharp dryly, and Tom, looking down,saw the trio of lads ruefully contemplating the collapsed rubber of therear wheels. The tables had been effectually turned on Andy Foger. Hisauto was disabled, and the airship, with a graceful sweep, mountedhigher and higher, continuing on its way to the coast.
Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat; Or, Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure Page 6