Chapter Twenty-Three
Attacked by Sharks
For a few minutes after reaching the wreck, which had so occupied theirthoughts for the past weeks, the adventurers did nothing but gaze at itfrom the ports of the submarine. The appearance of the deep-watersharks gave them no concern, for they did not imagine the uglycreatures would attack them. The treasure-seekers were more engrossedwith the problem of getting out the gold.
"How are we going to get at it?" asked Tom, as he looked at the highsides of the sunken ship, which towered well above the comparativelysmall Advance.
"Why, just go in and get it," suggested Mr. Damon. "Where is gold in acargo usually kept, Captain Weston? You ought to know, I should think.Bless my pocketbook!"
"Well, I should say that in this case the bullion would be kept in asafe in the captain's cabin," replied the sailor. "Or, if not there,in some after part of the vessel, away from where the crew isquartered. But it is going to be quite a problem to get at it. We can'tclimb the sides of the wreck, and it will be impossible to lower herladder over the side. However, I think we had better get into thediving suits and take a closer look. We can walk around her."
"That's my idea," put in Mr. Sharp. "But who will go, and who will staywith the ship?"
"I think Tom and Captain Weston had better go," suggested Mr. Swift."Then, in case anything happens, Mr. Sharp, you and I will be on boardto manage matters."
"You don't think anything will happen, do you, dad?" asked his son witha laugh, but it was not an easy one, for the lad was thinking of theshadowy forms of the ugly sharks.
"Oh, no, but it's best to be prepared," answered his father.
The captain and the young inventor lost no time in donning the divingsuits. They each took a heavy metal bar, pointed at one end, to use inassisting them to walk on the bed of the ocean, and as a protection incase the sharks might attack them. Entering the diving chamber, theywere shut in, and then water was admitted until the pressure was seen,by gauges, to be the same as that outside the submarine. Then thesliding steel door was opened. At first Tom and the captain couldbarely move, so great was the pressure of water on their bodies. Theywould have been crushed but for the protection afforded by the strongdiving suits.
In a few minutes they became used to it, and stepped out on the floorof the ocean. They could not, of course, speak to each other, but Tomlooked through the glass eyes of his helmet at the captain, and thelatter motioned for the lad to follow. The two divers could breatheperfectly, and by means of small, but powerful lights on the helmets,the way was lighted for them as they advanced.
Slowly they approached the wreck, and began a circuit of her. Theycould see several places where the pressure of the water, and thestrain of the storm in which she had foundered, had opened the platesof the ship, but in no case were the openings large enough to admit aperson. Captain Weston put his steel bar in one crack, and tried topry it farther open, but his strength was not equal to the task. Hemade some peculiar motions, but Tom could not understand them.
They looked for some means by which they could mount to the decks ofthe Boldero, but none was visible. It was like trying to scale afifty-foot smooth steel wall. There was no place for a foothold. Againthe sailor made some peculiar motions, and the lad puzzled over them.They had gone nearly around the wreck now, and as yet had seen no wayin which to get at the gold. As they passed around the bow, which wasin a deep shadow from a great rock, they caught sight of the submarinelying a short distance away. Light streamed from many bull's-eyes, andTom felt a sense of security as he looked at her, for it was lonesomeenough in that great depth of water, unable to speak to his companion,who was a few feet in advance.
Suddenly there was a swirling of the water, and Tom was nearly thrownoff his feet by the rush of some great body. A long, black shadowpassed over his head, and an instant later he saw the form of a greatshark launched at Captain Weston. The lad involuntarily cried in alarm,but the result was surprising. He was nearly deafened by his own voice,confined as the sound was in the helmet he wore. But the sailor, too,had felt the movement of the water, and turned just in time. He thrustupward with his pointed bar. But he missed the stroke, and Tom, amoment later, saw the great fish turn over so that its mouth, which isfar underneath its snout, could take in the queer shape which the sharkevidently thought was a choice morsel. The big fish did actually getthe helmet of Captain Weston inside its jaws, but probably it wouldhave found it impossible to crush the strong steel. Still it might havesprung the joints, and water would have entered, which would have beenas fatal as though the sailor had been swallowed by the shark. Tomrealized this and, moving as fast as he could through the water, hecame up behind the monster and drove his steel bar deep into it.
The sea was crimsoned with blood, and the savage creature, opening itsmouth, let go of the captain. It turned on Tom, who again harpooned it.Then the fish darted off and began a wild flurry, for it was dying. Therush of water nearly threw Tom off his feet, but he managed to make hisway over to his friend, and assist him to rise. A confident look fromthe sailor showed the lad that Captain Weston was uninjured, though hemust have been frightened. As the two turned to make their way back tothe submarine, the waters about them seemed alive with the horriblemonsters.
It needed but a glance to show what they were, Sharks! Scores of them,long, black ones, with their ugly, undershot mouths. They had beenattracted by the blood of the one Tom had killed, but there was not ameal for all of them off the dying creature, and the great fish mightturn on the young inventor and his companion.
The two shrank closer toward the wreck. They might get under the prowof that and be safe. But even as they started to move, several of thesea wolves darted quickly at them. Tom glanced at the captain. Whatcould they do? Strong as were the diving suits, a combined attack bythe sharks, with their powerful jaws, would do untold damage.
At that moment there seemed some movement on board the submarine. Tomcould see his father looking from the conning tower, and the agedinventor seemed to be making some motions. Then Tom understood. Mr.Swift was directing his son and Captain Weston to crouch down. The laddid so, pulling the sailor after him. Then Tom saw the bow electric gunrun out, and aimed at the mass of sharks, most of whom were congregatedabout the dead one. Into the midst of the monsters was fired a numberof small projectiles, which could be used in the electric cannon inplace of the solid shot. Once more the waters were red with blood, andthose sharks which were not killed swirled off. Tom and Captain Westonwere saved. They were soon inside the submarine again, telling theirthrilling story.
"It's lucky you saw us, dad," remarked the lad, blushing at the praiseMr. Damon bestowed on him for killing the monster which had attackedthe captain.
"Oh, I was on the lookout," said the inventor. "But what about gettinginto the wreck?"
"I think the only way we can do it will be to ram a hole in her side,"said Captain Weston. "That was what I tried to tell Tom by motions, buthe didn't seem to understand me."
"No," replied the lad, who was still a little nervous from his recentexperience. "I thought you meant for us to turn it over, bottom sideup," and he laughed.
"Bless my gizzard! Just like a shark," commented Mr. Damon.
"Please don't mention them," begged Tom. "I hope we don't see any moreof them."
"Oh, I fancy they have been driven far enough away from thisneighborhood now," commented the captain. "But now about the wreck. Wemay be able to approach it from above. Suppose we try to lower thesubmarine on it? That will save ripping it open."
This was tried a little later, but would not work. There were strongcurrents sweeping over the top of the Boldero, caused by a submergedreef near which she had settled. It was a delicate task to sink thesubmarine on her decks, and with the deep waters swirling about wasfound to be impossible, even with the use of the electric plates andthe auxiliary screws. Once more the Advance settled to the ocean bed,near the wreck.
"Well, what's to be done?" asked Tom, as
he looked at the high steelsides.
"Ram her, tear a hole, and then use dynamite," decided Captain Westonpromptly. "You have some explosive, haven't you, Mr. Swift?"
"Oh, yes. I came prepared for emergencies."
"Then we'll blow up the wreck and get at the gold."
Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat; Or, Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure Page 23