CHAPTER XIII.
DOWN TO THE DEPTHS.
It was the following morning, a bright, clear day, with a clean sweptsky overhead, and seaward, the waves whipping up into smart littlewhitecaps under a brisk breeze. Breakfast was over, the Boy Scouts'bugle had sounded an assembly call, and now all were eagerly musteredabout the submarine shed awaiting Mr. Barr's arrival and permission togo on board the _Peacemaker_.
True to his promise, the inventor had decided to make the boysparticipants in the trial trip of the slate-colored diving boat.Presently he appeared, accompanied by Ensign Hargreaves. Ten minuteslater the chatting, laughing party was on board the _Peacemaker_, andhalf an hour after that she was pronounced ready for the start. Mr. Barrtook his place in the conning tower with Ensign Hargreaves beside him.Barton was in the engine room, sullen and uncommunicative as usual. Roband Merritt were on deck with one of the sailors, delegated to the dutyof casting off the diving boat's lines.
At last came the word from the conning tower:
"Cast off."
Rob seized a rope and cast off from the stern bitts, while the sailorperformed the same operation at the bow.
"Must we come inside now?" inquired Rob, through the open hatch of theconning tower.
"Not yet; unless you wish to. I will notify you before we dive," was Mr.Barr's reply.
"Goodness, I hope he doesn't forget," said Rob laughingly, as theinventor turned on a switch and started the engines. The cigar-shapedform of the craft trembled as the powerful twin propellers beat thewater. Then, handling as perfectly as a catboat, she backed slowly outof the shed and on to the open sea.
Once outside the shed, her helmsman headed the craft about and madedirectly east. To Rob and Merritt, standing on the deck, the sensationwas a thrilling one. Faster and faster the craft was driven till greatclouds of spray compelled the two lads to seek refuge in the conningtower.
Inside the boat the hum of machinery and the vibration of the powerfulengines could be plainly distinguished. Rob glanced at the speedindicator on the steel wall of the "pilot house."
"Twenty-five knots! Phew! that's going some," he gasped.
"She can make thirty-two on the surface and twenty-one under water,"said the inventor calmly.
As he spoke, he drew a lever toward him and the _Peacemaker_ appeared toleap forward like a horse under the lash.
Rob watched the handle of the indicator as it sped slowly around thedial. Up and up it crept till it stopped at thirty-two knots and a half.
"Jove! Barr," exclaimed the ensign, "this is the wonder craft of thecentury."
"I think I could get even more speed out of her, but I don't wish tostrain the engines," was the confident reply.
"This is fast enough for me, thank you," said Rob to Merritt in anundertone.
From the conning tower lens the _Peacemaker_ appeared to be rushingbetween two solid walls of water, so great was the quantity of spray shethrew as she was remorselessly driven through the choppy sea. Yet thevibration was not nearly as bad as might have been expected.
"Let's go below and take a look at the engine room," said Merritt.
"All right; but I'll ask Mr. Barr's permission first," was Rob'srejoinder.
This was readily obtained, and the two boys went below. They foundtheir comrades gathered in the large central cabin, excitedly discussingthe novelty of their voyage. Passing them, the young leader and hislieutenant made their way back into the machinery department. Bartonglowered at them as they entered.
"Well, what d'ye want?" he asked gruffly.
"Merely to have a look at the engines," said Rob.
"Aw, what do you know about engines?" growled the man. "You ain't got nobusiness in here."
"We have Mr. Barr's permission," rejoined Rob in a calm, even tone,determined not to let the fellow make him angry.
"Well, take a look around and get out quick," was the ungracious replyof the surly fellow.
Rob thought it best not to answer him, and arm in arm he and Merrittwandered among the flashing, smoothly working machinery, which, despiteits size and power, was almost noiseless. Whatever his failings might bein the way of politeness, Barton must have been a good engineer, theboys decided, for every bit of metal and paintwork about the engines waspolished to a brilliant finish, and the engine room was as neat as a newpin.
Rob was examining the powerful pumps when his eye suddenly fell on a bitof paper lying on the floor. He picked it up, prompted by he knew notwhat instinct, and found that it was covered with minute sketches,apparently of machinery. The sketches were numbered and lettered, as ifthey had been "keyed" for the purpose of making the diagram clearer.
He was still examining the sketches when there was a swift step behindhim and a heavy hand fell on his shoulder. Rob, facing about, lookedinto Barton's face. The engineer's countenance was livid, his eyesfairly blazed.
"Give me that paper, you young jackanapes!" he exclaimed, "and then getout of here--quick!"
"As to giving you the paper, here you are," said Rob, quietly handingthe engineer the mechanical sketches. "If I'd known they were yours, I'dhave returned them to you at once. I must ask you, however, to be alittle less rough in your manners. I don't know what harm we've everdone you, that you should show such a dislike for us."
"Bah!" growled Barton as he turned away, thrusting the paper into apocket of his jumper.
After this incident neither of the boys cared to remain in the engineroom, and soon joined their companions in the main cabin.
They found them chatting and laughing over different boyish topics, andMerritt joined in the fun.
But Rob, usually talkative and bright, was strangely silent. He foundhimself musing over the incident of the scrap of paper covered withmechanical sketches. Why had Barton become so agitated when the boypicked it up? What was there about the affair to excite the man sostrangely?
Suddenly into the boy's mind there flashed a startling suspicion. But sograve was the idea that he dismissed it, or rather tried to; but withall his efforts the idea kept recurring like a dominant note in a pieceof music. Rob decided to be on the watch and try to verify or disprovehis suspicion, which was nothing more nor less than an idea that Bartonwas a traitor to his employer, and was also in the service of somepowerful interests striving to get a grip on the secrets of the_Peacemaker_.
"That man will bear watching," decided Rob.
Scarcely had he come to this conclusion when Mr. Barr shouted down fromthe conning tower:
"I'm going to dive!"
The hearts of all the lads beat perceptibly quicker at the words.
They were about to descend into the unknown regions beneath the surfaceof the ocean, down into the dark waters where men's souls are put to asupreme test.
Boy Scouts for Uncle Sam Page 13