Show The Secret of the Submarine i By ByE E. E Alex Alexander der Pow Powell ll i Author of The End of the Trail Fighting in Flanders Road to Glory Vivo diVivo la Is France Etc C Continued from yesterday y If It he refuses said Montgomery slowly give him this message Taking a card from his case he wrote a few lines on it and handed it to to- his nephew This Is what the young than ritan man read D Dear ar tal I ph-I ph I once gave you something that I I valued a as much as you value he the s secret ecret of the submarine Now is your chance to repay me Calvin When Hope reached d Doctor Burkes Burke's private wharf the following morning he found that the Inventor and his daughter had arrived before him hire Cleo Burke the suppleness of her slender figure accentuated by the the- white Jersey and the short blue skirt that she had donned for the occasion was a picture of youthful loveliness I r am no stranger to submarines Miss Burke said the y bung ung naval of ot officer of- of ticer bowing from the waist after the Annapolis fashion but this will bemy bemy be he hemy my first trip on one with a woman for fora a shipmate Indeed I Imagine that you are the first woman in America to go o down In a submarine Perhaps you dont don't approve of women being p permitted aboard war craft laughed Cleo with a suggestion of coyness I approve of having you aboard Miss Burke said Hope in open ad With you for a mascot I l' l feel c certain that the experiment is going to prove successful I have When you two young people finished throwing bouquets at each other broke In the inventor well get started Is the crew all aboard Hook All AH but Satsuma sir answered the seaman Sf-aman touching his his cap I left him himat himat himat at work worl oiling the engines but hes he's disappeared You cant can't trust a a Jap anyway That reminds me o o 0 something some thing doctor You member that dark skinned f looking feller that cometo come cometo cometo to see you the other day Mahlin was his name wasn't it Yes Well when I was goin down to the wharf last night I saw him talking to Satsuma In front o that empty house on the beach They was a together an an the minute they saw m me rae they went inside Pr aps the Japs Jap's got another berth No matter said the inventor impatiently impatiently im im- im patiently we can get along without him If It everything is ready we will go aboard To Hope accustomed to the huge modernly equipped seagoing submersibles submersibles sub sub- which fly the naval ensign the obsolete craft which the Inventor had acquired for tor his experiments was wasas wasas wasas as curious as the steamboat built by Robert Fulton would appear appear to the captain of a Nevertheless he looked forward to the adventure with the keenest Interest an interest undeniably whetted by Cleo Burkes Burke's presence I have not confined my ray efforts en entirely entirely entirely en- en to my mv oxygen producing system remarked Burke as he be followed his guest through the circular manhole In Inthe Inthe Inthe the deck which gave access to the boats boat's Interior I I have utilized my spare moments in perfecting one or two of other her devices for use on submarines submarines submarines sub sub- marines which may also Interest you This arrangement for automatically opening and closing the hatchway Isone is isone isone one of them As he spoke he Indicated a lever connected with steel rods which ran up to the hinged cover of the hatch through which they had Just descended On all aU underwater craft explained the Inventor the hatch has to be screwed down by hand before the boat can submerge Just as one screws up the porthole of a cabin In rough weather The device which I have Installed in installed installed In- In stalled here is not only much simpler but it is far quicker and more ef ef- ef A single downward Jerk of this lever and the lid of the hatch opens automatically throw the lever up and the hatch Is closed In case of accident accident accident acci acci- dent where It was necessary to get the hatch open instantly the lives of the 4 I entire crew might be saved by this appliance Very Interesting doctor assented Hope again b become come the trained naval officer quick intelligent alert Very interesting I Indeed deed But it is your oxygen apparatus that interests me most This way th then n said Burke opening opening open open- ing the door which gave access access to the after compartment ot of the submarine Within against the bulkhead bUllhead which separated t the e rear compartment front from from the navigation room stood an apparatus apparatus i itus so complicated in appearance that even Hope expert rt that he was at first failed to grasp Its significance A I veritable maze of wires wires coils colls magnetos magnetos magnetos mag mag- magi i netos batteries gauges dials and switches surrounded a long narrow glass tank tankS in general appearance not unlike a small aquarium three filled with water Had Hope and Cleo been less lEs en engrossed engrossed engrossed en- en grossed in Doctor Burkes Burke's explanation of ot his apparatus they would have been startled by the peculiar behavior of the cushioned top of the locker which was built against the side of the room Apparently of its own volition the hinged top of the locker began to slowly rise so Imperceptibly at the first that one might have attributed it to the motion of the of-the the boat then higher still higher until through the narrow opening thus formed appeared a human human hu hu- hu man face a face a yellow face with slanting cruel eyes And the expression on that face showed that its owner was listening listening listen listen- ing lag to and to-and and understanding understanding everything everything that Doctor Burke was saying Meanwhile the hatchway had been blen securely cl closed sed the electric lights turned on on and the thin hull hill of the boat was trembling with the vibrations of the powerful motors Are we submerged yet asked Cleo for as there are no zo p ports or windows win win- dows dews In a submarine so far as sensations sensations sen sen- are concerned one is unable to determine whether the boat is running on or under the surface Her lIer question was was- answered by Hook who at that moment entered the navigating com corn We have begun to submerge sir he reported saluting Very good said the Inventor brief brief- ly Tell the navigator to keep her at fifty feet teet until further orders Then turning to the others It will be several several sev sey- eral hours before the air becomes sufficiently sufficiently suf suf- vitiated to make a demonstration tion lion practicable Meanwhile we can make ourselves comfortable in the forward forward for for- ward compartment where there Is Ismore Ismore ismore more room morn Passing through the central compartment com corn where the crew in grease smeared overalls was attending to the throbbing motors and the navigator was Intently watching the dials and nd gauges auges on the control board Burke Hope and Cleo entered the forward compartment which had originally been the torpedo room of the submarine submarine submarine sub sub- marine but which the inventor had transformed by means of a s table a divan and some chairs Into a reasonably reasonably reason reason- ably ably- comfortable cabin A moment later the cover of the locker was suddenly thrown up and from the space beneath slipped the missing Japanese Satsuma But though he still wore word the greasy overalls and Jumper of a mechanic gone was the vacant stare state gone the dropping Jaw gone the expression of childlike innocence It was obvious that this man was n no stranger to the higher forms of science and that he understood In principle at least what each of the switches dials and wires comprising Burkes Burke's apparatus was for But it was evid evident nt that the governing principle for which this complicated mechanism was but a medium eluded him For six hours the submarine had been under water The air air its oxygen drained by a dozen pairs of oC lungs had gradually become so vitiated that the breathing of all on board had become labored and difficult It about time to demonstrate your 2 our Invention doctor asked Hope who had pad dis discarded coat waistcoat and collar that he might breathe more free free- ly Its getting pretty close In here Not yet s said ld Burke BUrle who was seated at the little table In the forward compartment immersed in an abstruse calculation Theres no hurry You haven't said much lieutenant but I know that youre you're skeptical I wish to wait until I can make my demonstration tion so convincing that you will have no skepticism left Twenty minutes later Hook entered Dont you ou think you'd better give us a little air doctor he inquired anxious anxious- ly The boys In the engine room are complaining that they cant can't breathe Not yet said the inventor absently Tel them not to worry By the time the hands of the cabin clock had completed another circle the foulness of the air had become almost insupportable Hook himself gasping for breath reported that one of the themen themen themen men In the engine room had fainted and that the navigator badly frightened frightened frightened fright fright- ened threatened to rise to the surface Cleo her blouse blous open at the neck was stretched on the sofa sota her young bosom rising and falling in great sobs as she attempted to o draw air all into her exhausted exhausted ex ex- ex hausted lungs Look here Burke Burle gasped Hope roughly staggering across the room this nonsense nse has gone quite long enough Look at your daughter there the the poor child is s suffocating If It you dont don't set your apparatus to working and give us us some air Ill I'll take command corn cop mand myself rise to the surface and telegraph to to- Washington ton that your II invention is a fake and that you are a fraud Mr Hope said the inventor rising ris ing Im going to make you retract those words Passing through the engine ro room m to the rear compartment he threw over the first and third of the the- therow row of switches on the wall Instantly a stream of ot bubbles shot through the water water wa wa- wa ter terin in the tank and the needles on the dials began to quiver madly So in intent intent intent in- in tent was was the inventor on their movements movements move move- ments meats that he failed utterly to notice that the lid of the locker was thrown back and that in the space space beneath lay an almost unconscious Japanese feebly breathing Within three minutes after Burke had returned to the forward compartment compartment compartment compart compart- ment a subtle suggestion of freshness stole through the submarine in five flye minutes the atmosphere was as fresh and wholesome as though they were in the open airI airI airI air I apologize from the bottom of my I heart doctor said Hope seizing the theold theold theold old Inventors Inventor's hand hanl for what I said a afew afew afew I few moments ago You have convinced me absolutely of the efficiency of your invention though you ou nearly suffocated us at first It is scarcely necessary for me to say that I shall wire to the department tonight strongly urging that it be purchased by the govern govern- ment Thank you Mr 1 Hope said the Inventor in inventor In- In huskily a suspicious moisture In his eyes It looks as though my struggles were at an end I dont don't care car so so- much for myself because I am an anold anold anold old man man but I wanted success because of what It would me mean n to Cleo and he gently str stroked ked the golden head which rested on his shoulder Now he added briskly well none of us be the worse for something to eat and drink especially as we shall be down for an hour or tw two longer I told Hook to see that some sandwiches and beer were put aboard It was ivas a a. j merry merty rry- rry quartette that sat down to the impromptu luncheon for at Cleos Cleo's suggestion the faithful Hook had been called In to Join them So high indeed were were the spirits of Hope and Cleo that they they paid little attention when Burke quietly rose and left left- the momentary interruption in the current of fresh fresh air air air and fearful that his ap apparatus apparatus apparatus ap- ap was not working properly had gone aft to Investigate Entering Entering- the rear compartment he- he stood he-stood stood transfixed with utter astonishment For at atthe the switchboard his hand on one of the switches which controlled the air ail current current cur cur- rent stood Satsuma What the d devil are you doing here Satsuma shouted the inventor wrathfully wrathfully wrathfully wrath- wrath fully What have you Just done to that machine The Japanese had been so absorbed in his investigation of the apparatus that the sudden entrance of the in inventor inventor in- in ven tor took him completely by surprise As Burke carried away with anger advanced menacingly Satsuma's hand went toward his hip pocket Burke realizing the significance of the movement move move- ment meat instantly grappled with him But the aged scientist was no match for forthe forthe forthe the wiry Orl Oriental SI and nil thines thine-s were eo- eo ing badly with him when Hope attracted attract attract- ed ed by the sound bound of the struggle gle burst Into the room followed by Cl Cleo o Hook and the crew With a sudden twist Satsuma threw Burke the old man fallIng falling fall fall- ing lag heavily At that moment Hope launched himself against the Japanese as as in his Annapolis days he had tackled the West Vest Point q quarterback For a brief moment the two locked forms swayed madly about the little cabin overturning the table and chairs and threatening each instant to wreck the mechanism of Burkes Burke's invention Gradually working his right hand free Satsuma succeeded In reaching his hip I pocket His fingers closed about the i istock stock of an automatic There was a deafening explosion followed almost Instantly by a shower of sparks from the nest of wires above the oxygen- oxygen producing apparatus The stream of bubbles in the tank abruptly ceased and the little compartment was filled with acrid fumes My God groaned Burke crouchIng crouching crouch- crouch Ing lug on the floor where he had been thrown Hes smashed the transformer transformer transformer trans trans- former The bullet which had been intended for Hope had missed him by a hairs hair's breadth and had buried itself amid the mechanism At the same instant Satsuma like all Japanese an adept in the art of wrestling slipped clipped from the officers officer's grasp and leaped through the door of the navigating room A seaman attempted to fell him with a spanner but the Orientals Oriental's pistol pistol pistol pis pis- tol cracked sharply and the man spinning spinning spinning spin spin- ning completely around crumpled in a heap Another man who rushed forward forward for for- or ward fell with a bullet through his shoulder Keeping the remainder of ot otI I the crew covered with his smoking pistol pis pis- pis tol tel Satsuma threw over the handle which controlled the horizontal rudders and the sudden inclination of the floor showed that the boat had rapidly begun to rise A moment later a ray of sunlight sunlight sunlight sun sun- light entered through the conning tow tow- tow tow-I er cr The submarine was running awash Jerking down the lever which automatically automatically automatically auto auto- opened the hatchway Satsuma Satsuma Satsuma Sat Sat- suma sprang up the ladder and dived into the sea An instant later a wave breaking over the unprotected deck of the Submarine submarine sub Sub- marine poured through the hatchway into the compartment below After it came another Cleo screamed cally Its all right Miss Burke shouted Hope Dont be frightened Ill I'll close the hatch Accustomed as he was to the type of hatch in use in the navy and in the excitement of the moment entirely forgetting forgetting forgetting |