CHAPTER VIII
TRAPPED BY A SEA MONSTER
"This is travelin' in style, all right," approvingly remarked CaptainBritten, looking about the comfortably appointed cabin and sniffing theappetizing odor of lamb chops on the electric grill. When necessary, NedNewton could cook an impromptu meal. He really was rather proud of hisability.
Ned Cooked Some Lamb Chops]
As the amateur chef placed the meal on a small, collapsible table, Tomannounced that they were now flying over the state of Georgia. "Weshould reach Key West about three P.M.," he said.
The ship droned steadily onward. At two o'clock in the afternoon theywere passing near a large city. "Miami," declared Ned, who had beenporing over a chart. "Airplanes go to many parts of South America fromthere."
"Miami," Declared Ned]
Tom sent the "Winged Arrow" lower and lower. Finally he leveled off atan altitude of about five hundred feet above the blue sea. Here the fullforce of the fierce subtropical sun began to make itself felt.
The travelers, fresh from the comparatively cool northern summer, madehaste to open all the air vents in the plane. Then they changed intowhite linen suits.
They Changed into Linen Suits]
"Whew!" exclaimed Tom, mopping his brow. "I've traveled in the junglesof Africa but have never felt hotter!"
"Ah, it's the ship, my boy. You see, the dark metal hull fairly soaks upthe sun, an' that's why we're a bit uncomfortable," said CaptainBritten. "Once we land, you'll think the climate fine!"
Shortly afterward they flew over a grim-looking American battleship. Itgreeted them with a hoarse blast of her whistle as the flying boat shotby at the rate of two hundred miles an hour. On either side tinyislands, or cays, appeared, then vanished as if by magic. Finally a blueblur straight ahead began to loom even larger, and in a few minutes the"Winged Arrow" landed in the harbor of Key West.
They Flew Over a Battleship]
"Half-past three," said Tom, glancing at the clock on the instrumentpanel. "A slow passage."
"Fast as I'd want to make it," declared Captain Britten. "A steamer'dhave taken a good many hours where we needed only minutes. There's theold 'Betsy B.' tied to her pier, so let's get over to her!"
In the Harbor at Key West]
The idling engines were speeded up and the flying boat moved slowlyacross the harbor. A tug with smoke curling from her single thick funnellay near the broad-beamed barge.
A Tug Lay Near the Barge]
Over the stern of the latter several grinning Negroes leaned. Theirancestors might have been stricken dumb at sight of the great sky crafttying up to their ship, but these darkies were familiar with dailypassage of planes bound for South America and showed but littleastonishment. In a liquid Spanish-English patois they bade the whiteswelcome. All of them were old retainers of Captain Britten.
As the elderly man had said, the old barge had served as winter quartersfor him during the past years. In consequence, he had had her littlecabins fitted up more luxuriously than is customary on such vessels.Tom and Ned were given one far more comfortable than they had expected.
The Cabins Were Comfortable]
The rest of the afternoon was taken up with inspection of the ship, thearrangements for the safe-keeping of the "Winged Arrow," and the layingof plans. Immediately after the hydroplane had been moored to a smallpier owned by Captain Britten, the tug-boat chugged out into the Gulf ofMexico at the rate of ten knots.
The Tug Chugged out into the Gulf]
"I'd say we should reach the spot some time tomorrow afternoon," saidTom after studying the chart. "It's just under two hundred miles."
"And we'll get your meteorite for you!" predicted the old salvage manconfidently. "Lucky the captain of that freighter 'Perry' took a bearingon the lighthouse at Port Baracoa; otherwise it would be like lookin'for a boll weevil in a bale o' cotton!"
Tom Studied the Charts]
Ruiz, the coal-black cook, served a good supper at sundown. Shortlyafterward the boys went to their bunks, for both were tired after thelong flight. Then too, Tom was still feeling the effects of the gasinhaled the previous night.
Next morning found the "Betsy B." wallowing through a smooth sea a fewmiles off the east coast of Cuba. Under the supervision of CaptainBritten, several of the crew were busy oiling the huge winch,overhauling steel cables, and seeing to a dozen other minor butimportant details. Altogether, it was a busy scene that met the eyesof Tom and Ned when they emerged on deck.
The Crew Was Busy]
"Your father was right, I think," said Ned. "You certainly have acompetent man. See how the crew jump at his word!"
"I agree," said Tom with satisfaction. "But me for breakfast! This seaair surely gives a fellow a good appetite."
A head wind coupled with a rising sea combined to hold back the tug andher rather clumsy tow as the day waned. Occasional heavy rain squallsmade the deck of the barge a rather uncomfortable place, so the boysstayed in the main cabin and discussed plans.
Head Winds Held Back the Tug]
"I think the rainy season must be at its height," groaned Ned at last ashe and Tom sat sweltering. "Maybe we'll be cooped up here for the wholevoyage."
Rain Kept the Boys in Their Cabins]
"Not me," declared the young inventor with a laugh. "Since when have yougrown afraid of a little rain? By afternoon we ought to be near thespot where Captain Mawson jettisoned the meteorite and then we'll beginto get busy, weather or no weather!"
"I hope the thing will be worth all our trouble," said Ned a bitcrossly. "Perhaps we won't even be able to find it. What then?"
"You're just suffering from a touch of 'mal de mer'!" teased Tom,refusing to consider his chum's gloomy remarks.
"I'm not a bit seasick!" protested Ned indignantly. "I just thinkwe're on a wild goose chase, that's all!"
"I'm Not Seasick," Protested Ned]
"Wait and see."
Evening drew nigh, and the sudden tropical night fell. On the Cubancoast lights went on, dominated by the intermittent glare of a powerfulbeacon many miles ahead.
"Baracoa Light," announced Captain Britten, seeing this. "We will layoff-shore till morning and begin our work tomorrow."
The Captain Pointed to the Beacon]
It spoke well for Tom Swift's nerves that he slept soundly, despitehis great interest in the morrow's activities. During the night the seaabated and the rain ceased. Dawn broke with a brilliance to be seen onlyin tropical lands.
In order to reach the spot in the sea beneath which the meteorite lay,it was necessary to get the barge into a position corresponding to theapex of an isosceles triangle in relation to the lighthouse tower andthe peak of a small hill near by.
Tom Made Some Observations]
Captain Britten and Tom, sextants in hand, made repeated observations.Ned stood by the telephone connecting the tug and her tow, transmittingto the former's captain the navigation directions. Finally the barge wassupposed to be exactly where the freighter had thrown overboard the bigstone.
"We may have to look around a little, though," remarked Tom as CaptainBritten ordered the tug halted and anchors lowered. "In the big stormCaptain Mawson might have made a mistake in his reckoning."
The Chart Showed the Depth of the Water]
The water was about three hundred feet deep here, the HydrographicOffice charts showed. When Ned learned this, he looked serious.
"The record depth attained by a diver is only 204 feet!" he exclaimed."At least, that's what I read in an encyclopedia."
"Guess you're referring to James Hooper, who reached that depth off theSouth American coast some years ago," smiled Tom Swift. "But sincethen diving-dress has undergone considerable improvement, eh, CaptainBritten?"
A Boom Was Swung Overside]
"That's right. I have on board several of the newest type suits.Besides, I use native divers, men who, even without protection, candescend to almost unbelievable distances."
Quickly a boom was swung out
overside. From it hung several pulleys towhich was attached a narrow steel platform. Presently three tallNegroes carried out of the storeroom grotesque-looking diving suitswhich weighed over two hundred and fifty pounds apiece.
He Shuffled Across the Deck]
Captain Britten spoke in Spanish to one of them, then the fellow beganputting on the weird uniform. It made him look like a visitor fromanother world. The tremendous weight of his garb prevented him frommoving at more than a slow shuffle across the deck, strong though hewas.
A Trail of Bubbles]
A section of the railing had been removed to allow access to thedangling metal platform upon which the diver stepped. The boom swung outand the drum of the winch began unrolling. In a few seconds only a trailof vanishing bubbles marked the spot where the Negro had gone into thesea.
"How long will it take him to reach bottom?" asked Ned, peering oversidein fascination.
"About forty minutes," replied Captain Britten. "A diver must belowered and raised gradually in order to avoid the terribleafter-effects of a sudden change in pressure. At three hundred feet thepressure is more than eighteen thousand pounds per square foot!"
Tom Held His Watch to His Ear]
Time dragged on. Down, down rolled the heavy cable supporting the diver.Finally Tom held his watch to his ear, as though he were afraid it mighthave stopped.
"Oh, it's still running," laughed Ned a little nervously as he observedhis chum's action. "Only five more minutes, Tom!"
He Reported a Good Sandy Bottom]
At last a bell tinkled and Captain Britten grabbed up the telephoneinstrument which connected barge and diver. For a few seconds helistened, then replied briefly in Spanish.
"Alvarez is down," he said to Tom as he hung up the receiver. "Hereports a good, sandy bottom but no sight yet of the meteorite. At anyrate, there's no danger of it having sunk in an oozy bottom."
Ten minutes later the phone buzzed again, this time with a requestthat the ship be moved a little east and that Manuel, Alvarez's mate, besent down to help. This was done, and another telephone instrument wasplugged in.
Manuel Was to Go Down]
Tom, who understood a little Spanish, stood by to hear the report of thesecond diver. Both lines were now kept open continuously.
Finally Manuel reached bottom, saying that he had contacted Alvarez. Forsome minutes nothing came through either telephone but the sound ofthe submerged men's breathing.
Something Has Gone Wrong!]
"I see something, Senor! A rock--'que grande'!" came to Tom's earssuddenly. "It must indeed be that which the Senor seeks. But, SantaMaria! there is something else--!" Manuel's voice broke off suddenly.
"Captain Britten! Can you hear your man?" shouted Tom after his repeatedattempts to renew, the connection had failed.
"No! I can hear only a muffled groaning. Something has gone wrong.That's sure!"
"Stop, Senor!" Screamed the Engineer]
"Pull 'em up quick, then!" advised Ned.
This seemed good advice, so the auxiliary engine was started and thewinches began turning slowly.
"Stop, Senor!" suddenly screamed the native engineer, waving his armsexcitedly and cutting off the steam. "The drums turn--si--but the cablesdo not rise. Something has caught the men!"
Loose the Winches]