Turning The Tables

: Tom Swift And His Submarine Boat

When the young inventor informed his father what he had overheard Mr.

Berg saying, the aged inventor was not as much worried as his son

anticipated.



"All we'll have to do, Tom," he said, "is to keep quiet about where we

are going. Once we have the Advance afloat, and try her out, we can

start on our voyage for the South American Coast and search for the

sunken treasure. When we begin our voyage under wate I defy any one to

tell where we are going, or what our plans are. No, I don't believe we

need worry about Mr. Berg, though he probably means mischief."



"Well, I'm going to keep my eyes open for him and Andy Foger," declared

Tom.



The days that followed were filled with work. Not only were there many

unexpected things to do about the submarine, but Mr. Sharp was kept

busy making inquiries about the sunken treasure ship. These inquiries

had to be made carefully, as the adventurers did not want their plans

talked of, and nothing circulates more quickly than rumors of an

expedition 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 succeeded

in finding one yet?"



"Yes; I am in communication with a man think will be just the person

for us. His name is Captain Alden Weston, and he has sailed all over

the world. He has also taken part in more than one revolution, and, in

fact, is a soldier of fortune. I do not know him personally, but a

friend of mine knows him, and says he will serve us faithfully. I have

written to him, and he will be here in a few days."



"That's good. Now about the location of the wreck itself. Have you

been able to learn any more details?"



"Well, not many. You see, the Boldero was abandoned in a storm, and the

captain did not take very careful observations. As nearly as it can be

figured out the treasure ship went to the bottom in latitude forty-five

degrees south, and longitude twenty-seven east from Washington. That's

a pretty indefinite location, but I hope, once we get off the Uruguay

coast, we can better it. We can anchor or lay outside the harbor, and

in the small boat we carry go ashore and possibly gain more details.

For it was at Montevideo that the shipwrecked passengers and sailors

landed."



"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 submarine

trip after treasure, but if I spring it on him suddenly he's less

likely to back out. Oh, I think he'll go."



Somewhat unexpectedly the next day it was discovered that certain tools

and appliances were needed for the submarine, and they had been left in

the house at Shopton, where Eradicate Sampson was in charge as

caretaker during the absence of Mr. Swift and his son and the

housekeeper.



"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 there

anything else you want?"



"Well, you might bring a bundle of papers you'll find in the lower

right hand drawer of my desk. They contain some memoranda I need."



Tom and Mr. Sharp had become so used to traveling in the airship that

it seemed no novelty to them, though they attracted much attention

wherever they went. They soon had the Red Cloud in readiness for a

flight, and rising in the air above the shop that contained the

powerful submarine, a craft utterly different in type from the

aeroplane, the nose of the airship was pointed toward Shopton.



They made a good flight and landed near the big shed where the bird of

the air was kept. It was early evening when they got to the Swift

homestead, 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, and

put them in the airship ready for the start back the next morning, Tom

concluded he would take a stroll into Shopton, to see if he could see

his friend, Ned Newton. It was early evening, and the close of a

beautiful 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 unexpectedly

returned with the thieves and the cash, the lad was better known than

ever.



"I guess Ned must be home," thought our hero as he looked in vain for

his chum among the throng on the streets. "I've got time to take a

stroll down to his house."



Tom was about to cross the street when he was startled by the sound of

an 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 the

red-haired bully, Andy Foger, and in the tonneau were Sam Snedecker and

Pete 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 not

moving 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 his

opportunity, and a moment later one of the big pneumatic tires had

plunged into the dirty fluid, spattering it all over Tom, some even

going as high as his face.



"Ha! ha!" laughed Andy. "Maybe you'll get out of my way next time, Tom

Swift."



The young inventor was almost speechless from righteous anger. He wiped

the mud from his face, glanced down at his clothes, which were all but

ruined, and called out:



"Hold on there, Andy Foger! I want to see you!" for he thought of the

time 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 and

angry, he tried to sop up some of the muddy water with his

handkerchief. While thus engaged he heard his name called, and looked

up 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 to

tar and feather him some day, and ride him out of town on a rail. I'd

kick him myself, only his father is a director in the bank where I

work, and I'd be fired if I did. Can't afford any such pleasure. But

some day I'll give Andy a good trouncing, and then resign before they

can 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 revenge

against Andy and his cronies. He had half a notion to go to Andy's

house and tell Mr. Foger how nearly serious the bully's prank at the

sub marine had been, but he concluded that Mr. Foger could only uphold

his son. "No, I'll settle with him myself," decided Tom.



Bidding Eradicate keep a watchful eye about the house, and leaving word

for Mr. Damon to be sure to come to the coast if he again called at the

Shopton house, Tom and Mr. Sharp prepared to make their return trip

early the next morning.



The gas tank was filled and the Red Cloud arose in the air. Then, with

the propellers moving at moderate speed, the nose of the craft was

pointed toward the New Jersey coast.



A few miles out from Shopton, finding there was a contrary wind in the

upper regions where they were traveling, Mr. Sharp descended several

hundred feet. They were moving over a sparsely settled part of the

country, and looking down, Tom saw, speeding along a highway, an

automobile.



"I wonder who's in it?" he remarked, taking down a telescope and

peering over the window ledge of the cabin. The next moment he uttered

a startled exclamation.



"Andy Foger, Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey!" he cried. "Oh, I wish I

had 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 on

a fellow who did me an injury. Here, you steer for a minute until I get

the thing fixed, then I'll take charge."



Mr. Sharp went to the storeroom and came back with a long, stout rope

and a small anchor of four prongs. It was carried to be used in

emergencies, 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 out

the rope. I'll steer the airship, and what I want you to do is to catch

the anchor in the rear of their car. Then I'll show you some fun."



Tom followed instructions. Slowly he lowered the rope with the dangling

grapple. The airship was also sent down, as the cable was not quite

long enough to reach the earth from the height at which they were. The

engine was run at slow speed, so that the noise would not attract the

attention of the three cronies who were speeding along, all unconscious

of the craft in the air over their heads. The Red Cloud was moving in

the same direction as was the automobile.



The anchor was now close to the rear of Andy's car. Suddenly it caught

on 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 by

turning more gas into the container. At the same time he reversed the

engine and the Red Cloud began pulling the touring car backward, also

lifting the rear wheels clear from the earth.



A startled cry from the occupants of the machine told Tom and his

friend that Andy and his cronies were aware something was wrong. A

moment later Andy, looking up, saw the airship hovering in the air

above him. Then he saw the rope fast to his auto. The airship was not

rising now, or the auto would have been turned over, but it was slowly

pulling it backward, in spite of the fact that the motor of the car was

still going.



"Here! You let go of me!" cried Andy. "I'll have you arrested if you

damage my car."



"Come up here and cut the rope." called Tom leaning over and looking

down. 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!" shouted

Tom.



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 against

this.



"Oh! oh!" he cried. "Please let me down, Tom. I'm awful sorry for what

I did! I'll never do it again! Please, please let me down! Don't You'll

tip me over!"



He had shut off his motor now, and was frantically clinging to the

steering wheel.



"Do you admit that you're a sneak and a coward?" asked Tom, "rubbing it

in."



"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 and

anchor for the sake of turning the tables. Cut the cable."



Tom saw what was intended. Using a little hatchet, he severed the rope

with a single blow. With a crash that could be heard up in the air

where the Red Cloud hovered, the rear wheels of the auto dropped to the

ground. 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 the

rear wheels. The tables had been effectually turned on Andy Foger. His

auto was disabled, and the airship, with a graceful sweep, mounted

higher and higher, continuing on its way to the coast.