16 - Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat by Victor Appleton

In pursuit of sunken treasure, Tom and his submarine crew brave the ocean’s depths. Underwater dangers and hidden riches await in this thrilling expedition.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
According by Andrew Stinton, Tom Swift and his submarine boat

(00:04):
by Victor Appleton, Chapter sixteen. We'll race you for it,
mister Swift hurried up on deck. He was accompanied by
Captain Weston. At the sight of Tom's father, mister Burke,
who had been joined by two other men, called out,
You see, we also concluded to give up the trial

(00:24):
for the government prize, mister Swift. We decided there was
more money in something else, but we still will have
a good chance to try the merits of our respective boats.
We hurried and got ours fitted up as soon as
you did yours, and I think we have the better craft.
I don't care to enter into any competition with you,
said mister Swift coldly. Ah, but I'm afraid you'll have to,

(00:47):
whether you want to or not, was the insolent reply.
What's that? Do you mean to force this matter upon me?
I'm afraid I'll have to my employers and I that
is you see, we managed to take up your trail
after you left the Jersey coast. Have an idea where
you were bound, and we don't intend to lose you. Now,
do you mean to follow us? Asked Captain Weston softly, well,

(01:12):
you can put it that way if you like, answered
one of the two men with mister Burke. I forbid it,
cried mister Swift hotly. You have no right to sneak
after us. I guess the ocean is free, continued the
rascally agent. Why do you persist in keeping after us?
Inquired the aged inventor, Thinking it well to ascertain, if possible,

(01:33):
just how much the men knew, Because we're after the
treasure as well as you, was the bold reply. You
have no exclusive right to it. The sunken ship is
awaiting the first comer, and whoever gets there first can
take the gold from the wreck. We intend to be
there first, but we'll be fair with you. Fair what
do you mean, demanded tom this. We'll race you for it,

(01:58):
the first one to arrive. We have the right to
search the wreck for the gold bullion? Is that fair?
Do you agree to it? We agree to nothing with you,
interrupted Captain Western, his usual diffident manner. All gone. I
happen to be in partial command of this craft, and
I warn you that if I find you interfering with us,
it won't be healthy for you. I'm not fond of fighting,

(02:21):
but when I begin I don't like to stop, and
he smiled grimly. You'd better not follow us. We'll do
as we please, shouted the third member of the trio
on the deck of the other boat, which, as Tom
could see, was named the Wonder. We intend to get
that gold if we can. All right, I've warned you,

(02:43):
went on the sailor, and then, motioning to Tom and
his father to follow, he went below. Well, what's to
be done, asked mister Swift, when they were seated in
the living room and had informed the others of the
presence of the rival submarine. The only thing I see
to do is to sneak way unobserved, go as deep
as possible, and make all haste for the wreck, advised

(03:05):
the captain. They will depend on us, for they have
evidently no chart of the wreck, though of course the
general location of it may be known to them from
reading the papers. I hoped I had thrown them off
the track by the false chart I dropped, but it
seems they were too smart for us. Have their right
to follow us, asked Tom, legally, but not morally. We

(03:28):
can't prevent them, I'm afraid the only thing to do
is to get there ahead of them. It will be
a race for the sunken treasure, and we must get
there first. What do you propose doing, captain, asked mister Damon.
Bless my shirt studs. But we can't pull their ship
up on the island and leave it there. I'm afraid
such high handed proceedings would hardly answer, replied mister Swift. No,

(03:51):
as Captain Weston says, we must get there ahead of him,
what you think will be the best scheme? Captain, Well,
there's no need for us to forego our plan to
get fresh water. Suppose we go to the island, that is,
some of us, leaving a guard on board. Here, we'll
fill our tanks with fresh water, and at night we'll
quietly sink below the surface and speed away. They all

(04:14):
voted that an excellent idea, and little time was lost
putting it into operation. All the remainder of that day,
not a sign of life was visible about the wonder
She lay a nert on the surface of the lagoon,
not far away from the advance. But though no one
showed himself on the deck, Tom and his friends had
no doubt but that their enemies were closely watching them.

(04:37):
As dusk settled down over the tropical sea, and as
the shadows of the trees on the little island lengthened,
those on board the Advance closed the conning tower. No
lights were turned on, as they did not want their
movements to be seen. But Tom, his father, and mister
Sharp took their positions near the various machines and apparatus,

(04:58):
ready to open the tanks, and the submarine seemed to
the bottom as soon as it was possible to do
this unobserved. Luckily, there's no moon, remarked Captain Western, as
he took his place beside Tom. Once below the surface,
and we can defy them to find us. It is
odd how they traced us, but I suppose that steamer
gave them the clue. It rapidly grew dark, as it

(05:21):
always does in the tropics, and when a cautious observation
from the conning tower did not disclose the outlines of
the other boat, those aboard the Advance rightly concluded that
their rivals were unable to see them. Send her down.
Tom called his father, and with a hiss, the water
entered the tanks. The submarine quickly sank below the surface,

(05:41):
aided by the deflecting rudder, but alas for the hopes
of the gold seekers, no sooner was she completely submerged,
with the engines started so as to send her out
of the lagoon to the open sea, and the waters
all about were made brilliant by the phosphorescent phenomenon. In
southern waters, this frequently occurs millions of tiny creatures, which,

(06:05):
it is said, swarm in the warm currents. Given appearance
of fire to the ocean, and any object moving through
it can be plainly seen. It was so with the
advance the motion she made in shooting forward, and the
undulations caused by her submersion seemed to start into activity
the dormant phosphorus and the submarine was afloat in a

(06:25):
sea of fire. Quick cried Tom, speed her up. Maybe
we can get out of this patch of water before
they see us, But it was too late. Above them,
they could hear the electric siren of the Wonderer as
it was blown to let them know that their escape
had been noticed. A moment later, the water, which acted
as a sort of sounding board or telephone, brought to

(06:48):
the ears of Tom Swift and his friends the noise
of the engines of the other craft in operation. She
was coming after them. The race for the possession of
the three hundred thousand dollars in gold was already under way.
Fate seemed against those on board the advance end of
Chapter sixteen