18 - 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):
Tom Swift and his submarine boat by Victor Appleton, Chapter eighteen,
The Electric Gun. There was much excitement about the advance.
The submarine came to a stop in the water, while

(00:22):
the treasure seekers waited anxiously for what was to follow.
Would they be rammed again? This time? Stationary as they were,
and with the other boat coming swiftly on, a hole
might be stove through the advance in spite of her

(00:45):
powerful sights. They had not long to wait. Again. There
came a jar, and once more the Swift's boat carried,
but the blow was a glancing one and fortunately did
little damage. They certainly must be trying to think us,

(01:09):
agreed Captain Weston. Come Tom, we'll take a look from
the stern and see what they are up to, and
get the stern electric gun ready to fire. Repeated mister Swift.
We must protect ourselves, Mister Sharp, and I will go

(01:32):
to the ball. There is no telling what they may do.
They're desperate and made ram us. From in front, Tom
and the Captain hurried aft. Through the thick plate glass
windows they could see the bluntnose of the wonder not

(01:53):
far away. The rival submarine having come to a halt,
there she lay black and silent, like some monsterfish waiting
to devour its victim. There doesn't appear to be much
damage done back here, observed Tom. No leaks, yet they

(02:19):
didn't puncture us. Perhaps it was due to an accident
that they ran us, suggested the captain. Well, they wouldn't
have done it if they hadn't followed us so close,
was the opinion of the young inventor. They're taking too

(02:41):
many chances. We've got to stop him. What is this
electric gun your father speaks so high. It's a regular
electric cannon. It fires a solid ball weighing about twenty
five pounds. But instead of powder, which would hardly do

(03:03):
under water, and instead of compressed air which is used
in the torpedo tubes of the government's submarines, we use
a current of electricity. It forces the cannon ball out
with great energy. I wonder what they will do next,

(03:26):
observe the captain, peering through a bow's eye. We can
soon tell, replied the youth. We'll go ahead, and if
they try to follow, I'm going to fire on them.
Suppose you think them I wont fire to do that,

(03:47):
only to disable them. They brought it on themselves. We
can't risk having them damage us. Help me with the cannon,
will you please, Captain. The electric cannon was a long
steel tube in the after part of the submarine. Its

(04:09):
projected a slight distance from the sides of the ship,
and by an ingenious arrangement, could be swung around in
a ball and socket joint, thus enabling it to shoot
in almost any direction. It was the work of but

(04:29):
a few minutes to get it ready, and with the
muzzle pointing toward the wonder, Tom adjusted the electric wires
and inserted the solid shots. Now we're prepared for them,
he cried. I think a good plan will be to
start ahead, and if they tried to follow the fire

(04:52):
in them, they brought it on themselves, correct, spoke Captain Weston.
Tom hurried forward to tell his father of this plan.
We'll do it, cried mister Swift. Go ahead, mister Sharp,
and we'll see if those scoundrels will follow. The young

(05:18):
inventor returned on the round to the electric cannon. There
was a whird of mansionary and the advance moved forward.
She increased her speed, and the two watchers in the
stern looked anxiously out of the windows to see what

(05:41):
their rivals will do. For a moment, no movement was
noticeable on the parts of the Wonder. Then, as those
aboard her appeared to realize that the craft on which
they depended to parlace them to the sunken treasure was

(06:03):
slipping away, word was given to follow the ship of
Burke and his employers. Short after the advance. Here they come,
cried Captain Weston. They're going to Ramas again. Then I'm
going to fire on them, declared Tom. Savagely on came

(06:27):
the Wonder, nearer and nearer. Her speed was rapidly increasing.
Suddenly she bumped the advance, and then, as if it
was an avoidable accident, the rear submarine jeered off to
one side. There certainly at it again, cried Tom, and

(06:54):
peering from the bull's eye, he saw the Wonder shoot
past the mouth of the electric cannon. Here it goes,
he added, He shoved over the liver, making the proper connection.
There was no corresponding report, for the cannon was noiseless,

(07:18):
but there was a slight jar as the projectile left muscle.
The Wonder could be seen to heel over. You hit her,
You hit her cried Captain Weston a good shop. I
was afraid she was past me when I pulled the liver,

(07:39):
explained Tom, she went like a flash. No, you caught
her on the rudder, declared the captain. I think you've
put her out of business. Yes, they're rising to the surface.
The lad rapidly and started another ball and recharged the cannon.

(08:05):
Then he peered out into the water, illuminated by the
light of day overhead. As they were not far down,
he could see the Wonder rising to the surface. Clearly
something had happened. Maybe they're going to drop down on

(08:27):
us from above and try to sink us, suggested the youth,
while he stood ready to fire again if they do.
His words were interrupted by a slight jar throughout the submarine.
What was that, cried the captain. That fired the ballguan

(08:49):
at them. But I don't believe he hit them, answered
the young inventor. I wonder what damage I did. Guests
will go to the surface to find out. Clearly, the
Wonder had given up the fight for the time being.
In fact, she had no weapon with which to respond

(09:13):
to a facilade from her rival. Tom hastened forward and
informed his father of what had happened. If her steering
gear is out of order, we may have a chance
to slip away, said mister Swift. We'll go up and

(09:33):
see what we can learn. A few minutes later, Tom,
his father, and Captain Weston stepped from the conning tower,
which was out of water, onto the little flat deck.
A short distance away lay the Wonder and on her

(09:54):
deck was Burke and a number of men, evidently remembered
of the crew. Why did you fire on us, shouted
the agent angrily. Why did you follow us? Retorted Tom.
Well you've broken our rudder and disabled us, went on Berg,

(10:18):
not answering the question. You'll suffer for this. I'll have
you arrested. You only got what you deserved, added mister Swift.
You were acting illegally following us, and you tried to
sink us by ramming my craft before we retaliated by

(10:40):
firing on you. It was an accident ramming, you, said Burg.
We couldn't help it, and now demand that you help
us make repairs. Well you've got nerve, cried Captain Weston,
his eyes flashing. I'd like to have a personal interview

(11:03):
with you for about ten minutes. Maybe something besides your
ship will need repairs. Then Berg turned away, scowling, but
did not reply. He began directing the crew what's to
do about the broken rodder? Come on, proposed Tom in

(11:24):
a low voice, for a sound to carry very easily
over water. Let's go below and skip out while we
have a chance. They can't follow now, and we can
get to the sunken treasure ahead of them. Good advice,

(11:44):
commented his father. Come Captain Weston, we'll go below and
close the conning tower. Five minutes later, the advance sank
from sight, the last glimpse Tom head of Burke and
his men being a sight of them standing on the

(12:07):
deck of their floating boat, gazing in the direction of
their successful rival. The Wonder was left behind, while Tom
and his friends were soon once more speeding toward the
treasure wreck. End of Chapter eighteen. Recording by on Land,

(12:30):
Hong Kong,