tom swift & his submarine boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的潜水艇)-第15章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
opportunity for broaching a subject that was worrying him。 〃Did you meet
a Mr。 Berg here last night； Captain Weston？〃 he went on。
〃Yes。 Mr。 Berg and I had quite a talk。 He is a well… informed man。〃
〃Did he mention the sunken treasure？〃 asked the lad； eager to find out
if his suspicions were true。
〃Yes； he did； if you'll excuse me putting it so plainly；〃 answered the
seaman； as if Tom might be offended at so direct a reply。 But the young
inventor was soon to learn that this was only an odd habit with the
seaman。
〃Did he want to know where the wreck of the Boldero was located？〃
continued the lad。 〃That is； did he try to discover if you knew anything
about it？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Weston； 〃he did。 He pumped me； if you are acquainted
with that term； and are not offended by it。 You see； when I arrived here I
made inquiries as to where your father's place was located。 Mr。 Berg
overheard me； and introduced himself as agent for a shipbuilding concern。
He was very friendly； and when he said he knew you and your parent； I
thought he was all right。〃
Tom's heart sank。 His worst fears were to be realized； he thought。
〃Yes； he and I talked considerable； if I may be permitted to say so；〃
went on the captain。 〃He seemed to know about the wreck of the Boldero；
and that she had three hundred thousand dollars in gold aboard。 The only
thing he didn't know was where the wreck was located。 He knew it was off
Uruguay somewhere； but just where he couldn't say。 So he asked me if I
knew； since he must have concluded that I was going with you on the
gold…hunting expedition。〃
〃And you do know； don't you？〃 asked Tom eagerly。 〃Well； I have it
pretty accurately charted out； if you will allow me that expression；〃 was
the calm answer。 〃I took pains to look it up at the request of Mr。 Sharp。〃
〃And he wanted to worm that information out of you？〃 inquired the
49
… Page 50…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
youth excitedly。
〃Yes； I'm afraid he did。〃
〃Did you give him the location？〃
〃Well；〃 remarked the captain； as he took another observation before
closing up the telescope； 〃you see； while we were talking； I happened to
drop a copy of a map I'd made； showing the location of the wreck。 Mr。
Berg picked it up to hand to me； and he looked at it。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Tom。 〃Then he knows just where the treasure is； and he
may get to it ahead of us。 It's too bad。〃
〃Yes；〃 continued the seaman calmly； 〃Mr。 Berg picked up that map；
and he looked very closely at the latitude and longitude I had marked as
the location of the wreck。〃
〃Then he won't have any trouble finding it；〃 murmured our hero。
〃Eh？ What's that？〃 asked the captain； 〃if I may be permitted to request
you to repeat what you said。〃
〃I say he won't have any trouble locating the sunken Boldero；〃
repeated Tom。
〃Oh； but I think he will； if he depends on that map；〃 was the
unexpected reply。 〃You see；〃 explained Mr。 Weston； 〃I'm not so simple as I
look。 I sensed what Mr。 Berg was after； the minute he began to talk to me。
So I fixed up a little game on him。 The map which I dropped on purpose；
not accidentally； where he would see it； did have the location of the wreck
marked。 Only it didn't happen to be the right location。 It was about five
hundred miles out of the way； and I rather guess if Mr。 Berg and his
friends go there for treasure they'll find considerable depth of water and
quite a lonesome spot。 Oh； no； I'm not as easy as I look； if you don't mind
me mentioning that fact； and when a scoundrel sets out to get the best of
me； I generally try to turn the tables on him。 I've seen such men as Mr。
Berg before。 I'm afraid； I'm very much afraid； the sight he had of the fake
map I made won't do him much good。 Well； I declare； it's past four bells。
Let's go to breakfast； if you don't mind me asking you；〃 and with that the
captain started off up the beach； Tom following； his ideas all a whirl at the
unlooked… for outcome of the interview。
50
… Page 51…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER Ten
Trial of the Submarine
Tom felt such a relief at hearing of Captain Weston's ruse that his
appetite； sharpened by an early breakfast and the sea air； came to him with
a rush； and he had a second morning meal with the odd sea captain； who
chuckled heartily when he thought of how Mn Berg had been deceived。
〃Yes；〃 resumed Captain Weston； over his bacon and eggs； 〃I sized him
up for a slick article as soon as I laid eyes on him。 But he evidently
misjudged me； if I may be permitted that term。 Oh； well； we may meet
again； after we secure the treasure； and then I can show him the real map
of the location of the wreck。〃
〃Then you have it？〃 inquired the lad eagerly。
Captain Weston nodded； before hiding his face behind a large cup of
coffee； his third； by the way。
〃Let me see it？〃 asked Tom quickly。 The captain set down his cup。 He
looked carefully about the hotel dining…room。 There were several guests；
who； like himself； were having a late breakfast。
〃It's a good plan；〃 the sailor said slowly； 〃when you're going into
unknown waters； and don't want to leave a wake for the other fellow to
follow； to keep your charts locked up。 If it's all the same to you；〃 he added
diffidently； 〃I'd rather wait until we get to where your father and Mr。 Sharp
are before displaying the real map。 I've no objection to showing you the
one Mr。 Berg saw；〃 and again he chuckled。
The young inventor blushed at his indiscretion。 He felt that the news of
the search for the treasure had leaked out through him； though he was the
one to get on the trail of it by seeing the article in the paper。 Now he had
nearly been guilty of another break。 He realized that he must be more
cautious。 The captain saw his confusion； and said：
〃I know how it is。 You're eager to get under way。 I don't blame you。 I
was the same myself when I was your age。 But we'll soon be at your place；
and then I'll tell you all I know。 Sufficient now； to say that I believe I have
located the wreck within a few miles。 I got on the track of a sailor who had
51
… Page 52…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
met one of the shipwrecked crew of the Boldero； and he gave me valuable
information。 Now tell me about the craft we are going in。 A good deal
depends on that。〃
Tom hardly knew what to answer。 He recalled what Mr。 Sharp had said
about not wanting to tell Captain Weston； until the last moment； that they
were going in a submarine； for fear the old seaman （for he was old in point
of service though not in years） might not care to risk an under…water trip。
Therefore Tom hesitated。 Seeing it； Captain Weston remarked quietly：
〃I mean； what type is your submarine？ Does it go by compressed air；
or water power？〃
〃How do you know it's a submarine？〃 asked the young inventor
quickly； and in some confusion。
〃Easy enough。 When Mr。 Berg thought he was pumping me； I was
getting a lot of information from him。 He
