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Page 27
Chapter Eight
Another Treasure Expedition
While Tom and Mr. Damon continued on to Atlantis after the
oil, the young inventor lamenting from time to time that his
remarks about the real destination of the Advance had been
overheard by Mr. Berg, the latter and his companion were
hastening back along the path that ran on one side of the
sand dunes.
"What's your hurry?" asked Mr. Maxwell, who was with the
submarine agent. "You turned around as if you were shot when
you saw that man and the lad. There didn't appear to be any
cause for such a hurry. From what I could hear they were
talking about a submarine. You're in the same business. You
might be friends."
"Yes, we might," admitted Mr. Berg with a peculiar smile;
"but, unless I'm very much mistaken, we're going to be
rivals."
"Rivals? What do you mean?"
"I can't tell you now. Perhaps I may later. But if you
don't mind, walk a little faster, please. I want to get to a
long-distance telephone."
"What for?"
"I have just overheard something that I wish to
communicate to my employers, Bentley & Eagert."
"Overheard something? I don't see what it could be, unless
that lad--"
"You'll learn in good time," went on the submarine agent.
"But I must telephone at once."
A little later the two men had reached a trolley line that
ran into Atlantis, and they arrived at the city before Mr.
Damon and Tom got there, as the latter had to go by a
circuitous route. Mr. Berg lost no time in calling up his
firm by telephone.
"I have had another talk with Mr. Swift," he reported to
Mr. Bentley, who came to the instrument in Philadelphia.
"Well, what does he say?" was the impatient question. "I
can't understand his not wanting to try for the Government
prize. It is astonishing. You said you were going to
discover the reason, Mr Berg, but you haven't done so."
"I have."
"What is it?"
"Well, the reason Mr. Swift and his son don't care to try
for the fifty thousand dollar prize is that they are after
one of three hundred thousand dollars."
"Three hundred thousand dollars!" cried Mr. Bentley. "What
government is going to offer such a prize as that for
submarines, when they are getting almost as common as
airships? We ought to have a try for that ourselves. What
government is it?"
"No government at all. But I think we ought to have a try
for it, Mr. Bentley."
"Explain."
"Well, I have just learned, most accidentally, that the
Swifts are going after sunken treasure--three hundred
thousand dollars in gold bullion."
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