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Page 28
"Sunken treasure? Where?
"I don't know exactly, but off the coast of Uruguay," and
Mr. Berg rapidly related what he had overheard Tom tell Mr.
Damon. Mr. Bentley was much excited and impatient for more
details, but his agent could not give them to him.
"Well," concluded the senior member of the firm of
submarine boat builders, "if the Swifts are going after
treasure, so can we. Come to Philadelphia at once, Mr. Berg,
and we'll talk this matter over. There is no time to lose.
We can afford to forego the Government prize for the chance
of getting a much larger one. We have as much right to
search for the sunken gold as the Swifts have. Come here at
once, and we will make our plans."
"All right," agreed the agent with a smile as he hung up
the receiver. "I guess," he murmured to himself, "that you
won't be so high and mighty with me after this, Tom Swift.
We'll see who has the best boat, after all. We'll have a
contest and a competition, but not for a government prize.
It will be for the sunken gold."
It was easy to see that Mr. Berg was much pleased with
himself.
Meanwhile, Tom and Mr. Damon had reached Atlantis, and had
purchased the oil. They started back, but Tom took a street
leading toward the center of the place, instead of striking
for the beach path, along which they had come.
"Where are you going?" asked Mr. Damon.
"I want to see if that Andy Foger has come back here,"
replied the lad, and he told of having been shut in the tank
by the bully.
"I've never properly punished him for that trick," he went
on, "though we did manage to burst his auto tires. I'm
curious to know how he knew enough to turn that gear and
shut the tank door. He must have been loitering near the
shop, seen me go in the submarine alone, watched his chance
and sneaked in after me. But I'd like to get a complete
explanation, and if I once got hold of Andy I could make him
talk," and Tom clenched his fist in a manner that augured no
good for the squint-eyed lad. "He was stopping at the same
hotel with Mr. Berg, and be hurried away after the trick he
played on me. I next saw him in Shopton, but I thought
perhaps he might have come back here. I'm going to inquire
at the hotel," he added.
Andy's name was not on the register since his hasty
flight, however, and Tom, after inquiring from the clerk and
learning that Mr. Berg was still a guest at the hostelry,
rejoined Mr. Damon.
"Bless my hat!" exclaimed that eccentric individual as
they started back to the lonely beach where the submarine
was awaiting her advent into the water. "The more I think
of the trip I'm going to take, the more I like it."
"I hope you will," remarked Tom. "It will be a new
experience for all of us. There's only one thing worrying
me, and that is about Mr. Berg having overheard what I
said."
"Oh, don't worry about that. Can't we slip away and leave
no trace in the water?"
"I hope so, but I must tell dad and Mr. Sharp about what
happened."
The aged inventor was not a little alarmed at what his son
related, but he agreed with Mr. Damon, whom he heartily
welcomed, that little was to be apprehended from Berg and
his employers.
"They know we're after a sunken wreck, but that's all they
do know," said Tom's father. "We are only waiting for the
arrival of Captain Alden Weston, and then we will go. Even
if Bentley & Eagert make a try for the treasure we'll have
the start of them, and this will be a case of first come,
first served. Don't worry, Tom. I'm glad you're going, Mr
Damon. Come, I will show you our submarine."
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