Mr。 Berg might worm out of the simple captain。
〃Yes。 Why； isn't the captain a proper man to make friends with？〃 and
the clerk looked at Tom curiously。
〃Oh； yes； of course；〃 was the hasty answer。 〃I guess I'll go and see if I
can find himthe captain； I mean。〃
Tom hardly knew what to think。 He wished his father； or Mr。 Sharp；
had thought to warn Captain Weston against talking of the wreck。 It might
be too late now。
The young inventor hurried to the beach； which was not far from the
hotel。 He saw a solitary figure pacing up and down； and from the fact that
the man stopped； every now and then； and gazed seaward through a large
telescope； the lad concluded it was the captain for whom he was in search。
He approached； his footsteps making no sound on the sand。 The man was
still gazing through the glass。
〃Captain Weston？〃 spoke Tom。
Without a show of haste； though the voice must have startled him； the
47
… Page 48…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
captain turned。 Slowly he lowered the telescope； and then he replied
softly：
〃That's my name。 Who are you； if I may ask？〃
Tom was struck； more than by anything else； by the gentle voice of the
seaman。 He had prepared himself； from the description of Mr。 Sharp； to
meet a gruff； bewhiskered individual； with a voice like a crosscut saw； and
a rolling gait。 Instead he saw a man of medium size； with a smooth face；
merry blue eyes； and the softest voice and gentlest manner imaginable。
Tom was very much disappointed。 He had looked for a regular sea…dog；
and he met a landsman； as he said afterward。 But it was not long before
our hero changed his mind regarding Captain Weston。
〃I'm Tom Swift；〃 the owner of that name said； 〃and I have been sent to
show you the way to where our ship is ready to launch。〃 The young
inventor refrained from mentioning submarine； as it was the wish of Mn
Sharp to disclose this feature of the voyage to the sailor himself。
〃Ha； I thought as much；〃 resumed the captain quietly。 〃It's a fine day； if
I may be permitted to say so；〃 and he seemed to hesitate； as if there was
some doubt whether or not he might make that observation。
〃It certainly is；〃 agreed the lad。 Then； with a smile he added： 〃It is
nearly eight bells。〃
〃Ha！〃 exclaimed the captain； also smiling； but even his manner of
saying 〃Ha！〃 was less demonstrative than that of most persons。 〃I believe I
am getting hungry； if I may be allowed the remark；〃 and again he seemed
asking Tom's pardon for mentioning the fact。
〃Perhaps you will come back to the cabin and have a little breakfast
with me；〃 he went on。 〃I don't know what sort of a galley or cook they
have aboard the Beach Hotel； but it can't be much worse than some I've
tackled。〃
〃No； thank you；〃 answered the youth。 〃I've had my breakfast。 But I'll
wait for you； and then I'd like to get back。 Dad and Mr。 Sharp are anxious
to meet you。〃
〃And I am anxious to meet them； if you don't mind me mentioning it；〃
was the reply； as the captain once more put the spyglass to his eye and
took an observation。 〃Not many sails in sight this morning；〃 he added。
48
… Page 49…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃But the weather is fine； and we ought to get off in good shape to hunt for
the treasure about which Mr。 Sharp wrote me。 I believe we are going after
treasure； he said； 〃that is； if you don't mind talking about it。〃
〃Not in the least；〃 replied Tom quickly； thinking this a good
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
小提示：按 回车 [Enter] 键 返回书目，按 ← 键 返回上一页， 按 → 键 进入下一页。
赞一下
添加书签加入书架