The excitement caused by Jerry’s announcement can easily be imagined; and it was of several sorts. To himself the recognition of the strange craft that seemed so fated to be linked with their fortunes proved that the fanatical German who owned it had not left American waters.
To Ned the discovery was startling enough, and, for an instant, he had a wild idea that he would like to interview the captain, and learn whether it would be possible for himself and his chums to own a craft like that.
Bob, when he heard Jerry’s cry, thought of his former fears in regard to the strange craft—fears that he realized now were somewhat foolish.
As for Professor Snodgrass, no sooner did he understand what Jerry had said, and no sooner did he note the glistening metal plates of the under-water craft, than he cried out:
“Boys, please put over there. This is the very chance I want. I must go aboard, sink to the bottom of the sea and try to get one of those hermit crabs. Jerry, signal him, and ask him to take me aboard!”
The little scientist was all excitement. Forgotten was the last strange bug he had been cataloging, in his desire to fulfill his newest quest.
“Are you sure that is the same submarine, Jerry?” asked Ned, as the three lads got aboard the Comet again.
“Of course, I’m not sure it’s the same one we saw first,” was the answer; “but it’s a submarine, all the same, and of a similar type. Perhaps it may be one of Uncle Sam’s fleet. I understand they are to have some practise out this way soon.”
“There’s no doubt of it being a submarine,” added Bob. “Did you see it pop up, Professor?”
“Yes,” answered the scientist, “I was looking over in that direction when I observed a commotion in the water. I thought at first it was some big fish, and when it came well up out of the water, with its rounded back, I made up my mind it was a whale. But when Jerry called out——”
“I’ve seen her—or one like her—before,” interrupted the tall lad. “I could make out the overlapping, riveted plates.”
“Yes, I can see them now, quite plainly,” agreed the scientist. “But, boys, can you possibly put me aboard?”
“I fancy it depends more on the captain of that craft than on us,” said Jerry, with a smile. “It will be easy enough for us to steer the Comet over there, but whether he’ll let us come aboard is another question.”
“We might try it,” suggested Ned, who, the more he thought of it, the more he desired to try a trip in a submarine.
“All right,” assented Jerry. “I’ve no objections.”
“There doesn’t seem to be much life about it,” remarked Bob, as he looked toward the strange craft.
This was very true. The submarine lay on the surface of the sea, moving slightly with the swell. And it was such a submarine as the boys had never seen before, save on that first occasion. There was not a single projection to mar the outer shell, which did indeed look like a whale’s back. There was no conning tower, no periscope tubes, and no projecting hatchway by which access could be had to the interior.
Doubtless there was one of these, for entrance must be made through the top, but it was probably flush with the deck, or else the hatch, in the form of a tube, was collapsible and could be raised or lowered at will.
From their low position, with the Comet on the surface of the ocean, the boys and Professor Snodgrass could not see very well, and Jerry, as were his chums, was anxious to go aloft whence a better view could be had.
“There doesn’t seem to be even a flat place for a deck,” remarked Ned, trying to get a glimpse of it. “The back of that craft is just like the back of a fish without a fin sticking up. I don’t see how those sailors we saw managed to keep their footing on here.”
“That’s so she can make speed,” spoke Jerry. “There must be a slightly flattened place somewhere to allow for getting on and off.”
“Well, let’s get in motion, and see if they’ll take us in,” suggested the professor. “I am exceedingly anxious to get to the bottom of the sea, and capture some of those rare crabs.”
“We can try, but I’m not very hopeful,” observed Jerry, as he remembered how the submarine had fled before at the sight of the airship. “They seem very suspicious.”
“I don’t understand how they can see us, the way she is now,” said Ned. “She seems tightly sealed.”
“Oh, there’s doubtless a way we can’t observe,” spoke Jerry, as he prepared to send the Comet aloft.
The submarine lay sullen and motionless on the surface of the sea. It was like some monster of the depths that had come up for a breath of air and would, on the slightest alarm, dive down to the fastness of some ocean cave again. Not a sign of life was to be observed; not a sound came from the strange craft. She was the personification of mystery.
Silently the Comet rose into the air, Jerry having started the gas generator. He wanted to rise as a balloon—without a sound—so that he might not give the alarm to those in the submarine. In this way they might get close enough to communicate with the captain or crew.
“But from the looks of that fanatical old German,” spoke Bob, “I don’t believe he’d give us a sandwich if we were starving.”
“This may not be the same craft,” observed Jerry.
“That’s right,” admitted Bob, “but she looks just like the one we saw.” All the boys agreed to this.
Higher and higher went the Comet, and then Jerry put in motion the propellers that would send her over the half-mile of water that intervened between the air craft and the one from the depths.
As the Comet came nearer and nearer to the submarine there was still no sign aboard the mysterious craft that the boys had been observed. Either their presence was being ignored, or those aboard the fish-like boat were not aware of it.
“What are you going to do, Jerry?” asked Ned, a little later, as he noted that they were right above the submarine. “Are you going to land on her back?” They could now see a small, flat deck.
“I don’t know just what to do,” was the puzzled answer. “I wish they’d give us some sign.”
The boys and the professor were eagerly watching the submarine. All seemed silent aboard her.
Suddenly, though, there was a commotion in the water near what was evidently her stern. There appeared white foam, and a moment later the strange craft began to move through the water, in the position known as “awash,”—that is, with the deck just showing.
“There she goes!” cried Bob. “She’s seen us and off she goes!”
“Yes, and we’re going after her!” responded Jerry, fiercely, as he pulled the lever that speeded up the great propellers. “Boys, we’ll see if we can solve this mystery. We’ll try to catch this boat and see what she’s doing over here!”
On shot the Comet, about a hundred feet in the air, while, down below her, the submarine plowed through the water. The strange pursuit was under way.