“Can we see him?”
“Where will he go?”
“What is he going to do?”
Jerry, Ned and Bob thus eagerly questioned the three machinists, and Ted Rowland answered:
“If you go into the forward cabin you can look out through the side windows and watch him. Don’t turn on the light, or you can’t see as well. Dr. Klauss carries a submarine lamp with him, and you can make him out by that.”
“Come on!” cried Jerry, eagerly, and he and his chums, followed by Grace, Mr. Sheldon and Professor Snodgrass, went into the main cabin. The two stolid Germans remained in the motor room, seemingly on guard.
“Why did you not want me to go out there in a diving suit?” asked the scientist of Mr. Sheldon, when they were away from the doctor’s friends and his crew.
“There were two reasons,” was the answer. “In the first place I feared some harm might befall you. You are not used to going into deep water, and he is. Then, too, he might suddenly go mad out there alone with you, and do you some injury. We could not save you.
“Another reason was that I thought if we all stayed together there might be some chance of getting away—of making our escape. But the only way, I suppose, would be to go off and leave Dr. Klauss to his fate. That would be too horrible. We could not do it except, perhaps, as a last resort.”
“I see,” said Professor Snodgrass, who seemed to take more of an interest in the affairs of his friends, now that he could not be actively engaged in getting specimens. “We might keep him a prisoner in the diving chamber until we took the boat to shore, and escaped,” he added.
“Well, that might be a good plan,” admitted Mr. Sheldon, “but I dislike to try it. I think we ought to give him one more chance to set us free. If he does not, then we will act. What do you say, boys?”
“I agree to that,” spoke Jerry. “Besides, we don’t know where we are now. We ought to make an observation from the surface of the sea, and I think the boat will soon go up. Our air must need replenishing.”
“Then we’ll wait,” decided Mr. Sheldon. “Now for a look at the doctor on the bottom of the sea.”
“Say,” spoke Bob in a low voice to Ned, “suppose we do get control of the submarine. Do you think we can run her?”
“I think so—if the crew will help us, and those two old Germans don’t interfere,” was the reply. “We’ll have to sound the crew soon.”
“There he is!” suddenly exclaimed Grace, as she peered out of the darkened windows in the side of the cabin. “See him walking along!”
They all beheld the figure of the doctor, in his strange suit, on the sandy bottom of the sea, carrying his electric lamp with him. He turned and flashed it toward the now motionless submarine, and waved his rubber-encased hand, as if in greeting of those watching him.
“Say, that’s great!” exclaimed Ned.
“Look at the fishes around him!” cried Bob.
“Yes, and there’s a big shark coming behind him!” suddenly gasped Jerry. “Say, if that monster ever attacks him——”
He did not finish.
Walking along on the sand, which was strewn with shells and stones, while about him waved sinuous seaweed, Dr. Klauss did not seem aware of the near presence of the monster fish. But an instant later something must have warned him, for he turned, and those watching saw the flash of a knife in his hand—a long, keen blade.
“That’s better!” whispered Jerry, tensely.
But there was no need for Dr. Klauss to defend himself. The shark seemed afraid, now that it had come close to the human fish, and with a sweep of its big tail it turned and was lost in the gloom of the sea. Then the German moved on. Other fishes nosed him, or swam at his side, apparently curious about the lamp, but none offered to attack him.
The doctor seemed to be looking about, as though studying the configuration of the sea bottom.
“What do you suppose can be his object?” asked Grace.
“He is looking for rare specimens,” declared Professor Snodgrass. “Oh, that I were with him! If I could not get a hermit crab, perhaps I could find something else of value.”
“He’s looking for treasure,” was Bob’s opinion.
“More likely a place where he can safely sink some of Uncle Sam’s ships!” exclaimed Jerry. “If ever we get out of this we’ll have to inform the war authorities, to put them on their guard.”
“That is right,” assented Mr. Sheldon. “I hardly believe though, that Dr. Klauss is looking for a marine graveyard. I think he has some scientific object in view.”
Just what the German’s object was, those watching him could not determine. He soon disappeared around the bow of the boat, and became lost to sight. Jerry, who had learned how to do it, then turned on the lights to illuminate the space around the boat, and for some time they watched the fishes, and other forms of life, at the bottom of the sea.
They talked over their precarious situation, and agreed that if another appeal to Dr. Klauss should not be heeded they would see if the crew would not join them in a mutiny—a justifiable mutiny.
“We’ll have to secure this madman,” said Mr. Sheldon, “and do the best we can to navigate the boat ourselves. I only wish I knew where we are.”
“I think we will soon learn,” spoke Jerry. “We can’t stay under water forever.”
Dr. Klauss came back into the submarine in about an hour, the process being reversed to give him entrance. He said nothing about his trip, nor whether he had accomplished his purpose, but remarked:
“The next time, Professor Snodgrass, I hope you will come with me. And some of you boys—I have several diving suits and, you have seen, they are perfectly safe.”
“I think I may come—next time,” agreed the little scientist. “Did you see any hermit crabs?”
“No, but I can take you to a place where they are plentiful.”
The remainder of the day passed uneventfully. Mr. Sheldon did not think it wise to renew the request to be set free.
“We will try him to-morrow,” he said.
The Sonderbaar was again put in motion, speeding along at a depth of about three hundred feet, as the boys could tell from the gage. They had practically the run of the craft, and their presence was seemingly not noticed by the two old Germans. Nor did Dr. Klauss introduce his foreign friends to his prisoner-guests. He simply did not mention them.
“When are we going up to get some fresh air?” asked Jerry of Dr. Klauss the next morning, meeting the inventor near the pilot house.
“Very soon after breakfast,” was the answer. “My tanks need refilling.”
Jerry hastened to find Mr. Sheldon to tell him what was to happen, and the refugees ate rather an excited meal. The cooking on board was done by one of the three machinists—usually Bill Burke—and Bob bore testimony that the food was most excellent, in which, indeed, they all agreed.
Shortly after the meal Dr. Klauss came into the main cabin to announce:
“We are going up, now, and those who wish may go on deck. But be careful, for we are in the middle of the Atlantic and if you fall overboard I may not be able to rescue you.”
Jerry wondered if there was any significance in the grim words, or in the smile that accompanied them. But Dr. Klauss turned away.
There was a new motion to the Sonderbaar. She seemed to tilt her bow toward the surface, and soon she shot from the water, and lay inert on the bosom of the sea. There was a clank of metal and the German called:
“The hatch is open—those who wish may go up.”
“Me for some fresh air!” cried Jerry, and the others followed, one at a time, all glad to be in the open, and under the blue sky once more.
They looked about in wonder. The submarine, her deck only slightly above the surface, was in the midst of the boundless ocean. There was not another craft in sight, and no land visible. They were indeed in the middle of the Atlantic.
“Well, it’s good to get your nose outside; even if we are held by the enemy,” remarked Ned.
“Yes, and I think we must soon put our plan to the test,” spoke Mr. Sheldon. “I will again make a request of Dr. Klauss.”
Bob’s uncle was about to go down the hatchway to seek the German, but, at that moment, Dr. Klauss came up. He seemed to have forgotten all about his burst of passion, but when Mr. Sheldon, a moment later, made his request that he and his friends and daughter be set ashore, the doctor’s face flamed red, and in an excited manner he exclaimed:
“Now, that will do! No more of that! I told you that you would never see your country again—and you will not! I shall keep my word. I shall return and destroy all the Yankee ships, but you will not. I will maroon you on a desert island if I have to! I will not have my plans betrayed!”
“But, Dr. Klauss!” began Jerry. “If we——”
“Silence! Not another word!” was the sharp retort. “I shall never let you go. I hate you Americans! Bah! Now go below!” and he pointed to the open hatch.
Jerry hesitated a moment. He was debating in his mind whether it would not be well to attack the madman then and there and settle matters. But the small open deck was no place for a struggle. Then, too, there was Grace to consider. Mr. Sheldon made Jerry a single sign to obey, and the tall youth started down the narrow hatch. The others followed.
“Well,” remarked Ned, when they were by themselves in the main cabin, “what’s to be done?”
“Only one thing can now be done,” returned Mr. Sheldon, solemnly. “We must try to get the crew on our side, and seize this madman. Then we will take possession of the boat and sail for home!”
And in this decision they all agreed.