II07-1956-TOM SWIFT and His Diving Seacopter by Victor Appleton II
Author:Victor Appleton II [pseud.] [Appleton, Victor II]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Published: 1956-01-01T05:00:00+00:00
13. TRAPPED
THE BOYS were thrown to the deck as the cabin rocked from the force of the blow and a shower of rocks fell past the quartz windows.
âW-what caused it?â Bud gasped.
âCompression waves from the sound of our rotors probablyâthey must have loosened a strata of rock and caused a landslide!â
As he spoke, Tom grabbed the throttle lever and gunned the jets for a getaway. There was a brief spurt of powerâthen no further response! The needle of the rpm indicator flickered to zero!
Tomâs face turned pale. âBud, weâve lost power! The pumps arenât working and the rotorâs dead!â
âThen why donât we bob to the surface?â Bud asked.
âThe weight of the rocks is pressing us down. Weâre sinking! Canât you feel it?â
Bud was too alarmed to answer. For several moments the Ocean Arrow continued to sink. Then suddenly there was a violent jolt that knocked the boys off their feet.
âNow what?â exclaimed Bud, rushing to the window as soon as he regained his balance.
âWeâre pinned on a rock ledge!â said Tom, playing the searchlight downward.
Miraculously the high-powered lamp was still working. In its yellow glare, rocks and gravel could be seen raining down on all sides.
Bud stared in awe. âItâs a wonder we havenât been smashed to pieces.â
âIf this were happening on dry land, we probably would be,â replied Tom. âRocks fall slower in deep water. It is denser and gives them more resistance. The rocks seem to weigh less, too, because of the buoyant effect.â
Nevertheless, their plight was serious. The falling rocks had hit with enough force to cause leaks in some of the seams. Water was beginning to pour into the cabin at half a dozen points.
âIâll pull out the diving suits,â Bud offered.
âBetter be quick,â Tom advised. âI wonder how the others are making out,â he added worriedly.
He clicked on the intercom and called to his friends! His face turned grim.
âThe lineâs dead,â he announced.
At that instant the lights went out, plunging the cabin into darkness.
âThe final straw!â Bud groaned. âWeâre goners!â
Waist-deep in water, the boys groped around in the pitch darkness, trying to extract the diving suits from the locker where they were stowed. Moment by moment, breathing was becoming more difficult. Evidently oxygen was leaving the cabin at an alarming rate.
âHere they are!â cried Tom, pulling out the suits. But in spite of their frantic efforts, the task of organizing and donning the heavy gear proved too difficult.
âWe canât wait!â Tom cried. He was panting now. âWeâd better get to Airmo while thereâs still time!â He prayed that Compartment A and his friends in it were safe.
Tom located the watertight door in the rear bulkhead. Gasping for breath, he and Bud unlatched the clamps and with superhuman strength swung the door in against the water.
Fortunately, the passageway was still dry. Ducking low, Tom stepped in. Bud followed. They could hear the water sloshing in behind them and quickly yanked the door shut.
âThe water will keep it from opening,â Tom murmured as he led the way to Airmoâs hatch.
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