II11-1958-TOM SWIFT and His Deep-Sea Hydrodome by Victor Appleton II

Author:Victor Appleton II [pseud.] [Appleton, Victor II]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Published: 1954-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

11. MOUNTAIN CACHE

THE whole crew of the seacopter crowded to the cabin window. Looks of dismay appeared on the men’s faces as Tom played the searchlight back and forth, probing the inky waters with its yellow glare. Nowhere could they glimpse any trace of the helium bubbles, nor of the capped well.

“What a tough break!” Bob Anchor groaned. “The helium deposit must be played out!”

“It can’t be—not so soon.” Tom scowled. “Maybe this isn’t the right location.”

“Sure it is,” said Bud. “Look at the chart. And there’s the undersea peak up ahead.”

“That doesn’t necessarily prove it,” Tom insisted. “If we’re off course, we might be in a spot that looks like the other one. Let me check the automatic navigator.”

Tom had invented this device especially for the Sea Hound. It measured the change in frequency of sonar pulses to determine the ship’s speed and drift over the sea floor. A computer translated this information, along with the compass course, into latitude and longitude readings which showed up on twin dials.

Pulling his emergency tool kit from a locker, the young scientist unscrewed an inspection plate. Then he checked the electronic circuits inside and tested various parts.

“Anything wrong?” asked Bob, noticing the puzzled look that furrowed Tom’s brow.

“I’m not sure, but I have a hunch the ocean water around here may be throwing the readings off. It might be due to the extreme pressure at this depth, or possibly some kind of electrochemical action on the pulse transmitter.”

Tom decided to run some tests on it when they got back to Fearing Island. In the meantime, he ordered Bud to cruise along the slope of the undersea mountain while he maneuvered the search beam.

A few moments later Bob Anchor cried out, “There’s the helium spot! I can see the bubbles!”

Cheers went up from the crew as they gazed at the steady upsurge of gas.

“Boy, what a relief!” Bob exclaimed. “I was really worried there for a while!”

“And I!” Tom relaxed and grinned.

“Now what, skipper?” Bud asked.

Tom took over the controls. “We’ll comb the whole mountainside to look for any hidden chests. You beam the searchlight, pal, and everyone look for warheads.”

For over an hour Tom guided the seacopter in first a descending, then an ascending course. The slope of the nearby peak proved to have more likely hiding places than the rest of the area.

Suddenly one of the crewmen shouted, “Bring the spot over to starboard a little, Bud, and raise it a few degrees. Think I saw something in an opening!”

Tom throttled back on the directional jets, and Bud maneuvered the searchlight. As the yellow beam stabbed through the murk, it settled on a crag jutting out from the main peak. A small shadowy aperture was visible in the cliff face.

Tom brought the seacopter around and steered in closer. As it approached the cliff, the Sea Hound’s probing beam revealed a cave. Inside were a cluster of grayish-black chests!

“Nice going, Jerry.” Tom clapped the crewman on the back. “This looks as if

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