“Thank heaven for that!” murmured Mr. Sheldon, earnestly.
“Get up—as high as you can—near the ceiling!” cried Jerry. “Chlorine is nearly two and a half times as heavy as air. There may be some fresh air near the ceiling.”
Choking and gasping, they all climbed up on various parts of the machinery. The air higher up was better, but even there it was hard to breathe.
However, the submarine would be at the surface in a few moments, and none too soon, either.
“I—I hope Grace is all right,” gasped her father.
“I’ll go tell her to get up as high as she can,” volunteered Bob.
“Professor Snodgrass will know enough for that,” declared Jerry. “He knows the smell of chlorine and how to avoid it. Stay where you are.”
“Yes, do,” assented Mr. Sheldon. “Take no unnecessary risks, Bob.”
“Hark!” cried Jerry, motioning for silence. They heard someone rushing along the steel-floored corridor leading to the motor room, and the next instant Dr. Klauss staggered in on them.