Harry sprang to the levers. A few shifts of the control brought the storage batteries to work operating the pumps. With the additional water admitted by this process, the false “U-13” sank until far below the level of the rail of the wreck. Still deeper and deeper it settled.
Presently the boys at the port holes could discover the bends of the sides, indicating that they were nearly to the ocean floor. In another moment a slight bump told them that the craft rested on bottom.
“I saw a flash of light just now!” stated Jimmie.
“Where did it come from?” asked Ned, stepping forward.
“Just ahead of us on this side of the ship. The shadow lies heavily there, so I can’t make out what’s located in that place!”
The boys had not long to wait, however, to discover the cause of the flash which Jimmie had seen. Almost following the boy’s words came a dazzling beam of light, piercing the dark shadow like an arrow. For a moment the boys were blinded as the searchlight’s flame played on the forward part of their vessel.
Presently the light shifted. It was turned against the side of the sunken Wanderer. Up and down the light traveled, revealing the rugged sides of the hull, with its covering of barnacles below what had been the water line. Outward the beam went, showing nothing but ocean floor. Fishes were illuminated and dazzled by the strong ray.
Finally the light returned to the false “U-13”, where it settled for a moment. Directly the light was turned off.
Jimmie had been shading his eyes with a protecting hand. He was, therefore, not so much blinded by the glare as the others had been.