CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Desperate Hours
The men in the control room stared at Bell with unbelieving eyes.
“I tell you part of the hull of the Southern Queen has been rolled over on top of us,” shouted Earl. “We’re trapped! We’re trapped!” His voice broke.
Tim felt sick. Down 185 feet under the surface of the water, there was no way of sending up news of their predicament and no one there even if they could send it up.
Commander Ford remained calm.
“Stay at your posts,” he ordered. “I’ll go forward and see what can be learned.”
Tim followed him. The Commander took over the telephone and spoke to the divers, sitting inside their compartment.
“What can you make out?” he asked Charlie Gill.
The reply was not encouraging.
“Part of the upperstructure of the Southern Queen was toppled over on us when that last earth shock came,” reported Gill. “I’m going outside and see what can be done.”