"Gracious! Then if the lever was lost we should have to stay at the bottom of the sea?"
"That's about the size of it," was the reply.
Mr. Barr, coming into the conning tower just then, confirmed the officer's suspicion that no extra lever was carried.
"I admit there ought to be one as a matter of precaution," he said, "but we were in such a hurry to give the boat her tests that we forgot about it."
All the afternoon the submarine ran under the water, rising about sunset to the surface. In the distance was the motor boat, but far in the rear. The Peacemaker was sent around in circle and soon came alongside her companion craft.
Then the hatchway was opened and the ensign shouted some orders to Tubby. The submarine was going to dive once more, but would come up before dark. When night fell a red light would be carried astern which the motor craft was to follow throughout the night. When this had been made clear, the Peacemaker dived once more, but this time it had been decided to send her down to a good depth.
"We will eat an early supper under water just for the novelty of it," declared Mr. Barr.
While the meal was going forward Barton was sent into the conning tower to navigate the craft. He obeyed with the same smooth complacence with which he had received every order since his attack on Donald. Evidently the man was hoping, by good behavior, to save himself from a long jail sentence.
After supper Barton was relieved, and Merritt sent to the wheel in his place. He had been in the conning tower but a short time when he was joined by Ensign Hargreaves and Mr. Barr.
"I guess we'll go to the surface now," said the inventor; "it must be almost dark up above."