Down shot the submarine obediently, as her forward tanks were filled. She was submerged till she was about ten feet under water, and then run straight ahead on an even keel.
“I guess we are about ready for our surprise party now,” announced the lieutenant, who had gauged the distance as accurately as he could. “Strong, you get ready to throw that manhole open when we bob up to the surface; we’ll give those fellows a good scare.”
Click!
The mechanism to bring the little vessel up was put into operation, and so strongly were the pumps set to work that she bobbed up from the depths like an empty bottle. The schooner had before lain on their starboard hand. Her dark outlines now showed up to port. They had traveled completely under her.
“Now then, give them a hail!” ordered the officer.
“Schooner, ahoy!”
It was given with all the power of the united lungs of Ned, Herc, old Tom, and Sim.
The occupants of the submarine were almost doubled with laughter at the puzzled, confused uproar that then ensued on board the schooner. Evidently, there were several men on board her.
“There’s that pesky launch again,” came a voice through the night; “give ’em another shot, Bill.”
“Where in blazes are they,” was the indignant response, as Bill evidently peered in the direction in which the submarine had last been seen.