Part 14 (1/2)

Shast Barton, the an whi

The inventor looked at the ines, Barton,” he commanded sternly; ”the first ency will have to settle with me”

Barton rose to his feet unsteadily He was pasty yelloith terror In his eyes was a wild look But under the inventor's stern gaze he reentered the engine roo like a leaf

It was then that Rob noticed that a revolver was in the inventor's hand as he stood at the top of the cabin ladder

CHAPTER XV

THE STRANGE FLAG

After ten minutes of the most painful suspense that any of the boys had ever known, the three sailors returned with the report that while one of the forward plates was bent and was leaking slightly, there appeared to be no danger

Mr Barrthis bit of infor in cowardly panic in the engine rooet to the surface quick and see what happened,” declared the inventor

The _Peace, was sent upward once more As soon as they reached the surface Mr Barr opened the conning tower hatch, and they all hastened out on deck To their amazement the water all about was dyed crimson, and the cause was almost immediately apparent Not far off lay the carcass of a whale, almost cut in two This was beyond question the obstacle that the subet out of the way of the steel diving craft in time, or else deemed it another whale, and so was rammed by the sharp steel prow

”Suppose that had been a solid object, like a rock, or a subed derelict?” asked Rob

”We shouldn't be here now,” rejoined Ensign Hargreaves calh, but in his voice there was palpable evidence of the relief he felt at their narrow escape

”I guess we'll stay on the surface for a while now,” decided the inventor Accordingly, the craft was put about and headed for the island at a good rate of speed The return voyage was made without incident, except that Tubby causedif whale flesh was edible, and if it was, he should enjoy a broiled whale steak for dinner

When the shed was reached the bow of the subeared tackle provided for this purpose, and the job of substituting a new plate for the daun It was finished by sunset

That afternoon Rob and Merritt took the shotguns and started for the other shore of the island to see if they could not bring down so the beach and ht them to the opposite shore of the island, as has been said, and they found the but sand and brush and coarse shore grass

They were discussing the odd nature of their rasped his companion's arm and pointed seaward, toward another of the islands that have beenscattered pretty closely in the vicinity Rob was just in tily a fast one, slipping behind the spot of land

At the sarass almost in front of them It was Barton the rass, and had not calculated on the boys discovering hiain, eh?” he snarled angrily

”I don't knohy you should say ere spying on you,” rejoined Rob, ”unless you are up to so”

”What do youquickly toward him as if to strike him

The man's hand was upraised, but the deterlare caused him to drop it