Part 22 (2/2)

On board the sub themselves as much as their fellow Scouts on the motor boat This second experience was even more novel and enjoyable than their first dive Mr Barr sat in the cabin reading soed character, was at work in the engine roo tower the ensign was giving Donald and Merritt a lesson in handling a diving craft

In fact, it was Merritt as at the deflecting apparatus when the occupants of Tubby's boat saw the sub lever and this the ascending one,” explained the officer before Merritt sent the boat under the surface

The levers were sile for the work they did of starting up the hty pumps that caused the boat to rise or sink at will

”What if one of them should break or be lost?” asked Donald

”Well, if ere under water and the ascending lever happened to be , we should be in an aard position, and I don't believe that Mr Barr carries an extra one”

”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, co tower just then, confirmed the officer's suspicion that no extra lever was carried

”I adht to be one as a matter of precaution,” he said, ”but ere in such a hurry to give the boat her tests that we forgot about it”

All the afternoon the sub about sunset to the surface In the distance was the motor boat, but far in the rear

The _Peaceside her companion craft

Then the hatchas opened and the ensign shouted so to dive once ht would be carried astern which the ht When this had been made clear, the _Peacemaker_ dived once more, but this tiood depth

”We will eat an early supper under water just for the novelty of it,”

declared Mr Barr

While thetower to navigate the craft He obeyed with the same smooth complacence hich he had received every order since his attack on Donald Evidently thejail 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 tireaves and Mr Barr

”I guess we'll go to the surface now,” said the inventor; ”it must be almost dark up above”

Merritt reached for the lever that operated the ascending pu shock of his life

There was no lever there!

”It's gone!” he shouted

”What? What's gone?” repeated the inventor in a puzzled tone

”The lever! The ascending lever! We can't rise to the surface without it”

The inventor turned pale Drops of sweat stood out on his forehead Even the ensign turned a shade whiter than usual

If the lever could not be discovered, they were doomed to an awful death in the depths of the sea!