Part 28 (2/2)
”That my plan offers ait into execution”
”But it is a dangerous one!”
”Nevercould be more serious than our present predicament”
”Very well then, ill try out my idea It's our last chance”
”Our last chance!” The words sounded to the boys aln Hargreaves' plan ers, either, to judge froerly they awaited his next words
”My plan is nothing more nor less than this,” he said; ”I propose to create an earthquake”
”To _create_ an earthquake!” Mr Barr echoed the words, staring at the ensign as if he thought he had gone suddenly insane
”Precisely I intend to produce by artificial h of this cliff to set us free, or else blow the _Peacemaker_ herself into atoms”
Mr Barr buried his head in his hands Skillful inventor and scientific expert though he was, the last words of the naval officer had sapped even his iron courage
”Is there no other way?”
”No other way It's a ga?” asked Mr Barr in a strange, broken voice
”As I said, to create an artificial earthquake”
”I am unable to follow you”
”Then I'll make it clearer In the torpedo coed with gun cotton?”
”Yes”
The inventor was regarding the naval officer with intense interest now, and the boys also stood transfixed, their eyes riveted on the ensign as he unfolded his plan
”What I propose to do,” he continued, ”is to discharge from the side torpedo tubes two torpedoes They will be aimed at the cliff and, of course, when they strike it, will explode”
”But in that case our boould be blown off also, and we should perish almost instantly,” declared Mr Barr
”Wait a e the is this: We will ai care to train the tubes so that the torpedoes will not strike too near”
”Yes, the tubes are movable That is one of the features of the _Peacemaker_”
”Very well, then, they will be as easy to train in any desired direction as a rapid fire gun”
”Exactly But I never thought when I designed theht some day owe my life to that very feature”