The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-05-04

ONCT before dawn Ho"dIu Nd5
astir. Possessing in an eminent
degree the not very rare faculty
- Of being able 10 awake at any
hour. he desired. he had set his mental
aIarm-cIOck for 4 O'Clock, and, In spite
Of his fatigue. had awakened within NJ
teen minutes OF that tine.
Without disturbing any Of the others
who Law stretched IN more OF less IN
easy DOstures On he comforLess hoor
Of the Seashark, he made his way first
70 the cOnning-tOw7r for a last eNailli-
nation Of the fixtures there; then 10 the
deck. where q brief inspection showed
that the propeller was still clear; and,
at last 10 the pilots seat, where, tax
Ing his place, he pulled the lever thaL
let the water into the ballast tanks
Swiftly the tanks filed and silent
Iv r1. smoothly the SeaShark sank
through the wafer For a IlIne t Slle
... ..r.TsrG against her sides DuL
soon this ceased and the electric beam
showed only black water before VlS
tiny windows Of her coming 10 eI---
When fifty feet of depth was registered
on the gauge, Howard turned on li-r
power and gathering way, the Sed-
shark drove along beneath the sea
Three hours later when the wear
sIeepers began TO str, he was SIN az
MS post IlTeIeSSly staring BEFORE nm
- the DAY waXed, a faint lSntr inter-
=0erSed with occasional stronger beams.
filtered down from above giving token
that the canopy Of the weed nae E.pNil
chin and was broken here and mere
~ channels Of open water soon II
would be safe 10 50 10 the surface
Equal to Emergency
Suddenly. with terrifying swifJu=ss-
came a sound and a shock that shook
the Seashark from stem 10 stern SiIIsri-
taneousIy the bulk Of q great snip
showed across the path, not a hundred
+. feet away There Was no time 70 stop
no time TO check the speed scarcely
time 10 defect the course But quicker
than thought quicker than lightning
automatically, Towards trained bral1
and hand met the danger
The horizontal rudders sent the Sea
f shark diving down. Gown, cow q. -, :
/ desperate eudea-Or TO pass beneath Ji-'
/ ObstruCtion-down till Howard saw into
( the clear water
/ Under the keel sped the Seashark
stiU diving desperately TO clear the con
. ming tower For one angguizing lnslan
/ II touched, sCraped, slrlcked; then tor
free
/ But the danger was not passed
/ though with reversed rudders. the Sea
! shark strOve 70 beat her way Upward
/ q glance at the dials showed that N
depth vas increaSIng-DO Clulnls hing
! = glance behind showed that the olac4
hull was CminOuSIy close The sian
Of the Seashark grew sleeper, sleeper
I almost # stood on end. The rGmgl
. Of falling objects came from below, fol
/ lowed BY startled shrieks- as the sleep
. ers. rudely awakened. Sid into q tan
T EIed heap to the after-end OF the boat
. Howard chung wildly 20 the steerin
wheel TO save himself from being huTlei
. down upon the rest. AS he Cluug5 con
fused not understanding the tiny YES
sci was shaken like a rat in a dog
{ laws. Her machinery began 10 tea
[ loose from Its bed Mere peas IN a ptl
her passengers JunbIed right and LEI
as wiIled by the mighty power tia
7 grasDed them
After turmoil, peace Howard pull
. ed his daZeG wits together 10 the zeal
fzarfon that the SeaShaTk was WINS
. cufescent on the surface Of the water
though by no means on an even Reel