The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-14

~ upon the bosom Of Omean before a
shot was fired.
The battle was short and hot, but
there could have been but one out
come, for the Black Pirates in the
carelessness Of fdncied security had
left but handful of ancient and OBJ
solete hulks to guard their mighty har-
Dor.
It was at Carthoris' suggestion that
we landed our prisoners under guard
upon couple Of the larger islands and
then towed the ships Of the Black Pi
rates to the shaft. where we managed
to wedge number Of them securely
in the interior of the great well.
Then we turned on the buoyancy
rays in the balance Of them and let
them rise by themselves further to
block the passage to Omean as they
came In contact with the vessels al
ready lodged there.
We now felt that it would be some
time at least before the returning
Black Pirates could reach the surface
Of Omean and that we would have
ample opportunity to make for the
subterranean passages which led to
Issus.
AS Carthoris alone knew the hidden
ways of the tunnels we could not d.
vide the party and attack the temple
at several points at once, as would
have been most desirable, ard SO 1t
was decided that he lead us all as
quickly as he could to point as near
the temples center as possible.
AS we were about to leave the pool
and enter the corridors an officer called
my attention to the waters upon which
the submarine f1oated. At first they
seemed to be merely agitated as from
the movement of some great body be.
meath the surface. and I at once con-
jectured that another submarine was
rising to the surface in pursuit Of us.
But presently it became apparent that
the level Of the waters was rising not
with extreme rapidity, but very surely,
and that soon they would overflow the
sides Of the pool and submerge the
floor Of the chamber.
For moment I did not fully grasp
the terrible import of the slowly rising
waters. It was Carthoris who real
lied the full meaning Of the thing-its
cause and he reason for it.
"Hastew he cried. eff we delay we
all are lost. The pumps Of Omean
have been stopped. They would drown
us like rats in trap. We must reach
the upper levels Of the pits in advance
of the food or we shall never reach
them. Come"
Lead the way, Carthoris." I cried.
1--WE shall follow"
At my command the youth leaped
into one Of the corridors, and in col
umns Of twos, and in good order, the
soldiers followed him, each company
entering the corridor only at the COM
mand Of it's dwar, or captain.
was the last to leave the chamber
of the submarine, and as I followed
the rear of the column toward the cor
ridor I moved through water to my
knees.
The corridor, too, was flooded to the
same depth, for its floor was on level
with the floor Of the chamber from
which it led, nor was there any per-
ceptble rise for many yards.
The march Of the troops through
the corridor was as rapid as was con-
sistent with the number Of men that
moved through 80 narrow a passage,
but 1t was not ample to permit US to
gain apprecia bly, on the pursuing tide.
Long ere the last of the column could
hope to reach the upper pits which lay
above the danger point, I was con-
WINGED that the waters would surge
after us In overwhelming volume and
that fully half the expedition would
be snuffed out.
AS I cast about for some means Of
saving as many as possible of the
doomed men saw a diverging corri-
dor which seemed to rise at steep
angle at my right.
Raising my voice to its utmost, I
shouted my commands to the dwars
ahead of me.
Call back the last twenty-five
utans," I shouted. "Here seems way
Of escape. Turn back and follow me-"