The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-02-28

Quickly the green transiucency that
followed gave place to darkness. Ids
slipped on the tipping floor. Donald
ran in; she heard him calling to her
through the darkness, and felt his arms
grope for her.
ats all right, dear" he said has
tily. Davies has probably got tan
gled up with the diving rudders. It's a
bit stiff for him 70 handle alone. 1t
doesn't mean anything particular"
But Ida could read the fear in his
voice, and she knew that II meant ev-
erything. The diving apparatus had.
In fact, jammed when the F55 ground
ed upon the beach, and the rudder had
become twisted. Under Davies hands
1t had been released, and had worked
In the wrong direction
With her bow pointing downward
at an angle Of 80 degrees. The F55
sank until her nose dug into the oOZe
300 feet beneath the surface. into the
cup-shaped crater of the submarine
peak.
Then, slowly settling under the
weight Of the water, the stern fol-
lowed, and the little craft remained
submerged on the seabed. Darkness
covered her. The inmates felt their
eardrums throb under the pressure.
At the first indication Of danger
Clouts had contrived to shut off the
petrol engines. That alone prevented
an explosion when the sea rushed
through the aft escape hatch.
Fortunately. the after part of the
ship remained above the surface for
n few moments after the bow went
under, and only a couple Of sweeping
seas came In. Short as the period Of
respite was, II enabled Donald and
ClOuts to grasp the hatch and replace
1t. They fought In a deluge Of water
that swept them from their feet and
dashed them. half stunned, against the
walls Of the engine room. But they
got the hatch into place.
Clouts came in, and presently Da,
vies joined them. He began to STAN
mer brokenly, but Donald laid his hand
In kindly fashion on the lads shoulder.
"You are not to blame, Davies" he
said. ut was my own fault for try
ing to run the old boat instead OF
vertical-rudder blades are bent and
fouled the rocks. Now we've got 10
think, md harder than we have ever
thought before"
1--WE amt a-going to drown like rats
in traps. sir" said Sam Clouts hear.
tily.
mot II I know IT, Clouts," Donald
returned. snow, first, 1t isn't possible
to adjust the rudder, and we can't
rise without It. That's self-evident
think. We are comparatively safe fOr
some time to come. because we have
just taken on a supply Of natural mir
and We haven't opened the air-aasks
yet. But, Of course, 1t means only
two days respite"
''If I might say so, sir" said Clo'its
ut means that we must put on the
diving suits"
"You're right" answered Donald
ave aren't In hopeless position by
any means II we manage to keep oul
heads. Miss Kennedy, we'll get yot
out Of here in n jiffy II you don't inint
getting your feet wet.
"You see," he continued, In explana
tion, "fortunately-very fortunatel,
for us-we have the new Siebert div
ing apparatus aboard, which was Il
have been used for special purpose
In connection with our work for tn,
government"
"One moment, sir" said Davies
"Have you n match?"
Donald handed him one Of the few
that remained. Davies struck II
looked at the depth meter, and whistlet
expressively.
1.-Two hundred and eighty feet, sir.
he said In low tone.
"Yes, that was about what imas
ined," replied Donald. 1T Is about a
much ns the old F55 would stand with
out buckling."
But two hundred Is the extrem
limit Of deep-sea diving, sir" Dlvie
: protested.
''The Siebert apparatus is esleciall,
|, devised for going deeper than that,
returned Donald. 'In fact, Sieber
! himself went down to six hundred
I though he was all In when he came up
t You see, Davies, the new factor In tn
+. Siebert dress is that 1t has a compen
r sating pressure. didn't specialize Of
1t, but / understand 1t is a sort o
= internal oxygen arrangement, com
pressed, which partly neutralizes tn
, pressure outside. II has enough CON
, pressed oxygen to last six hours.
IL