The Raymer enterprise., 1918-05-09

quickly tne green tfdnSlucency tndt
followed gave place to darkness. Ida
slipped on the tipping floor. Dopald
ran In: she heard him calling to her
through the darkness, and felt bis arms
grope for her.
"It's all right. DEAR" he said has
tily. davies has probably got tan
gled up with the diving rudders It's q
bit stiff for him to handle alone. 1t
doesn't mean anything particular"
But Ida could read the fear In bis
voice. and she knew that 1t 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 oozs
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 thr0b under the pressure.
At the first indication Of danger
Clouts had contrived to shut of 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
few moments after the bow went
under. and only 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 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
putting you all ashore. No doubt the
vertical-rudder blades are bent and
fouled the rocks. Now we've got to
think. and harder than we have ever
thought before"
"We ain't a-goIng to drown like rats
In traps, SIR said Sam Clouts hear
tily.
"Not II ! know II. Clouts," Donald
returned. snow. first, II isn't possible
to adjust the rudder, and we can't
rise without It. That's self-evident. I
think. We are comparatively safe for
some time to come, because we have
just taken on supply Of natural air,
and We haven't opened the air-flasks
yet. But, Of course, It means only
two days respite"
"If might say so, sir" said Clouts,
"it 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 our
heads. Miss Kennedy. we'll get you
out Of here In jiffy II you don't mind
getting your feet wet.
You see," he continued, In explana.
tion, "fortunately-very fortunately
for us--we have the new Slebert div
ing apparatus aboard, which was to
have been used for special purpose
In connection with our work for the
government"
zone moment. SIR" said Davies.
Have you matchf'
Donald handed him one OF the few
that remained. Davies struck II,
looked at the depth meter. and whlstled
expressiyely.
Two hundred and eighty feet, sir"
he said In a low tone.
"Yes, that eas about what l lmag-
ined," replied Donald. ut Is about 81
much as the old F55 would stand with
out buckllng."
But two hundred Is the extreme
limit of deep-sea diving, sir" Davies
protested.
"The Siebert apparatus is especially
devised for going deeper than that"
returned Donald. "In fact, SIebert
himself went down to six hundred.
though he was all In when he came up.
You see, Davies, the new factor In the
Siebert dress Is that 1t has a compen-
sating pressure. l didn't specialize on
II, but l understand II is a sort of
Internal oxygen arrangement, com.
pressed, which partly neutrallzes the
pressure outside. 1t has enough com
pressed oxygen to last six hours.
CTo BE CoNTINUED)