"Well, we're not going to make any slip," asserted Eph Somers, stoutly.
"Now, keep quiet, please, old fellow. I want to do a little calculating
before we take the last, desperate step."
All this time the conning tower of the submarine was just a bit below
the surface. Nothing but the slender shaft and the small head of the
periscope was above the wash of the lazy waves.
Captain Jack soon had his calculation made. Then, with a quiet smile,
he remarked:
"I guess you'd better get below, Eph, for your part. I'll take the
wheel, now, and Mr. Pollard will attend to the submerging mechanisms."
Eph laughed joyously as he darted below. He had a part assigned to him
that was bound to be enjoyable.
"Mr. Pollard!" called down the young skipper, a few moments later.
"Aye, Captain Jack!"
"Let her down slowly, please, until the gauge shows just fourteen feet.
That's the greatest depth I dare try for the course we're going to
follow."
"Aye, Captain Jack. Fourteen feet it shall be."
For the benefit of some readers who may not understand, it is to be
stated that the charts of harbors bear markings that show the exact
depth of water at every point in the harbor at low tide. Thus, the
chart of the harbor just north of Spruce Beach had already told the
young submarine skipper just how far below the surface he could travel
with safety to his craft.
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