She was coming after them. The race for the possession of
three hundred thousand dollars in gold was already under
way. Fate seemed against those on board the Advance.
Chapter Seventeen
The Race
Directed by Captain Weston, who glanced at the compass and
told him which way to steer to clear the outer coral reef,
Tom sent the submarine ahead, signaling for full speed to
the engine-room, where his father and Mr. Sharp were. The
big dynamos purred like great cats, as they sent the
electrical energy into the forward and aft plates, pulling
and pushing the Advance forward. On and on she rushed under
water, but ever as she shot ahead the disturbance in the
phosphorescent water showed her position plainly. She would
be easy to follow.
"Can't you get any more speed out of her?" asked the
captain of the lad.
"Yes," was the quick reply; "by using the auxiliary screws
I think we can. I'll try it."
He signaled for the propellers, forward and aft, to be put
in operation, and the motor moving the twin screws was
turned on. At once there was a perceptible increase to the
speed of the Advance.
"Are we leaving them behind?" asked Tom anxiously, as he
glanced at the speed gage, and noted that the submarine was
now about five hundred feet below the surface.
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