Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat; Or, Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure
Page 3
Chapter Three
Mr. Berg is Astonished
Following his father and the stranger whom the aged inventor hadaddressed as Mr. Berg, Tom and Mr. Sharp entered the house, the ladhaving first made sure that Garret Jackson was on guard in the shopthat contained the submarine.
"Now," said Mr. Swift to the newcomer, "I am at your service. What isit you wish?"
"In the first place, let me apologize for having startled you and yourfriends," began the man. "I had no idea of sneaking into your workshop,but I had just arrived here, and seeing the doors open I went in. Iheard no one about, and I wandered to the back of the place. There Ihappened to stumble over a board--"
"And I heard you," interrupted Tom.
"Is this one of your employees?" asked Mr. Berg in rather frigid tones.
"That is my son," replied Mr. Swift.
"Oh, I beg your pardon." The man's manner changed quickly. "Well, Iguess you did hear me, young man. I didn't intend to bark my shins theway I did, either. You must have taken me for a burglar or a sneakthief."
"I have been very much bothered by a gang of unscrupulous men," saidMr. Swift, "and I suppose Tom thought it was some of them sneakingaround again."
"That's what I did," added the lad. "I wasn't going to have any onesteal the secret of the submarine if I could help it."
"Quite right! Quite right!" exclaimed Mr. Berg. "But my purpose was anopen one. As you know, Mr. Swift, I represent the firm of Bentley &Eagert, builders of submarine boats and torpedoes. They heard that youwere constructing a craft to take part in the competitive prize testsof the United States Government, and they asked me to come and see youto learn when your ship would be ready. Ours is completed, but werecognize that it will be for the best interests of all concerned ifthere are a number of contestants, and my firm did not want to send intheir entry until they knew that you were about finished with yourship. How about it? Are you ready to compete?"
"Yes," said Mr. Swift slowly. "We are about ready. My craft needs a fewfinishing touches, and then it will be ready to launch."
"Then we may expect a good contest on your part," suggested Mr. Berg.
"Well," began the aged inventor, "I don't know about that."
"What's that?" exclaimed Mr. Berg.
"I said I wasn't quite sure that we would compete," went on Mr. Swift."You see, when I first got this idea for a submarine boat I had it inmind to try for the Government prize of fifty thousand dollars."
"That's what we want, too," interrupted Mr. Berg with a smile.
"But," went on Tom's father, "since then certain matters have come up,and I think, on the whole, that we'll not compete for the prize afterall."
"Not compete for the prize?" almost shouted the agent for Bentley &Eagert. "Why, the idea! You ought to compete. It is good for the trade.We think we have a very fine craft, and probably we would beat you inthe tests, but--"
"I wouldn't be too sure of that," put in Tom. "You have only seen theoutside of our boat. The inside is better yet."
"Ah, I have no doubt of that," spoke Mr. Berg, "but we have been at thebusiness longer than you have, and have had more experience. Still wewelcome competition. But I am very much surprised that you are notgoing to compete for the prize, Mr. Swift. Very much surprised, indeed!You see, I came down from Philadelphia to arrange so that we could bothenter our ships at the same time. I understand there is another firm ofsubmarine boat builders who are going to try for the prize, and I wantto arrange a date that will be satisfactory to all. I am greatlyastonished that you are not going to compete."
"Well, we were going to," said Mr. Swift, "only we have changed ourminds, that's all. My son and I have other plans."
"May I ask what they are?" questioned Mr. Berg.
"You may," exclaimed Tom quickly; "but I don't believe we can tell you.They're a secret," he added more cordially.
"Oh, I see," retorted Mr. Berg. "Well, of course I don't wish topenetrate any of your secrets, but I hoped we could contest togetherfor the Government prize. It is worth trying for I assure you--fiftythousand dollars. Besides, there is the possibility of selling a numberof submarines to the United States. It's a fine prize."
"But the one we are after is a bigger one," cried Tom impetuously, andthe moment he had spoken he wished he could recall the words.
"Eh? What's that?" exclaimed Mr. Berg. "You don't mean to say anothergovernment has offered a larger prize? If I had known that I would nothave let my firm enter into the competition for the bonus offered bythe United States. Please tell me."
"I'm sorry," went on Tom more soberly. "I shouldn't have spoken. Mr.Berg, the plans of my father and myself are such that we can't revealthem now. We are going to try for a prize, but not in competition withyou. It's an entirely different matter."
"Well, I guess you'll find that the firm of Bentley & Eagert arecapable of trying for any prizes that are offered," boasted the agent."We may be competitors yet."
"I don't believe so," replied Mr. Swift.
"We may," repeated Mr. Berg. "And if we do, please remember that wewill show no mercy. Our boats are the best."
"And may the best boat win," interjected Mr. Sharp. "That's all weask. A fair field and no favors."
"Of course," spoke the agent coldly. "Is this another son of yours?" heasked.
"No but a good friend," replied the aged inventor. "No, Mr. Berg, wewon't compete this time. You may tell your firm so."
"Very good," was the other's stiff reply. "Then I will bid you goodnight. We shall carry off the Government prize, but permit me to addthat I am very much astonished, very much indeed, that you do not tryfor the prize. From what I have seen of your submarine you have a verygood one, almost as good, in some respects, as ours. I bid you goodnight," and with a bow the man left the room and hurried away from thehouse.