登陆注册
15295000000005

第5章

THINKING IT OVER

"FATHER, is that you?" asked Tom."Father hasn't been feeling well, of late," he said to the assembled company, "and I told him to go to lie down.But he's hard to manage, and he won't rest more than ten minutes at a time.My father, I might explain, Mr.Hardley," Tom went on, "is actively associated with me in business.""So I have understood," said the man who had been introduced by Mr.Damon.

"Dis Koku!" came the guttural voice of the giant from the other side of the door."Koku want more work.Hall, him all clean.Maybe I help dat no- good Rad now.""No you don't, Koku!" exclaimed the young inventor, with a laugh."You keep away from Rad.You'll get to disputing again and interrupt me, and I have business on hand.Here, wait a minute.I'll find something for you to do," he went on, opening the door to disclose the immense man standing outside, a broom in his hand seeming like a toy.

"Excuse me one moment," went on Tom to his friends.Taking up his desk telephone he called one of the shops, asking: "Have you any heavy work on hand this morning; lifting big castings, or anything like that? You have? Good! I'll send Koku right over."Turning to the giant who apparently had not paid much attention to the talk over the wire, Tom said:

"Koku, go over to shop number ten, ask for the foreman, and he'll keep you busy.There are some five-hundred-pound castings that need assembling, and you can help him.""Good!" exclaimed the giant, with a cheerful grin."Koku like big work--no like sweep.Good for women and Rad, but not for Koku!""He spoke the truth there," remarked Ned Newton, as the giant stalked down the hall."I never saw such a strong man.I'm afraid to shake hands with him, for fear I'll be minus a couple of fingers in the operation.""Well, he's disposed of," remarked Tom, as he closed the door."Andnow, Mr.Hardley, I'm at your service, as far as listening to your proposition is concerned.""Thank you.I shall endeavor to be brief," remarked the visitor."Am I correct in assuming that you have had some experience in submarine work? I believe Mr.Damon mentioned something of that sort.""Submarine work? Bless my hydrometer, I should say so!" exclaimed the eccentric man."And not only in submarine, but in aeroplane! but you don't need any aeroplanes, my dear Mr.Hardley.It's the submarine end of it that you are interested in, as far as Tom Swift is concerned.Now go ahead and tell him what you told me, and how many millions there are in it.""Very well," assented the visitor."Have you ever had any experience in recovering treasure from sunken wrecks?" he asked Tom.

"Yes," was the answer."And it is curious that you should ask me that, for my friend here, Ned Newton, and I were just talking about that very matter.Here's what brought it up," and Tom showed the page from the Sunday paper.

"Hum! Yes!" musingly remarked Mr.Hardley."That's all very well.Part of it is true; but I imagine most of it is the work of imagination of some enterprising reporter.Of course there is no question but that there are untold millions on the bottom of the ocean.The only trouble, as I think you will agree with me, Mr.Swift, is in coming at the money.""Exactly," said Tom.

"And will you bear me out when I say that if the wreck of a treasure ship could be exactly located in water that is not too deep, half the trouble would be solved?" asked Mr.Hardley.

"A good share of it would," answered Tom."That is usually the chief difficulty--locating the wreck.Nearly always they are anywhere from one to five miles from where the persons seeking them think they are.And five miles, or even half a mile, is a good distance on the bottom of the ocean.""Exactly," echoed Mr.Hardley."Then if I could give you the exact location of a sunken treasure ship, and prove to you that the owners had given up the search for it, leaving it open to salvage on the part of whoever wished to try--would that be any inducement to you to make an attempt,Mr.Swift?"

"I should want to hear more about it before I gave an answer," replied Tom."As perhaps Mr.Damon has told you, I once went on a hunt for treasure in my submarine.We found it, but only after considerable trouble, and then I declared I'd never again engage in such a search.There wasn't enough net profit in it." "But there are millions in this, Tom! Bless my gold tooth, but there are millions!" cried the excitable Mr.Damon."Hurry up and tell him!" he urged his friend.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 创世神女:邪王轻点抱

    创世神女:邪王轻点抱

    看着床上红色的血迹,君墨染淡定说道:“放心,我会负责。”“负责?你拿什么负责?”君墨染心疼地拿出自己的腰包:“这是我全部的家产,全给你。”“你以为,本君会缺钱?”打开君墨染的香囊,北墨华大怒:“三两银子买本君的初夜?你当本君是乞丐吗?”“不敢,你不像是乞丐。”“哼。”“你是小倌吧?”“君墨染!”“在。”“……”我们可爱的妖王大人在茫茫追妻道路上摸索,爆笑甜宠来袭!欢迎收看~
  • 与天同行:我与诸神有个约定

    与天同行:我与诸神有个约定

    她,国际通缉双子怪盗夜朦胧之一,号称不死鸟。一朝穿越,从此,目光不再拘泥于宝物。”我,要在天道中占有一席之地。摘星顺月,信手拈来!“他,背景神秘,俯瞰万物。一次偶遇,从此,管的“东西”便多了一样。”我倒要看看你这只不死鸟如何在天地间翻飞,即使在我眼里不过咫尺之间。”“有本事你不要关着我!”“为了证实你的实力,你得先靠自己逃出来!”“你不想放我直说!”“不放。”“......”
  • 我师父真是亚索

    我师父真是亚索

    一剑,一念。我命由我不由天。当方正看着手中已折断的剑,身后是倒成一片的追杀者。葫芦里的酒还剩最后一口。咽下。“装x,真他x的累!”方正道。疾风剑豪亚索传承了他剑术,也传承了他命运,且看没玩过lol的异世少年,如何凭手中剑,携风杀九霄!
  • 反人

    反人

    刑侦专家洪晓天到月球村——广寒宫探望未婚妻常荷,遇到来访的反物质人。恰好有一个来广寒宫建立组织的邪恶势力也与反人不期而遇。邪恶势力认识到反人的利用价值,为了绑架反人,他们不惜采取滥杀无辜并残忍肢解的血腥方式。洪晓天受命组织专案组调查,最终不带破了杀人案,还捣毁了邪恶势力的一个窝点。
  • 末日之希望渺茫

    末日之希望渺茫

    虽胆小如鼠,但兄弟无数。虽希望渺茫,可永不止步!
  • 重生之逆苍天

    重生之逆苍天

    常言道天降大任于斯人也,必先苦其心志、劳其筋骨、饿其体肤、空乏其身、增益其所不能。可是没有记忆的重生算什么?忘了要记住的人,也忘了应该恨的人。就算是重生了一把,又能怎么样呢?是的还能怎么样呢?
  • 把酒笑秋风

    把酒笑秋风

    浪子无根,如风中落叶,如水中浮萍。沦落天涯,与酒为伴,与寂寞为伴。但他们的心中都燃烧着一把火,那就是对平静生活,对亲情、友情、爱情的渴望。剑峥和沐风,两个不同性格的少年,在意想不到的时间,意想不到的地点,意想不到地成为了朋友。他们为正义,为理想,为朋友......人在江湖,生存于江湖,险境求生,千锤百炼,他们有血性,有义气,不怨天,不尤人。武功由身练,正气由心生。一个真正的高手不仅要有更深的武功,还要有一颗博大的心,真正伟大的武功也不是杀人的武功,而是救人的武功......他们终将成为真正的高手!他们寂寞,以酒为友......他们快乐,把酒笑秋风!且看我的浪子......
  • 十世人生

    十世人生

    十世红尘梦,了断红尘事。缘起一痴念,一念三千年。我欲普度众生,度了众生,却难度她;我欲倾覆天下,覆了天下,却难覆她;我欲文问八方,问了八方,却难问她;我欲尽杀敌兵,杀了敌兵,却难杀她;我欲独守水乡,守了水乡,却难守她;我欲棋困一生,困了一生,却难困她;……
  • 源元诀

    源元诀

    这是一个由元气构成的世界,也是一个强者如林的世界。想获得别人不能拥有的权力,就只能拥有比别人更强大的武力。
  • 笔中灵魂

    笔中灵魂

    前世的恨今生偿还,恩恩怨怨随着一支笔来谱写。