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and had a strenuous time before he located them。
In the second volume； entitled 〃Tom Swift and His Motor… Boat；〃 there
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
was related our hero's adventures in a fine craft which was recovered from
the thieves and sold at auction。 There was a mystery connected with the
boat； and for a long time Tom could not solve it。 He was aided； however；
by his chum； Ned Newton； who worked in the Shopton Bank； and also by
Mr。 Damon and Eradicate Sampson； an aged colored whitewasher； who
formed quite an attachment for Tom。
In his motor…boat Tom had more than one race with Andy Foger； a rich
lad of Shopton； who was a sort of bully。 He had red hair and squinty eyes；
and was as mean in character as he was in looks。 He and his cronies； Sam
Snedecker and Pete Bailey； made trouble for Tom； chiefly because Tom
managed to beat Andy twice in boat races。
It was while in his motor…boat； Arrow； that Tom formed the
acquaintance of John Sharp； a veteran balloonist。 While coming down
Lake Carlopa on the way to the Swift home； which had been entered by
thieves； Tom； his father and Ned Newton； saw a balloon on fire over the
lake。 Hanging from a trapeze on it was Mr。 Sharp； who had made an
ascension from a fair ground。 By hard work on the part of Tom and his
friends the aeronaut was saved； and took up his residence with the Swifts。
His advent was most auspicious； for Tom and his father were then
engaged in perfecting an airship； and Mr。 Sharp was able to lend them his
skill； so that the craft was soon constructed。
In the third volume； called 〃Tom Swift and His Airship；〃 there was set
down the doings of the young inventor； Mr。 Sharp and Mr。 Damon on a
trip above the clouds。 They undertook it merely for pleasure； but they
encountered considerable danger； before they completed it； for they nearly
fell into a blazing forest once； and were later fired at by a crowd of excited
people。 This last act was to effect their capture； for they were taken for a
gang of bank robbers； and this was due directly to Andy Foger。
The morning after Tom and his friends started on their trip in the air；
the Shopton Bank was found to have been looted of seventy…five thousand
dollars。 Andy Foger at once told the police that Tom Swift had taken the
money； and when asked how he knew this； he said he had seen Tom
hanging around the bank the night before the vault was burst open； and
that the young inventor had some burglar tools in his possession。 Warrants
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
were at once sworn out for Tom and Mr。 Damon； who was also accused of
being one of the robbers； and a reward of five thousand dollars was
offered。
Tom； Mr。 Damon and Mr。 Sharp sailed on； all unaware of this； and
unable to account for being fired upon； until they accidentally read in the
paper an account of their supposed misdeeds。 They lost no time in starting
back home； and on； the way got on the track of the real bank robbers； who
were members of the Happy Harry gang。
How the robbers were captured in an exciting raid； how Tom
recovered most of the stolen money； and how he gave Andy Foger a
deserved thrashing for giving a false clue was told of； and there was an
account of a race in which the Red Cloud （as the airship was called） took
part； as well as details of how Tom and his friends secured the reward；
which Andy Foger hoped to collect。
Those of you who care to know how the Red Cloud was constructed；
and how she behaved in the air； even during accidents and when struck by
lightning； may learn by reading the third volume； for the airship was one
of the most successful ever constructed。
When the craft was finished； and the navigators were ready to start on
their first long trip； Mr。 Swift was asked to go with them。 He declined； but
would not tell why； until Tom； pressing him for an answer； learned that his
father was planning a submarine boat； which he hoped to enter in some
trials for Government prizes。 Mr。 Swift remained at home to work on this
submarine； while his son and Mr。 Sharp were sailing above the clouds。
On their return； however； and after the bank mystery had been cleared
up； Tom and Mr。 Sharp； aided Mr。 Swift in completing the submarine； until；
when the present story opens； it needed but little additional work to make
the craft ready for the water。
Of course it had to be built near the sea； as it would have been
impossible to transport it overland from Shopton。 So； before the keel was
laid； Mr。 Swift rented a large cottage at a seaside place on the New Jersey
coast and there； after； erecting a large shed； the work on the Advance； as
the under…water ship was called； was begun。
It was soon to be launched in a large creek that extended in from the
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
ocean and had plenty of water at high tide。 Tom and Mr。 Sharp made
several trips back and forth from Shopton in their airship； to see that all
was safe at home and occasionally to get needed tools and supplies from
the shops； for not all the apparatus could be moved from Shopton to the
coast。
It was when returning from one of these trips that Tom brought with
him the paper containing an account of the wreck of the Boldero and the
sinking of the treasure she carried。
Until late that night the three fortune…hunters discussed various
matters。
〃We'll hurry work on the ship；〃 said Mr。 Swift it length。 〃Tom； I
wonder if your friend； Mr。 Damon； would care to try how it seems under
Water？ He stood the air trip fairly well。〃
〃I'll write and ask him；〃 answered the lad。 〃I'm sure he'll go。〃
Securing； a few days later； the assistance of two mechanics； whom he
knew he could trust； for as yet the construction of the Advance was a
secret； Mr。 Swift prepared to rush work on the submarine； and for the next
three weeks there were busy times in the shed next to the seaside cottage。
So busy； in fact； were Tom and Mr。 Sharp； that they only found
opportunity for one trip in the airship； and that was to g