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So busy； in fact； were Tom and Mr。 Sharp； that they only found
opportunity for one trip in the airship； and that was to get some supplies
from the shops at home。
〃Well；〃 remarked Mr。 Swift one night； at the close of a hard day's work；
〃another week will see our craft completed。 Then we will put it in the
water and see how it floats； and whether it submerges as I hope it does。
But come on； Tom。 I want to lock up。 I'm very tired to…night。〃
〃All right； dad；〃 answered the young inventor coming from the
darkened rear of the shop。 〃I just want to〃
Ne paused suddenly； and appeared to be listening。 Then he moved
softly back to where he had come from。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked his father in a whisper。 〃What's up； Tom？〃
The lad did not answer Mr。 Swift； with a worried look on his face；
followed his son。 Mr。 Sharp stood in the door of the shop。
〃I thought I heard some one moving around back here；〃 went on Tom
quietly。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
〃Some one in this shop！〃 exclaimed the aged inventor excitedly。
〃Some one trying to steal my ideas again！ Mr。 Sharp； come here！ Bring
that rifle！ We'll teach these scoundrels a lesson！〃
Tom quickly darted hack to the extreme rear of the building。 There
was a scuffle； and the next minute Tom cried out：
〃What are you doing here？〃
〃Ha！ I beg your pardon；〃 replied a voice。 〃I am looking for Mr。 Barton
Swift。〃
〃My father；〃 remarked Tom。 〃But that's a queer place to look for him。
He's up front。 Father； here's a man who wishes to see you；〃 he called。
〃Yes； I strolled in； and seeing no one about I went to the rear of the
place；〃 the voice went on。 〃I hope I haven't transgressed。〃
〃We were busy on the other side of the shop； I guess；〃 replied Tom；
and he looked suspiciously at the man who emerged from the darkness
into the light from a window。 〃I beg your pardon for grabbing you the way
I did；〃 went on the lad； 〃but I thought you were one of a gang of men
we've been having trouble with。〃
〃Oh； that's all right；〃 continued the man easily。 〃I know Mr。 Swift； and
I think he will remember me。 Ah； Mr。 Swift； how do you do？〃 he added
quickly； catching sight of Tom's father； who； with Mr。 Sharp； was coming
to meet the lad。
〃Addison Berg！〃 exclaimed the aged inventor as he saw the man's face
more plainly。 〃What are you doing here？〃
〃I came to see you；〃 replied the man。 〃May I have a talk with you
privately？〃
〃II suppose so；〃 assented Mr。 Swift nervously。 〃Come into the
house。〃
Mr。 Berg left Tom's side and advanced to where Mr。 Swift was
standing。 Together the two emerged from the now fast darkening shop and
went toward the house。
〃Who is he？〃 asked Mr。 Sharp of the young inventor in a whisper。
〃I don't know；〃 replied the lad； 〃but； whoever he is； dad seems afraid
of him。 I'm going to keep my eyes open。〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
CHAPTER Three
Mr。 Berg is Astonished
Following his father and the stranger whom the aged inventor had
addressed as Mr。 Berg； Tom and Mr。 Sharp entered the house； the lad
having first made sure that Garret Jackson was on guard in the shop that
contained the sub marine。
〃Now；〃 said Mr。 Swift to the newcomer； 〃I am at your service。 What is
it you wish？〃
〃In the first place； let me apologize for having startled you and your
friends；〃 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。 I heard no
one about； and I wandered to the back of the place。 There I happened 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； I
guess you did hear me； young man。 I didn't intend to hark my shins the
way I did； either。 You must have taken me for a burglar or a sneak thief。〃
〃I have been very much bothered by a gang of unscrupulous men；〃
said Mr。 Swift； 〃and I suppose Tom thought it was some of them sneaking
around again。〃
〃That's what I did；〃 added the lad。 〃I wasn't going to have any one
steal the secret of the submarine if I could help it。〃
〃Quite right！ Quite right！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Berg。 〃But my purpose was
an open one。 As you know； Mr。 Swift； I represent the firm of Bentley &
Eagert； builders of submarine boats and torpedoes。 They heard that you
were constructing a craft to take part in the competitive prize tests of the
United States Government； and they asked me to come and see you to
learn when your ship would be ready。 Ours is completed； but we recognize
that it will be for the best interests of all concerned if there are a number of
contestants； and my firm did not want to send in their entry until they
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT （or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure）
knew that you were about finished with your ship。 How about it？ Are you
ready to compete？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Swift slowly。 〃We are about ready。 My craft needs a
few finishing 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 in mind 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 after all。〃
〃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 i