CHAPTER III.

THE VOYAGE BEGUN.

“Valentine Tucker was a man of impulse and never hesitated when he knew that a fellow being was in distress.

“He rushed into the street in time to see one man fall and another skurry away in the gloom.

“Feeling sure of foul play he knelt over the prostrate man and felt for his heart, as he did so his hand closed upon the handle of a dagger.

“With a sense of horror, not knowing what he did, he pulled it from the wound. The red blood dyed his sleeve and arm.

“Before he could rise to his feet and sound an alarm, lights flashed about him and he was in the grip of officers of the law.

“Caught thus apparently red-handed, the crime was fastened upon him. There seemed no way for him to prove his innocence.

“Furthermore, the fact that the dead man was Alden Vance was decidedly against him. He was thrown into prison, tried and convicted of murder.

“It was an awful fatality. At once the business so prosperous declined, and Albert was forced to retire at a heavy loss. But he was faithful to his brother.

“He avowed his intention of proving his brother’s innocence. There was no one upon whom suspicion could fall save Duncan Crane, who had disappeared.

“This fact was the saving of Valentine’s life. In view of the possibility that Crane might be implicated, the judge was lenient, and commuted the sentence of death to life imprisonment.

“Of course this was little better than death, but it gave Albert his chance.

“He at once started upon the track of Crane. To Hawaii, to Yokohama, he tracked the wretch.

“Here the real murderer was stricken with the plague. Upon his death-bed he made full and absolute confession.

“It was duly written out and witnessed by the American Consul. Armed with this proof of his brother’s innocence, Albert started for home.

“He was happy in the thought that his brother would be vindicated upon his arrival in San Francisco.

“But alas for his hopes. Fate had decreed that the confession should never get there. It was upon his person when devoured by the silver whale.

“Valentine yet lingers in prison; his family are starving. Now you have the whole sad story. I know you are a Christian and a philanthropist, Frank. You will agree with me that we ought to do something to right this great wrong if we can.”

Frank had listened to the thrilling story with the deepest interest.

Now he said in a puzzled way:

“Well and good, George; but how can we do it?”

“Capture the silver whale.”

“Capture the whale! What earthly good will that do?”

“We can, perhaps, recover the confession.”

Frank whistled in surprise.

“Why, how absurd!” he exclaimed. “It must have become absorbed long ago in the whale’s stomach. In any event the creature has no doubt long ago been captured and destroyed.”

“No,” said Stanhope, firmly; “I do not believe that. I have heard of the silver whale many times since. Numerous whaling captains have reported it in parts contiguous to the locality where poor Tucker met his fate. I believe with this submarine boat we can pursue and capture the silver whale.”

“Very well; but the confession——”

“It was folded and kept in a metal box or case which Tucker wore in his belt. It could not be absorbed, and I have seen objects of metal many times taken from the stomach of a whale.”

Frank’s face lit up.

“So it was in a metal case.”

“Yes.”

“Then there is a chance!” cried the young inventor, springing up. “George, I am deeply interested. If the silver whale is yet in existence, we will run it down and recover the confession, if possible. It at least affords us an object for our submarine voyage.”

“Correct!” cried Stanhope. “I knew you would grasp the idea, Frank.”

“We will at once start for the North Pacific. Have your effects ready.”

“They are all ready!” declared Stanhope. “I have explored every country upon the face of the earth. Now it is my happy privilege to explore the bed of the sea. Am I not a lucky man?”

“Begorra, Misther Frank,” cried a rollicking voice from the yard. “We have ivery bit of provisions aboord, an’ shure it’s all ready to start we are!”

“Good!” cried Frank. “There shall be no delay on my part. We will be off at the quickest possible moment.”

Stanhope at once went out and telegraphed Mrs. Tucker in San Francisco.

* * * * *

DEAR MADAM,—We start very soon in the submarine boat Dolphin for the North Pacific in quest of the white whale. Let us hope we shall find the evidence to clear your husband. Be of cheerful mind.

GEORGE STANHOPE.

* * * * *

The remainder of the day was spent in completing the preparations for the start.

The next morning all was announced in readiness.

The Dolphin floated in the tank all ready for the start.

The voyagers went aboard, and Frank gave orders for the big gates to be opened. This was done, and the boat floated into the canal.

Here it was in plain view of the great crowd which was waiting outside to greet it with cheers. The Dolphin floated down the canal toward the river.

Soon it was in the current of the larger stream, and then Frank started the electric engines to greater speed.

This sent the Dolphin ahead at a lively rate and Readestown began to fade from view.

All of the voyagers were upon the main deck by the open door of the pilot-house. Frank was at the wheel.

“Take a good look at Readestown,” said the young inventor. “It may be your last one!”

Instinctively Barney and Pomp turned.

“Begorra, it’s the foinest spot on earth!” cried the Celt. “May we live to return to dear old Radestown!”

“Golly! I done fink dat we mus’ do dat,” averred Pomp. “Dis chile neber gwine to leabe his bones in no oder place!”

“Don’t yez be too shure, naygur,” declared Barney, shaking his head. “Shure, it’s many a close call we’ll be afther havin’ yit, me lad. There’s no spendin’ a year or more at the bottom av the say widout some bit av a risk.”

“You are right, Barney,” said the explorer, Stanhope; “but we are going to look upon the bright side of this thing. We shall sail the North Pacific, capture the silver whale, return and see old America again in safety. Mark my prophecy.”

“I hope you have hit it right, George,” laughed Frank; “at least you are right in looking on the bright side.”

So the submarine voyagers left home in quite a cheerful frame of mind.

But they little dreamed of the thrilling experiences which the near future held.

They had no means of guessing the terrible perils through which they were to pass.

A voyage under the sea can scarcely be attended by aught but danger and risk.

Readestown was soon left out of sight.

The Dolphin sped on down the river current to the sea. Thus far Frank had kept the boat on the surface.

When the open sea was reached he said:

“I think that for the first thousand miles of our course we will travel faster under water. I have studied the ocean bed, and there are no obstructions to encounter at the proper mean elevation.”

“Then we are to start out at once with a thousand mile voyage under water?” asked the explorer Stanhope.

“Yes.”

“Good! I am very glad of that. There is much in the Atlantic worthy of study. You will make the Pacific by way of Cape Horn?”

To Stanhope’s surprise Frank shook his head.

“No,” he said. “That is the longest route.”

“What other is there?”

“By the Northwest Passage.”

Stanhope was surprised.

“Why, man,” he exclaimed, “that has never been discovered. It does not exist!”

“Yes, it does,” averred Frank, “but it is never navigable to surface vessels, owing to its being choked with ice. But the Dolphin can go under the ice.”

“Under the ice?”

“Exactly.”

“Wonderful!” cried Stanhope, excitedly. “I never thought of that. It is certainly the nearest way to the North Pacific. We shall pass into Behring Sea?”

The Dolphin was already out of sight of land, and headed northward. She was a fast sailer, and rode the waves like a duck.

Frank now decided to begin his submarine voyage. He went into the pilot-house and pressed a lever.

Instantly every door and window was hermetically sealed and the electric lights were turned on full force.

The Dolphin took a plunge beneath the surface.

Down it went until the glare of the electric lights revealed a rare and wonderful scene.

There were marine plants of queer and beautiful sort, cliffs, crags and reefs of vari-colored coral, thousands of fish of all hues and shapes, and many other strange and marvelous things.

The voyagers were for a time enchained by this wonderful exhibition.

Particularly was Stanhope enchanted, and he was anxious to possess some of the wonderful specimens that he saw.

“How can I get some of that lovely coral, Frank?” he cried. “It is a species I never saw before.”

“There is only one way,” said Frank.

“And how is that?”

“Simply put on a diving suit and go out there and get them.”

“Can I do that?”

Before Frank could answer a startling and terrible thing happened. A cry of terror came from Barney.

The Celt had been in the pilot-house and chanced accidentally to press the motive valve. Instantly the Dolphin darted forward like an arrow.

Barney gripped the valve and tried to shut off the current and check the awful speed of the boat.

But he was unable to do this. For some reason or other the valve stuck and would not move.

No harm would have been done had the boat been a fathom higher in the water, as there was no obstacle which she could not easily have passed.

But a moment later there was a terrific rending shock. Every one was thrown from his feet.

The Dolphin came to a dead stop, and for an instant all was darkness.