t Ned at the
latter's home, soared down from aloft, and a little later, having told
Koku to look after the Air Scout, much to the delight of the giant and
the discomfiture of Rad, the young inventor was closeted with Mr. Damon
and Dixwell Hardley.

"Bless my straw hat, Tom!" exclaimed the eccentric man, "but we just
couldn't wait any longer. How are you coming on, and when can we start
on this treasure-hunting trip? I declare it makes me feel young again
to think about it!"

"Well, it won't be long now," was the answer. "The men are working hard
to get the submarine in shape, and I should say that in another week,
or two weeks at the most, we could set off!"

"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Hardley. "I have received additional
information," he went on, "to the effect that the amount of gold on
board the Pandora was even greater than we at first thought."

"That sounds encouraging," replied Tom. "It only remains to find the
sunken ship now. But what interests me greatly is whether, after we
have gotten this gold, supposing we are successful, we shall be allowed
to keep it."

"Bless my bank book! why not?" asked Mr. Damon. "Isn't it wealth
abandoned at the bottom of the sea, and isn't finding keeping?"

"Not always," answered Tom. "There are certain rules and laws about
treasure, and it might happen that after we got this--if we do--it
could be taken away from us."

"I think there will be no difficulty on this score," said Mr. Hardley.
"In the first place, two attempts were made to get this wealth, and
were unsuccessful. Then it was practically abandoned, and I believe
under the law the persons who now find it will be entitled to keep it.
Besides the persons who gathered it together did so for an unlawful
purpose--that of starting a revolution in a friendly country--and they
would not dare claim it for fear of giving their secret away."

"Well, perhaps you are right," assented Tom. "We'll make a try for it,
anyhow."

"You say the submarine is nearly ready?" asked Mr. Hardley.

"She will be ready for a trial trip at the end of this week," said Tom,
"and be fitted up for the voyage within another seven days, I hope.
Then for the great adventure!" and he laughed, though, truth to tell,
he had no real liking for his task. The more he saw of Mr. Hardley the
less he liked him.

"I shall begin getting my affairs in shape," said the latter, as he
gathered up some papers he had brought to attempt to prove to Tom that
the weal