t until we reach the centre."

He pointed to a compass and, as the needle pointed steadily to the north
the card seemed to be going around like the hands of a clock that has
lost the balance and escapement wheels. The ship made three complete
circles a minute.

Pale and frightened, Mrs. Johnson came from her cabin, whence the
terrified cries of Nellie could be heard.

"Are we sinking?" she asked.

"Sinking will never harm the _Porpoise_," replied Mr. Henderson. "This
is something decidedly worse."

"I know! It is a whirlpool!" exclaimed the lady.

"I'm dizzy; I'm so dizzy!" wailed Nellie. "Please stop the ship from
going round, Mr. Henderson."

She came from her bed crying, and all her mother could do did not quiet
her.

Meanwhile the submarine continued to whirl about faster and faster in
the swirling waters. Five times each minute now it made the circuit,
and, like the coils of a boa constrictor that is enfolding its victim,
the circles continually grew smaller.

"We are being sucked down," said Jack in a low tone as he glanced at the
depth gage, and noted that it showed them to be thirty feet under water.

"That is so," remarked Mr. Henderson quietly.

"What will be the result?" asked Mrs. Johnson.

"I do not know," was the answer, and the captain turned aside. He seemed
to have lost all courage in the face of the new disaster.

"Can't we empty the tanks and rise to the surface?" asked Andy.

"The tanks are not filled," replied Mr. Henderson. "What is taking us
down is the force of the whirlpool and not the weight of water."

"Then you fear for the worst?" asked Andy.

"I do," said the captain simply.

"Don't give up the ship!" exclaimed the old hunter suddenly. "Never say
die! It's a long lane that has no turns! Hip! Hip! Hurrah!"

They all turned to stare at the old man.

"Never mind," said Mr. Henderson in a soothing tone, that one would use
toward a baby, or a person not right in their head. "Never mind. We may
be saved."

"Oh I'm not crazy!" exclaimed Andy. He tried to caper about but the
motion of the ship made him dizzy and he had to sit down. "I'm all
right! I just happened to think of something!"

"What is it?" asked the captain eagerly.

"Send the ship ahead!" exclaimed Andy. "Speed her as fast as she will
go. Try her strength against the force of the whirlpool! We may win!"

"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson. "I was too much depressed to think of
that! The ship has powerful engin