d it.

"Father," whispered Mrs. Bushnell, "it's the _fish_ David has been all
summer catching."

"Fish!" ejaculated Mr. Bushnell, "it's more like a turtle."

"That's good!" spoke up Dr. Gale, from within. "Turtle it shall be."

"It is the first _submarine_ boat ever made--a grand idea, wrought
into substance," slowly pronounced Dr. Franklin; "let us have it forth
into the river."

"And run the risk of discovery?" suggested David, pleased that his
work approved itself to the man of science.

"We meant to try it last night, but failed," said Ezra Bushnell.

"There, now, father, don't you wish we had staid at home?" whispered
Mrs. Bushnell.

"No!" growled the father. "They would have killed themselves getting
it down alone."

He stepped within and laid his hand on the machine, saying:

"Anna, you keep watch, and, if any boat heaves in sight, let us know.
Does the Turtle snap, David?" he questioned, putting forth his hand
and laying it cautiously upon the animal.

"Never, until the word is given," replied the son, and then ten strong
hands applied the strength within them to lift the curious piece of
mechanism and carry it without.

The seine-house was close to the river-bank, and in a half-hour's time
the American Turtle was in its native element.

Madam Anna Bushnell kept strict watch over the shores and the river,
but not a sail slid into sight, not an oar troubled the waters of the
tide, as it tossed back the tumble of the down-flowing river.

It was a hard duty for the mother to perform; for, at a glance toward
the bank, she saw David step into the machine, and the brass cover
close down over his head. She felt suffocating fears for him, as, at
last, the thing began to move into the stream. She saw it go out, she
saw it slowly sinking, going down out of sight, until even the brass
head was submerged.

Then she forsook her post, and hastened to the bank to keep watch with
the rest.

One, two, three minutes went by. The men looked at the surface of the
waters, at each other, grew thoughtful, pale; the mother gasped and
dropped on the salt grass, fainting; the brother gave to Lady Fenwick
a running push, bounded on board, and clutched the oars to row swiftly
to the spot where David went down.

Mr. Bushnell filled his hat with water, and sprinkled the pale face in
the sedge.

"_There! there!_" cried Dr. Franklin, with distended eyes and eager
outlook.

"_Where? where?_" ejaculated Dr. Gale, strivi