we
will show no mercy. Our boats are the best."

"And may the best boat win," interjected Mr. Sharp. "That's all we
ask. A fair field and no favors."

"Of course," spoke the agent coldly. "Is this another son of yours?" he
asked.

"No but a good friend," replied the aged inventor. "No, Mr. Berg, we
won't compete this time. You may tell your firm so."

"Very good," was the other's stiff reply. "Then I will bid you good
night. We shall carry off the Government prize, but permit me to add
that I am very much astonished, very much indeed, that you do not try
for the prize. From what I have seen of your submarine you have a very
good one, almost as good, in some respects, as ours. I bid you good
night," and with a bow the man left the room and hurried away from the
house.

Chapter Four

Tom is Imprisoned

"Well, I must say he's a cool one," remarked Tom, as the echoes of Mr.
Berg's steps died away. "The idea of thinking his boat better than
ours! I don't like that man, dad. I'm suspicious of him. Do you think
he came here to steal some of our ideas?"

"No, I hardly believe so, my son. But how did you discover him?"

"Just as you saw, dad. I heard a noise and went back there to
investigate. I found him sneaking around, looking at the electric
propeller plates. I went to grab him just as he stumbled over a board.
At first I thought it was one of the old gang. I'm almost sure he was
trying to discover something."

"No, Tom. The firm he works for are good business men, and they would
not countenance anything like that. They are heartless competitors,
however, and if they saw a legitimate chance to get ahead of me and
take advantage, they would do it. But they would not sneak in to steal
my ideas. I feel sure of that. Besides, they have a certain type of
submarine which they think is the best ever invented, and they would
hardly change at this late day. They feel sure of winning the
Government prize, and I'm just as glad we're not going to have a
contest."

"Do you think our boat is better than theirs?"

"Much better, in many respects."

"I don't like that man Berg, though," went on Tom.

"Nor do I," added his father. "There is something strange about him.
He was very anxious that I should compete. Probably he thought his
firm's boat would go so far ahead of ours that they would get an extra
bonus. But I'm glad he didn't see our new method of propulsion. That is
the principal improvement in the Adv