believe I'm lost. He said it was out this
way somewhere, bet I don't see anything of it. If I had that Eradicate
Sampson here now I'd--bless my shoelaces I don't know what I would do
to him."

"Mr. Damon! Mr. Damon!" cried Tom. "Is that you?"

"Me? Of course it's me! Who else would it be?" answered the voice. "But
who are you. Why, bless my liver! If it isn't Tom Swift!" he cried.
"Oh, but I'm glad to see you! I was afraid I was shipwrecked! Bless my
gaiters, how are you, anyhow? How is your father? How is Mr. Sharp, and
all the rest of them?"

"Pretty well. And you?"

"Me? Oh, I'm all right; only a trifle nervous. I called at your house
in Shopton yesterday, and Eradicate told me, as well as he could, where
you were located. I had nothing to do, so I thought I'd take a run down
here. But what's this I hear about you? Are you going on a voyage?"

"Yes."

"In the air? May I go along again? I certainly enjoyed my other trip in
the Red Cloud. What is, all but the fire and being shot at. May I go?"

"We're going on a different sort of trip this time," said the youth.

"Where?"

"Under water."

"Under water? Bless my sponge bath! You don't mean it!"

"Yes. Dad has completed the submarine he was working on when we were
off in the airship, and it will be launched the day after to-morrow."

"Oh, that's so. I'd forgotten about it. He's going to try for the
Government prize, isn't he? But tell me more about it. Bless my
scarf-pin, but I'm glad I met you! Going into town, I take it. Well, I
just came from there, but I'll walk back with you. Do you think--is
there any possibility--that I could go with you? Of course, I don't
want to crowd you, but--"

"Oh, there'll be plenty of room," replied the young inventor. "In fact,
more room than we had in the airship. We were talking only the other
day about the possibility of you going with us, but we didn't think
you'd risk it."

"Risk it? Bless my liver! Of course I'll risk' it! It can't be as bad
as sailing in the air. You can't fall, that's certain."

"No; but maybe you can't rise," remarked Tom grimly.

"Oh, we won't think of that. Of course, I'd like to go. I fully
expected to be killed in the Red Cloud, but as I wasn't I'm ready to
take a chance in the water. On the whole, I think I prefer to be buried
at sea, anyhow. Now, then, will you take me?"

"I think I can safely promise," answered Tom with a smile at his
friend's enthusiasm.

The two were approachi