about under water.

If the voyagers had expected to locate at once the treasure-ship, they
would have been disappointed. For the first day gave no signs. But Tom
had not promised immediate results, and no one gave up hope.

It was shortly after noon on the second day of the search at the new
location that, as they were proceeding at rather greater speed than
usual, something happened.

Ned had just suggested that he and Tom might go out and try the
current-setting experiments again, when suddenly they were both thrown
off their feet by a terrific jar and concussion. The M. N. 1 seemed to
reel back, as if from a great blow.

"Bless my safety razor!" cried Mr. Damon, "what's the matter, Tom?"

"I think we've had a collision!" was the answer. "I must see how badly
we are damaged!"

CHAPTER XXIV

THE TREASURE-SHIP

Sudden and forceful had been the underwater collision in which the M.
N. 1 had participated. Either the lookout, aided though he was by the
focused rays of the great searchlight, had failed to notice some
obstruction in time to signal to avoid it, or there was an error
somewhere else. At any rate the submarine had rammed something--what it
was remained to be discovered.

"Bless my shotgun," cried Mr. Damon, "perhaps it was one of those big
whales, Ned!"

"It didn't feel like a whale," answered the young financial man.

"And it wasn't!" declared Tom, who was hastening to the engine room.
"It was too solid for that."

Following the collision there had been considerable confusion aboard
the vessel. But discipline prevailed, and now it was necessary to
determine the extent of the damage. This, Tom and his officers and crew
proceeded to do.

There were automatic devices in the various control cabins, as well as
in the main engine room, which told instantly if a leak had been sprung
in any part of the craft. In that serious difficulty automatic pumps,
controlled by an electrical device, at once began forcing out the
water. Other apparatus rushed a supply of compressed air to the flooded
compartment in order to hold out the water if possible. For further
security the submarine was divided into different compartments, as are
most ships in these days. The puncturing or flooding of one did not
necessarily mean the foundering of the craft, or, in the case of a
submarine, prevent her rising.

But Tom had sensed that the collision was almost a head-on one, and in
that case it was likely that the p