he vessel thus comparatively easy of
access.

She lay on an almost even keel, and all he and his companions had to do
was to walk along the deck and enter the cabins. As they did not have
to look out for life lines or air hose they could enter, and even go
below decks, in comparative safety.

"Well, here's for it," said Tom to the others. "Let's go in.

"Where would the treasure be, if she had any?" asked Ned.

"Captain's cabin or the purser's strong room, I imagine," Tom answered.
"Hardley didn't actually see it, but he said those two places were
constantly guarded. I'm inclined to think the purser would have charge
of the gold. But we'll try both places."

It was easy to learn which had been the commander's cabin. It had the
name "Captain" on a brass plate over the door. Tom and Ned entered. The
place was in confusion, and confusion not all caused by the ocean
currents. A small safe in the room stood with rusted door open, and the
contents of the strong box were gone. Drawers and lockers, too, were
opened and empty.

"I guess the captain took as much with him as he could when he got into
his boat," commented Tom.

"And the gold, too," added Ned, pointing to the empty safe.

"That wouldn't have held two million dollars in gold," Tom retorted. "I
believe the purser's cabin is the place to look."

Making sure they were not missing anything in the captain's room, they
came out, to find Koku and the others waiting for them on deck.

"Nothing there," Tom reported. "Did any of you locate the purser's
strong room?" One of the men pointed to an open door to the left.

"That's it!" exclaimed Tom. "Yes, and there's a safe here big enough to
hold gold for all the revolutions in South America," he added. "I guess
we're on the right track at last."

It needed but a look to show them that they had at last reached the
place of the treasure. The great safe stood open, and piled inside were
a number of small boxes, such as are generally used to ship gold in.
Ned, from his bank experience, recognized them at once.

"There's the gold!" he exclaimed. "We've found the treasure!"

"They tried to take some of it with them," said one of the submarine
officers, pointing to some opened boxes which were floating near the
cabin ceiling. They were caught on some projections which had prevented
them from being washed out.

"Maybe they looted the whole safe," suggested Tom. "We'd better have a
look."

He tried to pull out one of