m, employer, and friend--for Tom Swift assumed
all three relations toward Ned Newton--part of a Sunday newspaper. It
was turned to a page containing a big illustration of a diver attired
in the usual rubber suit and big helmet, moving about on the floor of
the ocean and digging out boxes of what was supposed to be gold from a
sunken wreck.

"Oh, that stuff!" exclaimed Tom, with a smile of disbelief as he saw
the source of Ned's information. "Seems to me I've read something like
that before, Ned!"

"Of course you have!" agreed the young financial manager of the newly
organized Swift Construction Company. "It isn't anything new. This
wealth of untold millions has been at the bottom of the sea for many
years--always increasing with nobody ever spending a cent of it. And
since the Great War this wealth has been enormously added to because of
the sinking of so many ships by German submarines."

"Well, what's that got to do with us, Ned?" asked Tom, as he looked
over some blue prints and other papers on his desk, for the talk was
taking place in his office. "You and I did our part in the war, but I
don't see what all this undersea wealth has to do with us. We've got
our work cut out for us if we take care of all the new contracts that
came in this week."

"Yes, I know," admitted Ned. "But I couldn't help calling your
attention to this article, Tom. It's authentic!"

"Authentic? What do you mean?

"Well, the man who wrote it went to the trouble of getting from the
ship insurance companies a list of all the wrecks and lost vessels
carrying gold and silver coin, bullion, and other valuables. He has
gone back a hundred years, and he brings it right down to just before
the war. Hasn't had time to compile that list, the article says. But
without counting the vessels the Germans sank, there is, in various
places on the bottom of the ocean today, wrecks of ships that carried,
when they went down, gold, silver, copper and other metals to the value
of at least ten billions of dollars!"

Tom Swift did not seem to be at all surprised by the explosive emphasis
with which Ned Newton conveyed this information. He gazed calmly at his
friend and manager, and then handed the paper back.

"I haven't time to look at it now," said Tom. "But is there anything
new in the story? I mean has any of the wealth been recovered
lately--or is it in a way to be?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Ned. "It is! A company has been formed in Japan for
the purpose o