inside the bell which may be lowered to the
floor of the ocean. But, as Tom told Ned, his diving bell was a big
improvement over those commonly used.

The two young men inspected the progress made in refitting the
submarine, and Tom expressed himself as satisfied.

"How soon do you think you can start?" asked Ned.

"In about two weeks," was the answer. "I'll want to get to the West
Indies before the fall storms start. Not only will it be impossible to
make a search then, but the very location of the sunken wreck may be
changed."

"How so?" asked Ned.

"Because of undersea currents. They are strong enough, not only to
sweep a wreck away from the place where it may have settled, but they
may cover it with sand, and then it is hopeless to try to dig it out.
So We've got to go soon, if we go at all."

"Well, I'm with you!" exclaimed Ned. "Hello! here's some one looking
for you, I guess," he added, as a boy came hurrying down to the dock
from the temporary office Tom had set up there.

"You're wanted on the telephone, Mr. Swift," said the messenger. "It's
important, too."

"All right. I'll come at once," was the answer. "Hope it isn't bad
news," mused Ned, as his chum hurried on in advance. "Maybe Hardley has
found out he hasn't a right to search for that sunken gold after all.
That would be too bad for Mr. Damon!"

CHAPTER VI

MARY'S ODD STORY

"Hello! Hello! Yes, this is Tom Swift. What's that? You've had an
accident? Great Scott, Mary! I hope you aren't hurt."

Ned overheard these words as he stood outside the temporary office,
from inside which Tom Swift was telephoning.

"There's been an accident!" thought the financial manager. "I wonder if
I can help?"

He was about to hurry in to offer his services when he heard Tom laugh,
and then he knew it was all right. He heard his chum say:

"I'll be right over and get you. Just where are you?"

Then followed a period of listening on the part of Tom, to be broken by
the words:

"All right, I'll be right with you. Lucky I have my Air Scout with me.
You aren't afraid to ride in that, are you? No, that's good! I'll be
right over. Ned is here with me, and I'll have him telephone to your
father and mother."

With that Tom hung up the receiver and joined his chum.

"Mary had a slight automobile accident about five miles from here," Tom
told his chum. "Some green driver ran into her and dished one of her
wheels. No one hurt, but she hasn't a spare whe