Into the Abyss (Tom Swift, Young Inventor) by Victor Appleton Read Free Book Online Page A

operator.
    The bright yellow submersible rose into the air. Then the crane swung around, bringing the
Jules Verne-1
over open water.
    The winch was lowered once again. The little yellow sub hit the water with a small splash. The hook was removed, and the crane swung back out of the way.
    With a whir and a whine, the
Verne-1
powered up its hydrogen fuel cell array. My dad’s face appeared inthe porthole. I waved as it sank beneath the surface.
    “All right, everyone,” the captain said. “All hands to their designated positions. Let’s get to work.”
    I headed for the control room, with Bud and Yo right behind me. Dr. Fletcher, a heavy woman with short gray hair and thick glasses, was there when we arrived.
    I knew her from Swift Enterprises—she’s been one of Dad’s main research assistants ever since I can remember. She found Bud and Yo a comfortable place to sit in an out-of-the-way corner. Then she gave me a nudge. “Come with me, Tom.”
    I followed her to the far end of the room, where we sat next to each other in front of the bank of readouts.
    There’s the submersible,” she said, pointing to a sonar blip on a field of green, sinking past depth readouts: one hundred feet, two hundred, three hundred …
    The
Verne-1
was sinking slowly, carefully—at three miles per hour. At this rate, it would take about an hour for it to reach the bottom.
    “Can they hear us?” I asked.
    Dr. Fletcher flipped a switch on the control console. “Now they can.”
    “Dad? Do you read me?” I said.
    There was a crackling sound. Tom? Yes, I read you.”
    “How’s it looking down there?”
    “A-okay. Dr. Fletcher with you?”
    “I’m here,” she said.
    “Excellent. All the readouts looking okay?”
    “Sure are.”
    “Well, you’re really missing something, Tom,” my dad said. “We’ll have to get you aboard next time, so you can try out that deep-water suit of yours.”
    “Yeah,” I said. “Sure thing.”
    Why did he have to go and remind me? Now I was all bummed out again. My dad goes off on a great adventure, while I’m stuck here, staring at a screen.
    A half hour later, with everything humming along, I wandered over to Bud and Yo. “Having fun?” I asked them.
    “Man, this is
boring
,” Bud said. There’s no live camera to look at the fish, or anything.”
    “Actually, there is,” I told him. “But they won’t be using it until they’re down at the bottom—this isn’t a mission to study mid-depth sea life, after all.”
    “So, what’s there to see down at the bottom?” Yo asked. “Giant sea squids?”
    “Maybe,” I said. “But it’s really dark down there. All the camera can show is whatever swims into its searchlight.”
    “Well, how long will it be till they turn on the camera?”
    “Another half hour or so,” I said.
    “Aw, man! What are we gonna do till then?” she complained.
    “Hey, Yo,” Bud said, “I’m about ready for breakfast. You?”
    Yo’s eyes lit up. “Yes! I’m so hungry I could eat a sea monster!”
    And why not? She hadn’t been able to get any food down since we’d set sail yesterday morning.
    “How ’bout you, Tom—you hungry?” Bud asked.
    “Bring me a muffin when you come back,” I said. “I don’t want to leave my post.”
    I returned to my seat, and checked all the readouts. The submersible was down to ten thousand feet—almost two miles deep. The gauge measuring external water pressure was well into the “danger” zone. Of course, the
Verne-1
’s titanium hull had been built to withstand even greater pressures. It would hold up. I was sure of it.
    Twenty-five minutes later, Bud and Yo returned, bearing a blueberry muffin and coffee for me. “Thanks,” I told them. “Put it down over there—far away from the electronics.”
    Just then Dad’s voice came over the speaker system. “We have the bottom in view,” he said. “Easing submersion rate to five feet per second … four … three … two … one … and …”
    There was a