Lost in the Atlantic Valley; Or, Frank Reade, Jr., and His Wonder, the "Dart". Luis Senarens
it more fully than Prof. Von Bulow, who was fairly captivated with it.
“It is a most wonderful thing,” he declared earnestly. “There is nothing in the kaiser’s land like it. You Americans are a wonderful people.”
Frank was besieged with hundreds of applications for various purposes.
Hosts of cranks applied for permission to accompany him. Some letters were beseeching, some threatening.
One mildly insane woman wanted him to recover her son from the clutches of an octopus.
Another asked that her husband might be brought back from the realm of old Neptune.
But one applicant, at least, received consideration at Frank’s hands.
He was a bearded sea captain, who told of the sinking of a pirate ship in a certain latitude with a vast treasure aboard.
Here was a reasonable request, and Frank agreed to look for it.
He took the bearings as given him by Captain Bell and said:
“If possible I will find your sunken treasure. It may be, though, that time and the action of the tides have buried it so deep that I will not be able to reclaim it.”
“I think not, sir,” said Captain Bell, eagerly. “It occurred, to be sure, forty years ago, but I think it is upon a reef not so very far beneath the surface.”
Then Captain Bell went on to tell the story of the lost treasure.
“I was quite a young man, then,” he said, “and was in the navy, as captain of a small sloop-of-war, called the Utopia.
“Reports were coming in thick and fast of Captain Longboots, the pirate, who was so venturesome as to penetrate within one hundred miles of New York City in quest of a prize.
“His ship, the Vestal Virgin, odd name for a pirate, was a fast sailer, and most of our war vessels could not keep in sight of her.
“The pirate captain’s real name nobody could learn, but he was called Captain Longboots from the immensely long boots which he wore at all times.
“But there was a suspicion in the navy department that he was really Isaac Van Dorn, once a captain in the service, and who had become disgruntled on account of a reprimand from a superior officer, and sought revenge upon the Government by starting out upon a tour of piracy.
“Well, the Secretary of the Navy selected me and the Utopia to go in chase of the pirate.
“Just at this time there came a report that an English steamer had been overhauled, and a million dollars in American gold had been seized by Longboots.
“This settled the question. I was at once in receipt of sailing orders.
“We left Annapolis one bright day, and sailing down the river, soon reached the open sea.
“I had nothing to guide me but my nose. I followed it, however, for five hundred miles out to sea, and in the direction of Bermuda.
“My plan was not to attempt to overhaul the Vestal Virgin.
“I caused the Utopia to be rigged up like a merchant vessel. The gunports were closed and painted, and everything warlike about her was concealed.
“Then I lay in the track of foreign-going vessels for weeks. My game worked.
“It was some while before the pirate showed up; but she did eventually, and bore down upon us.
“We made a show of running away, but she overhauled us like the wind. We did not have any trouble in letting her overtake us.
“She sent some hot shot across our bows and we hove to. We were all ready for a fight.
“Behind our high bulwarks crouched our men all ready for boarding. The false ports could be knocked out in ten seconds, and an instant broadside given from ten guns.
“Nearer drew the Vestal Virgin. When she was a hundred yards distant, Longboots himself appeared in the shrouds. I spoke to one of my men:
“ ‘Pick that villain off; let it be a signal for the broadside.’
“The order went along. Every man was ready. The gunner I had spoken to was a dead shot.
“He fired, and Longboots dropped to the deck. Then open flew our ports and we sent solid shot into her hull.
“She went down instantly. We had just time to get away from the vortex. Only one of her men was saved.
“He made a clean breast of all, and declared that there was fully a million and a half in treasure aboard the Vestal Virgin. We had some thoughts then of recovering it.
“But the soundings were too deep. No diver could live at that depth. We turned our course homeward.
“And this is how it comes that the Vestal Virgin and her mighty treasure lies at the bottom of the sea.”
Frank had been deeply interested at this recital. As Captain Bell finished he said:
“I will make every endeavor, be sure, to recover that treasure. If I do, a fair share of it is yours.”
Captain Bell gripped Frank’s hand.
“I hope you will succeed,” he said; “and I feel quite sure you will.”
Then Frank showed the captain over the submarine boat.
He was delighted.
“Upon my word, skipper,” he cried. “I’m an old sea dog and reckoned never to leave the surface of the ocean while in life. But I’d give a good deal to take this v’yage with you.”
Frank was thoughtful a moment.
He had taken a great liking to Captain Bell.
“Do you mean that?” he asked.
“With all my heart,” replied the old skipper, eagerly. “And if I don’t work and earn my passage you can put me off at the first port. Shall I go with you?”
“Yes,” replied Frank; “you may.”
CHAPTER II.
THE EXPEDITION STARTS.
This made the captain a happy man.
“I’ll go and tell my wife at once,” he cried. “When do we sail?”
“In one week from to-day.”
“Good! I’ll report for duty then. Good luck till I see you again.”
And the bluff captain was gone.
Frank had two valuable men in his employ who traveled with him the world over.
One was a negro, black as coal and jolly as could be. He rejoiced in the name of Pomp.
The other was an Irishman, as full of native wit as a nut is of meat. His name was Barney O’Shea.
Barney and Pomp were almost as famous as their young master and his inventions.
They were the warmest of friends, and yet to hear them talk one would have felt assured they were enemies, for they were fond of railing at each other in a mock serious way.
If Barney could play a practical joke upon his colored colleague he was happy, and Pomp seldom failed to retaliate in kind.
Really they were the life of any exploring expedition, and for faithful service and devotion Frank could hardly have replaced them.
They were anticipating the submarine voyage with a great deal of relish.
“Golly,” cried Pomp; “I’se jes’ gwine to be tickled to deff to git to trabeling once mo’. I’se been home jes’ long enough, dis chile