XXIV 



THE WONDERFUL FATHOMETER 



THERE is a story still told of how a stoker 

 on board a famous Cunarder was startled 

 out of a prosaic existence by hearing a very 

 loud and heavy thump right under his feet. 

 The ship had left port two hours before 

 and was far away from the land. 



A little later the thump was repeated 

 again so there was no question of a mis- 

 taken impression on the part of the stoker. 

 He was now alarmed and could only con- 

 clude one of two things; the first that the 

 ship was hitting against some sunken 

 wreckage, or alternatively that some poor 

 fellow engaged in the false bottom, or in 

 a tank had been trapped and was using his 

 hammer to summon assistance. 



The stoker called the engineer and he 

 began to laugh, greatly to the annoyance of 



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