CHAPTER XIII. THE END.

Still the Dart¹ kept on her course.

Frank looked in vain for the signs of land described by Captain Bell. To him they did not exist.

He had no means of knowing at what depth they were.

But he knew that their situation was hourly growing more critical.

Then Prof. Von Bulow came to him.

“I have a request to make.

“If you should succeed in reaching home alive tell my wife that I sent her my love in my dying breath.”

Frank took the scientist’s hand.

“Of course I would do that,” he said. “But there is no more chance for me to reach home safely than for you.”

“I understand,” said Von Bulow, sadly; “but it is a comfort to me.”

“Then I will promise,” said Frank.

Just at this moment came the climax².

Barney came running into the cabin with his face as pale as chalk.

“Misther Frank!” he cried, “the chemical generator³ has failed to worruk, an’ the air is all going, sor!”

At once active measures were taken to meet the end.

The helmets were hurriedly brought and donned.

It was none too soon, for the air in the cabin was quickly exhausted⁴. Then the Dart came to a stop, for it was useless to attempt to run it without the aid of the pneumatic engine.

The Dart was securely anchored, and then, as lightly equipped as possible, the explorers set forth⁵ upon their apparently⁶ hopeless quest for land.

On and on they wandered.

What seemed like an interminable period elapsed.

Still there was no sign of land.

Von Bulow had begun to give out.

All the others were more or less affected⁷; at length the scientist sank down helpless.

But at the eleventh hour rescue came.

Suddenly Barney sprang up with a sharp cry. It was not heard by the others, but his action was seen.

He pointed⁸ to an object not many feet away and advancing toward them.

It was a man in a diver’s costume, with life line and rope. He came toward them with astonishment⁹.

Putting his helmet to Frank’s, he shouted:

“Who are you?”

“We are the crew of the submarine boat Dart.”

And Frank told his story, to which the diver listened with amazement¹⁰.

“And I am John Frisbie, of the Thames Diving Company,” said the diver. “I am down here looking for the brig Enterprise, sunk here two weeks ago.”

“What part of the sea is this?” asked Frank.

“We are in the English Channel.”

What followed needs but a few words to relate.

Frank and the others were safely drawn¹¹ up and aboard the English tug¹² Fortune. A few days later they were safe in London.

The great submarine expedition was at an end.

All hands returned to America.

Frank Reade, Jr., and Barney and Pomp went back to Readestown. Frank at once began work upon a new invention.

Captain Bell recovered his gold by diving for it, but the Dart was never raised, and to-day sleeps at the bottom of the English Channel.

And this, dear reader, brings to a propitious¹³ end our story of submarine adventure.

The End

1 dart   

v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲

参考例句：

• The child made a sudden dart across the road.那小孩突然冲过马路。
• Markov died after being struck by a poison dart.马尔科夫身中毒镖而亡。

2 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

3 generator   

n.发电机，发生器

参考例句：

• All the while the giant generator poured out its power.巨大的发电机一刻不停地发出电力。
• This is an alternating current generator.这是一台交流发电机。

4 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

5 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

6 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

10 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

11 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

12 tug   

v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船

参考例句：

• We need to tug the car round to the front.我们需要把那辆车拉到前面。
• The tug is towing three barges.那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。

13 propitious   

adj.吉利的；顺利的

参考例句：

• The circumstances were not propitious for further expansion of the company.这些情况不利于公司的进一步发展。
• The cool days during this week are propitious for out trip.这种凉爽的天气对我们的行程很有好处。