The Euclidean submarine bearing Jerry and Joan is plowing steadily southward toward Euclidea, the magic island of the South Seas. The submarine set out to capture Johnson's boat, but Johnson ran past them and is continuing on toward the island. His last radio message telling of an accident to his boat, oil tanks leaking, may not have enough fuel to make port. With all this in mind, the submarine is following Johnson closely so they may pick him up and tow him to port. Mrs. Gregory and Captain Tex Bradford have watched and heard all this from the control room in the submerged island, but they can see and hear nothing of the submarine now as the commander has shut off the power, and Jerry is telling Joan he thinks they have found a friend. I'm afraid you are mistaken, Jerry. These Euclideans are too happy with their power and with their dream of conquering the world. But I tell you, I know what I'm talking about. Now listen, Joan, when that woman commander left us here in the central control section and went up forward there to talk to that engineer, she cut off all the gadgets that pick up our voices and carry them all over the sub, didn't she? Yes, Jerry, but that was only done to conserve the power. If this submarine will have to tow a crippled boat to the island, all the power will be needed to operate the towing magnet. That's all okay, and it gave her a swell excuse, but I'm telling you she wanted us to have a chance to plan something about what we're to do when we get to Johnson's boat. Even if that were true, Jerry, there is nothing we could do of any value. We will tow Mr. Johnson to Euclidea. His boat will be captured with all on board, and Captain Bradford's formula will fall into G-47's hands. Oh, gee, I forgot the formula for a minute. I guess there's nothing we could do about that, is there? You said Mr. Johnson had some of those clever little homing pigeons on his boat. Could he not send a message by one of them, send the formula on to someone else? No, no chance. The pigeons on his boat are trained to go to your mother's boat, and they'll only end up on the island again with a formula. Johnson might just as well take the formula in himself and hand it over to G-47. Let me warn you of one thing, Jerry. Do not try to do more than you have permission to do. You will find the commander and the engineer very swift in their punishment. Gosh, that engineer is big enough and ugly enough to get a job scaring babies any time. But I got an idea. This skipper's going to give us a break. I am afraid, Jerry, that idea will get you into serious trouble. I'll take a chance on it when the time comes. But right now, I won't act like I noticed anything funny about the way she acted. Be quiet. Now she is returning. She sure likes you. Looks like she means business, too. I think you were wrong, Jerry. I see that you at least had intelligence enough to obey instructions and remain as you were. I have given the engineer orders to prepare the stern electromagnets for towing Johnson's boat when his fuel is exhausted. May I ask you something, Commander? You may, if the question is within reason. You use explosive gas for power on this, don't you? Correct. Those lockers are full of cubes of the solidified gas, which, when placed in the discharge tubes and vaporized, explode continuously with tremendous and noiseless power. Thanks. That's swell. But what bothers me is how you get power to run that big generator and whether the power is going to come from to run magnets heavy enough to tow a big boat. The generators are run by water pressure. There are minute tubes throughout the outer shell of this boat, parallel to the axis. The natural rush of water through these tubes is utilized by turbines in the bow and stern. They drive the generators. The storage batteries alone would handle the generators for an hour. Is that not so, Commander? Precisely. But gee, don't you lose a lot of speed by having those tubes pick up all that water? The loss is 15 percent, negligible compared to the amount of current generated. Boy, oh boy, this is really a submarine. You will see the magnets working very shortly. Are we close to Johnson's boat? It is difficult to get the exact range now. His motors have stopped. Then he has run out of fuel. We may come up to him very soon then. Will you take this sub up onto the surface to tow him? This is a submarine. It has never been on the surface, except as you saw it standing perpendicularly to act as a conning tower. But how can you hook the magnets on this boat? He has been instructed by G-47 to drop an anchor over his bow. We will pick up the anchor with our stern magnets and remain in at least two fathoms of water. What will our speed be, Commander, towing that heavy boat? There is no emergent need of speed. We will not attempt more than 15 knots. Golly, whiskers, I think that's pretty fast for a submarine to tow a 100 foot cruiser with a magnet on its anchor. It will not be difficult. There is a discoloration in the water, Commander. Excellent, SE-1. We will observe it closely. Maintain speed and course. Maintain speed and course. Blue South, 25 knots. Now we will check on this discoloration in the water. Hey, wait a minute. You're not going to open a hole in the wall of this thing, are you? Jerry, be quiet. Certainly I am, but have no fear. You will not drown. If your powers of observation were worthy, you would see that I am opening a small slide in the inner shell. So, then a mere slip in the outer shell. And there we have a small stream of water passing through that channel and continuing harmlessly out of the stern turbine exhaust. Gee whiz. Is it not wonderful, Jerry? It sure is. So SE-1 was right. There is a distinct discoloration in the water. Oil. Fuel oil for diesel motors. We are following exactly in the wake of Johnson's leaking fuel tank. There. The volume of oil is increasing. Good. We are near the boat. That's sure keen. But just let me be high on one thing. Did you not understand how the water passed through there without entering the compartment, Jerry? Oh, sure. I understood that. But where did that oil come from? Are you being deliberately stupid? You have heard me say it came from the fuel tanks on the boat we are following. Oh, I don't mean that. I mean that the top of this sub is two fathoms below the surface of the water. Well, how did the oil get down twelve feet in the water? Where I come from, oil floats until it scatters. That is, this is a steady stream. The question surprises me with its intelligence. Had you been more observant, you would have noticed SE-1 has raised a slender feeler tube in the bow. This reaches the surface and turns a jet of surface water through the channel I just opened. Do you have anything as wonderful as that in your world, Jerry? If we do, I can't think of it right now. Silence. I must speak to G-47. Gee, Joan, I was... Silence, I said. That means absolute silence. S-1 reporting to G-47. S-1 to G-47. You may proceed. Boat we are pursuing has stopped. Motor silent. Oil drift on surface here indicates we are nearing boat. Prepared to tow it to Euclidia. Special orders? Then proceed. That is all, G-47. Gee, we're going to pick up Johnson's boat now. Naturally. You will find the method of attaching the magnetic stern fin to the anchor of the captive boat. Highly illuminative, Jerry. You mean I'll get a kick out of it. There will be no kicking here. The language of the stable is out of place in this well-ordered machine. He is just trying to have some fun with me, Commander. Jerry acts as if he didn't understand big words. It seems to be no effort for him to misunderstand anything. I guess you're right, Skipper. I'm sorry, Commander. S-E-1, prepare to tow Johnson's boat. Prepare to tow Johnson's boat. Has Boat been advised to have bow anchor up? That has been done. You will maneuver position. I will personally attend to securing anchor with stern magnetic fin. Maintain speed and course until boat sighted. Very good, Commander. You too may witness this operation if you care to accompany me to the stern section. Oh, golly whiskers. That's swell. Thanks. Hull, what is the meaning of this? What? Have you no manners? If you are not cognizant of the accepted tactics in the presence of a superior, you might at least observe the common decencies. I, uh, well, what have I done now? You started to precede the Commander, Jerry. Oh, Jerry, I am so disappointed in you. I'm sorry, Joan. Golly, I was so excited I forgot to... Well, I'm sorry, Commander. It may be overlooked this time as the damage is purely rhetorical. But let that be a lesson to you, Hull. There is a place for everyone in the Euclidean scheme of things. Your place is at all times secondary to that of the Commander. Right. You may follow me to the stern. Boy, can she be tough. I told you, Jerry. You made a mistake about her. I guess I did. You will sit there, Hull. Remember that the magnetic paint on your hands and shoes is still active. Okay. I won't get funny. You there, Cleostrum. Thank you, Commander. You will remain silent. You may see all that is of interest through the transparent shell. Boat dirty hat. Light draft. We will clear it. Excellent. Retard speed to stop stern fin directly below bow anchor of that boat. Retarded. Losing speed. Twenty knots. Fifteen knots. Ten. Full reverse tubes. Full reverse tubes. Five knots. Stationary, Commander. Very well. Hold it so with stabilizers. I will project this stern magnetic fin. What is this, SE-1? Yes, Commander. You have contributed an atrocious piece of navigation. You have driven about three fathoms beyond the anchor from that boat. Sorry, Commander. Reversing at once. Yeah. Three fathoms. That is satisfactory. Gee whiz. The poor guy misses an anchor chain 18 feet with the stern of the boat 80 feet from him and he gets the dick and spore. That was a serious error, Jerry. Not in my country it wouldn't be. Silence. Stabilize as you are, SE-1. Stationary, Commander. Very well. Observe closely, Hall. This lever. Move it to this position so the fin is extended. It just touches the anchor. Boy, that's slick figuring. And the engineer moved mighty fast too when he gave you those other 18 feet on the reverse. Things must move swiftly to have a value here, Jerry. Precisely. Ready to absorb the contact shock. Ready. Very well. What is the weight of that boat, Hall? Gee, I don't know. I should have known you wouldn't know anything of value. I have never heard the tonnage referred to. Then I must estimate it. The generator's full. So. Three circuits of magnets will handle the load easily. You may feel a slight shock as the magnets in the fin engage the anchor. So. Gee whiz. Did you see that thing grab that anchor, Joan? Yes, Jerry. I have seen it before. Silence. Ready, SE1. Ready, Commander. Full speed ahead to break inertia. Then retract to 10 knots for cruising. Right. Very good, SE1. Set your regulator for 10 knots. I will attend the current supply. Same course. Proceed. Very good, Commander. Boy, we're really pulling that big boat 10 knots an hour now? I hardly think yet, Jerry. It should take about 30 seconds to attain speed. Can I use the radio now? We can talk to Johnson easy when we're this close together. You are entirely too close to Johnson. I will take no chances with you, Hull. Remain exactly as you are.
