Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat
'Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat' Summary
Tom Swift's father has been working diligently on a secret project, which he reveals at the beginning of the book as a submarine. With the submarine, named the Advance, he plans to enter a contest for a government prize of $50,000. While in New Jersey to launch the submarine, Tom reads in a newspaper that a ship named the Boldero sank off the coast of Uruguay during a storm, taking down with it the sum of $300,000 in gold bullion.
Tom persuades his father to pursue this treasure as opposed to competing for the government prize. While picking up a hired sea captain, Tom's plans are overheard by a contestant in the government contest, and a rivalry for the treasure begins. The other submarine, named the Wonder, soon sets off to follow Tom and his crew after they embark on their journey.
Tom's crew consists of Tom Swift, his father, Mr. Sharp, Captain West, and Mr. Damon. Each of these take chores on board, including Mr. Damon, who seems to be the cook of the voyage.
The submarines hold up at an island to resupply, and during the night, the Advance tries to slip away from the Wonder. Tom knows that the Wonder and its crew is not certain of the location of the wreck, and is merely following the Advance, hoping to steal the treasure at the last moment.
After the Wonder tries to ram the Advance, Tom and his father take to the heavy underwater cannons, and successfully disable the Wonder, leaving her damaged and immobile. Tom and the Advance seize the opportunity to push ahead.
An engine mishap forces the Advance to surface off the coast of Brazil, where they are soon confronted by the Brazilian battleship São Paulo. Tom and his crew are captured and scheduled to be executed two days later, and the submarine turned over to the Brazilian government. Tom and his friends are held prisoners aboard the battleship.
The night before their execution, a hurricane strikes, and the São Paulo is pushed aground by the winds. The crew take this opportunity to break out and escape, while the battleship's crew are busy trying to save the ship. Using cover from the ship, which is acting as a shield from the waves and winds, Tom's group take to a lifeboat, and escape to the Advance, diving just in time to escape the Brazilian crew of the São Paulo.
It is not long before the Advance arrives at the wreck. They struggle to find it at first, but soon are successful. In their extreme-depth diving suits, Tom and Captain West enter the waters where the wreck is, which is at a depth of over 2 miles—similar to the RMS Titanic. Sharks attack but are fought off.
Gold was found in a secret compartment behind the Captain's safe, and recovered from the Boldero just in time to escape from the now-arriving Wonder. With the $300,000 in gold as a deposit at Tom's local bank in Shopton, the bank considers Tom one of their biggest investors, and with this new power, Tom manages to bring his chum, Ned Newton, a promotion.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1910Genre/Category
Tags/Keywords
Author
Victor Appleton was a house pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and its successors, most famous for being associated with the Tom Swift series of books. The following series have been publish...
More on Victor AppletonDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Tom Swift and the Visitor From Planet X by Victor Appleton
If you haven't come across the 200-book series about Tom Swift Jr, this book would be an interesting one to start with. The series is aimed at the you...
The Soft Side by Henry James
It is a novel that tells the story of a young girl's coming-of-age journey. Originally published in 1900, the book is still relevant today for its tim...
The Charwoman's Shadow by Lord Dunsany
It is a captivating novel that tells the story of a young boy named Joseph who is fascinated by the shadows of the people around him. One day, he meet...
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
An acclaimed children’s classic depicting the odd, but riveting journeys of the curious Alice as she explores the surreal world of Wonderland. Written...
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
Little Men, or Life at Plumfield with Jo's Boys, is a children's novel by American author Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888), which was first published in...
The House on the Cliff by Franklin W. Dixon
Get ready for a pulse-pounding journey into the world of intrigue and suspense with "The House on the Cliff" by Franklin W. Dixon. Unveil the secrets...
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Montgomery’s literary classic recounts the exciting adventures undertaken by the fiery eleven-year-old Anne Shirley, an orphan girl accidentally adopt...
The Bobbsey Twins on the Deep Blue Sea by Laura Lee Hope
This is an exciting children's adventure book that takes young readers on a thrilling journey across the ocean. Written by Hope, a prolific author of...
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
“A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, biting, clutching, covetous old sinner” is hardly hero material, but this is exactly what makes A Christmas Carol b...
Lad: A Dog by Albert Terhune
Lad: A Dog is a 1919 American novel written by Albert Payson Terhune and published by E. P. Dutton. Composed of twelve short stories first published i...
Reviews for Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat
No reviews posted or approved, yet...