"I'll be all right in a little bit," he murmured in response to
inquiries.
Ten minutes passed, twenty and then a half hour, while the crippled
submarine lay inactive with a foot of water in her hull and her
commanding officers seriously injured. And then came an added horror
when the electric lights throughout the vessel began slowly to fade
away into darkness. Chief Engineer Blaine came hurrying into the
control chamber:
"Batteries short circuited by the saltwater!" he exclaimed in a tone
of dismay.
"And that means chlorine gas," added Jack.
"Yes, we notice it already aft," said Blaine all righted.
The pungent odor of the deadly fumes swept into the control chamber
as he spoke!
CHAPTER XXVI
THE STARS AND STRIPES
The salt water worked its way into the batteries of the _Monitor_ the
deadly acid was generated and the gas permeated the air. Gasping for
life, half the engine crew retreated forward, covering their eyes and
noses to escape the asphyxiating vapor.
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