"We'll have to
try that. Come with me to the engine room, Mr. Earle. It may be
possible we can pull her loose."
They started to crawl on their hands and knees, to take
advantage of the purer air at the floor level. The situation of
the M. N. 1 was exactly the same as it had been when she ran into
the mud bank in the river, with the exception that now she was in
graver danger, for the supply of air for breathing was almost
exhausted.
Reaching the engine room, where he found the crew lying down to
take advantage of the better air near the floor, Tom made a hasty
examination of the apparatus. There was still plenty of power
left in the storage batteries, but, so far, the motors they
operated had not been able to pull the craft loose from where her
nose was stuck fast.
"Are the tanks completely emptied?" asked Tom.
"As nearly so as we could manage with the pumps not acting to
their full capacity," answered Earle. "If we could turn the craft
on a more level keel we might empty them further, and then her
natural buoyancy would send her up.
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