The Eye of Neptune Read Online Free Page A

tunnel.
    But what really caught Dakkar’s attention was the strange craft that bobbed in the centre of the pool, tied in place by strong ropes. It reminded him of a cocoon. The deck was flat at the back and held what looked like a wheel from a watermill or a paddle from a miniature paddle steamer. Portholes lined the sides of the ‘lid’ and the hull of the boat.
    ‘The submersible,’ Dakkar whispered.
    A plank bridged the gap from the rocky plateau to the craft. Dakkar tiptoed along it and, leaning forward, he pressed his palms on the polished wooden hull. As he did so, his knuckles grazed a brass lever. Without thinking, he pulled at it and scrambled back as the lid lifted with a hiss.
    The submersible was open.
    Two cushioned seats occupied the front of the craft. Dakkar could see the captain’s seat, inviting him to climb in. What harm would it do just to sit inside? He stretched a leg into the craft.

Chapter Three
    The Ma k a r a
    Dakkar sat in the boat and ran his hands over the wheel in front of him. He poked the black substance that ran along the edge of the lid.
    ‘Rubber from the Americas,’ he muttered to himself. ‘It must form a waterproof seal when the top is shut.’
    A memory of Oginski melting rubber in a pan in the kitchen came to mind. Mrs Evans had gone mad and the smell had made Dakkar sick to his stomach.
    ‘This could be the best waterproofing for ships ever,’ Oginski had said.
    ‘It’ll be the death of me, Count Oginski,’ Mrs Evans had snapped back, pushing him out of her kitchen, shaking her head at her ruined pots and pans.
    Dakkar looked behind him at the engine that filled half the craft. A central wheel with thick teeth sat in the midst of a mass of cogs and springs. Wires and tubes spiralled off around the inside of the craft, disappearing into parts of the hull and the control panel at the front. In the middle of this sat a box with a crank handle sticking out of it.
    ‘Surely it isn’t clockwork!’ Dakkar said, climbing out of his seat.
    He heaved at the crank handle. It clicked noisily. Dakkar was panting by the time he felt he could wind no more.
    ‘It’s amazing,’ he whispered, staring at the complex mass of cogs and springs. It must have some incredible gear system to generate enough power to move. I wonder how often it needs to be wound.
    Steadying himself as the craft rocked on the water, Dakkar eased himself back into his seat and gripped the small ship’s wheel that poked out in front of him. Several levers and taps dotted the smooth wooden panel behind the wheel.
    Dakkar closed his eyes and thought of the plan he’d seen in the cellar. The boat’s hull had two layers and a compartment between them could fill with water and submerge the craft. He reached for the lid, then stopped and bit his lip. He wanted to plunge underwater to see how deep the boat could go. But Oginski will go berserk if he finds out! If he finds out! Dakkar thought. But he doesn’t have to. He has his secrets, so I’ll have mine!
    The submersible felt cramped and stifling as Dakkar pulled the lid down and secured the watertight seal with a lever. Thinking back to the plan, Dakkar twirled a brass disc at the centre of the main wheel and the engine clanked into life, making the hairs on the back of his neck prickle.
    The craft didn’t move.
    Dakkar frowned, his heart thumping. He glanced around and noticed a brass handle in among the levers behind the wheel. He whirled it round and heard a gurgling sound as seawater filled the hull of the craft. Gradually, the waterline crept halfway over the portholes, but there it stopped. What’s going on? Dakkar wondered.
    It was then that he noticed the tight line of rope stretching to the side of the cavern. He laughed to himself. I forgot to untie her!
    Dakkar whirled the handle back, relieved to hear the bubbling gush of water as the hull filled with air once more and the boat floated to the surface. Quickly, he opened the lid and scrambled out,