Ripples Through Time - 062

I'm reading every Aquaman solo adventure in publication order, one per day. After I read each story I'm going to post the cover/splash page and a few thoughts on the story.

Adventure #129 (June 1948) - The Treasure Beneath The Lake!

When Aquaman and Ark go on vacation to a new lake created by Brentwood Dam, they quickly stumble across villainy.

I love the splash page on this one, with Aquaman (and Ark) inside a bottle with a model ship. I also like the implication that Aquaman goes on vacation to "new" bodies of water created by man. In this case, the lake created by a new dam. Aquaman tells Ark that there are still trees, roads, and houses in the lake.

Naturally, the vacation doesn't last long, as Aquaman spots a diver being attacked by three other divers. He rescues the victim, Frank, who tells Aquaman about a fortune in gold dust that his old partner hid before being murdered by Duke. Aquaman takes up the treasure hunt, and plays an underwater ghost to scare off Duke's thugs. But Duke himself isn't frightened, and Aquaman soon requires rescue.

Despite his problems, Aquaman spends a lot of this tale smiling. His grin after he scares off Duke's thugs is pretty amusing.

Finny Friends Report: Ark is the only sea-life assist in this story, and he helps Aquaman search as well as rescues him near the end of the tale.

Captured/Knocked Out report: After Aquaman scares off Duke's thugs and lets his guard down, Duke himself sneaks up and wallops him with a wrench underwater.

Quotefile: Aquaman, "Here goes my vacation - because crime never seems to take one."

Have you read this story? What do you think?