“I hastened over here as soon as I got the despatch,” he said, “as I knew that you boys were transforming the Road Racer into some novel form. The Professor may be here to-morrow, and if you wish me to I’ll present you to him and you may be able to meet his demands. I’m too busy at present on that new steel reducing furnace to spare any time.”
“He gives no details?” asked Jack5.
“No, as you see, it’s just a hurried despatch dated from his yacht. He is a celebrated6 man and has been all over the world on various scientific quests, in the interests of zo?logy mainly. But you boys look excited. What’s the matter?”
Jack speedily placed his parent in possession of the situation confronting them.
“The yacht is in need of aid, you think?” he asked when Jack completed a hurried and breathless recital7.
“Without doubt. Hark! There’s another gun,” cried the boy. “I wish we could go to their help.”
“If we had a boat——” began Jack’s father. But the boy cut him short. Without further delay he plunged8 into an explanation of the Wondership. Mr. Chadwick looked amazed for an instant, but then his face resumed its customary air of studious calm.
“You think your device will work?” he asked, regarding Jack keenly.
“I’m sure of it. In fact, we have buoyancy to spare. On paper——”
“Paper and practice are different things, my boy.”
“I know, sir, but——”
“You see, there are human lives at stake out there. It’s worth risking,” broke in Tom, unable to keep silence any longer. “Can’t we go?”
Mr. Chadwick considered an instant.
“Let me take a look at your ‘Wondership,’ as you call it,” he said.
With what rapidity Jack exhibited the craft and showed off her good points may be imagined. While they were thus engaged there came the sound of another gun. Then Mr. Chadwick spoke9.
“Is everything ready?”
“Down to the last nut on the ultimate bolt,” declared Jack.
“Plenty of gas?”
“A reservoir full and more gas-making stuff in the reserve chamber10.”
“Very well, then. I’m ready when you are.”
And without any more words Mr. Chadwick climbed into the machine, using in his ascent11 a small ladder set against the gleaming metallic12 sides. The boys exchanged glances. But they didn’t make any comment. It was not a time for words. While they waited even, events might be transpiring13 aboard the strange yacht of an unknown, possibly tragic14, nature.
“Open the doors, Tom,” ordered Jack, in a voice that sounded like anybody else’s rather than his own.
Tom hastened to obey. The big panels in front of the shed rolled back. The opening thus revealed framed a wild sea-scape of rising waves, overcast15 sky and, in the center, the yacht, her reversed ensign making a bright splotch of color against the leaden background. But as yet the wind was merely puffy, and not blowing with dangerous strength.
Having opened the doors, Tom hastened back. He climbed in by Jack’s side.
“Are we all ready?” he asked, with a gulp18. In his excitement his heart was bounding with sufficient velocity19 to be uncomfortably evident. But he managed, by an effort, to keep calm, or rather to appear so.
“As ready as we’ll ever be, I guess. Be ready to lower those hydroplanes when I give the word.”
Tom nodded. The hydroplanes worked on toggle-joints and could be lowered and locked when required. This was a part of his duty that the boys had already rehearsed. Jack’s hand sought a lever. A hissing20 sound followed. The gas was beginning to rush into the big gas-bag. Its folds began to puff17 out and writhe21 as if some living thing was within it.
“I’ll start when it is half full,” announced Jack in a sober voice.
“How’s the pressure?” inquired Tom, whose face was pale.
“Fine; a trifle over five hundred pounds. We’ll fill quickly on that.”
In the rear seat, which might be likened to the tonneau of an auto22, sat Mr. Chadwick. Not a trace of emotion was visible on his strong features. Through his spectacles he eyed the boys’ preparations with interest. It was by no means his first trip in the Flying Road Racer, as he still called it, and he knew that the boys thoroughly23 understood her management. Therefore he did not embarrass them with questions or suggestions.
“That’s enough,” announced Jack presently, when the bag was almost full, “that will lift us and I’ll fill out the wrinkles while we are in the air.”
“You’re going up first, then?”
“Of course. That will give you a chance to get over your ‘rattles’ before we drop.”
“Rot!” vociferated Tom indignantly. “I’m not rattled24 a bit.”
But his shaking hands and shining eyes belied25 his words. If not “rattled,” Tom was considerably26 excited. Jack, on the other hand, although his pulses were throbbing27 uncomfortably fast and a large lump appeared to have clambered into his throat and stuck there, was outwardly as cool as ice.
“Ready, Dad! I’m going to start! Hold tight!”
“All right, my boy. Go ahead as soon as you’re ready.”
Jack pressed a button on the steering28 pillar. The self-starting mechanism29, operated by the same storage batteries that ran the lights and the ventilating fans, whirred loudly in response. An instant later he applied30 the gas. A volley of explosions followed. The shed was filled with an odd, sickly odor.
Again Jack’s hands flew, and with a jolt31 the Wondership leaped forward, rumbling32 over the wooden floor.
Straight out toward the sand dunes she rolled, her engine pulsing like a throbbing human heart. The light but strong framework vibrated under the strain. The great propeller33 of magnesium-vanadium metal became a mere16 shadowy blur34.
Outside the shed a sort of runway had been built leading down to high water mark. As the odd craft rushed toward the waves Tom was conscious of a queer feeling, centering at the pit of his stomach.
“Guess I must be scared,” he snorted indignantly to himself, and then broke off with a sudden exclamation35.
“What’s that?”
“What’s what?” came from Jack, who was busy adjusting levers and buttons.
“Why, that.”
As he spoke, both boys became aware of an odd sort of muffled36 sound, coming seemingly from under the seat on which they were stationed.
“Something’s wrong with the machinery37,” cried Tom, as the odd sound came again.
“Can’t be. She’s working like a clock,” rejoined Jack. “Hold tight,—we’re going up.”
As Jack spoke, he applied a full stream of gas to the limp bag, and the Wondership shot upward with the swiftness of a rocket. A gust38 of wind struck them and sang weirdly39 through the rigging and supports. But the craft never wavered on her course. As she shot upward, though, from the yacht, heard above the hum and buzz of the machinery, came the sound of another gun.
“They’re wishing us luck!” cried Jack.
“We’ll need all we can get,” came a voice. “By the bounding brown buffaloes40 of Brunswick, this is the limit!”
“Hullo! What’s the matter with you, Tom?” cried Jack looking around in astonishment41, as he manipulated the craft with a skill born of long practice.
“I didn’t speak, Jack. It was that same mysterious voice. This craft is haunted, I believe.”
“Nonsense. We must be imagining things,” declared Jack; “but I’m almost sure I heard a voice.”
“So am I. How is she working, Jack?” asked Tom, dismissing the subject. He thought that his overwrought nerves were at work.
“Finely. I’m heading straight for the yacht. I mean to circle her and then,” he paused an instant and added, “drop!”
Jack now pushed the craft ahead at full speed. Faster and faster she went. Far below them lay the sullenly42 heaving ocean. Beyond, but very close now, was the yacht.
“All right, Tom. Get ready now.”
Tom jumped to his work. In a few seconds the novel aluminum43 hydroplanes were adjusted and fixed44 in place. The yacht was right below them now, but the figures on her deck were dwarfed45 to pigmies. Jack set the suction pump to work, reducing the gas supply in the bag.
Slowly at first, and then faster, the great air craft began to fall toward the gray sea. The propeller ceased revolving46. In almost total silence, except for the boys’ quick breathing, the descent continued. Suddenly a wild cry split the air. It appeared to come from the Wondership itself.
“Let me out! Put me ashore47! By the buck-jumping broncos of Butte, I wasn’t born for a watery48 grave!”
“Gracious!” cried Jack, in a startled tone, as a head of red hair poked49 itself out from under the seat, “we’ve got an aerial stowaway50 aboard!”
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收听单词发音
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1
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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dunes
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| 沙丘( dune的名词复数 ) | |
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despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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13
transpiring
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| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的现在分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
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14
tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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overcast
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| adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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gulp
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| vt.吞咽，大口地吸（气）；vi.哽住；n.吞咽 | |
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velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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21
writhe
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| vt.挣扎，痛苦地扭曲；vi.扭曲，翻腾，受苦；n.翻腾，苦恼 | |
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22
auto
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| n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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belied
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| v.掩饰( belie的过去式和过去分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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31
jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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32
rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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propeller
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| n.螺旋桨，推进器 | |
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34
blur
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| n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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36
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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37
machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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38
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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39
weirdly
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| 古怪地 | |
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40
buffaloes
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| n.水牛（分非洲水牛和亚洲水牛两种）( buffalo的名词复数 )；（南非或北美的）野牛；威胁；恐吓 | |
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41
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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42
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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43
aluminum
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| n.(aluminium)铝 | |
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44
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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45
dwarfed
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| vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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46
revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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47
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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48
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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49
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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50
stowaway
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| n.（藏于轮船，飞机中的）偷乘者 | |
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