When this had been done, there was nothing left to be accomplished5 but the launching of the Wondership. The sea remained smooth, but without question the island was sinking rapidly. This made the need for haste imperative6. Yet Captain Sprowl allowed nothing to be slighted. Maps of the district where they expected to land, navigating7 instruments and the ship’s chronometers8 were placed on board. The professor’s papers were found to have been stolen from his cabin, which had been ransacked9 from floor to roof; but, luckily, his most important documents he carried on his person.
As for clothes, they could take only what they had on; for when the work of loading was complete, the Wondership carried a pretty heavy cargo10, besides the six persons who were to travel in her. This number, too, was augmented11 by a seventh in the person of Judkins. Feeble groans12 from his cabin had led to the discovery that the injured man had been left behind by his companions. He was carried out and placed in the machine before it was launched so as to lose no time later in hoisting13 his helpless form over the side.
The tackles by which the craft had been hauled on board luckily remained intact, and by passing the ropes around a hand winch they found that they could hoist14 her into the air and drop her gently upon the water. The list of the ship aided the transfer materially, and the work of immediate15 preparation for their adventurous16 trip occupied but a small portion of an hour.
When all was in readiness and the Wondership floated alongside, they descended17 by the companionway, and a few minutes later the engine was started. As they glided18 off to the westward19, they noticed that the island was almost awash. Before they had gone five miles, nothing was visible but the masts of the yacht and her yellow funnel20. Within ten minutes more these, too, had vanished, and they knew that the Valkyrie had ended her last cruise. They were alone on the ocean.
Their plan was to keep on a due westerly course, which would bring them in time to land, without fail. Once landed, the proposal was for a part of the castaways to strike off and seek out a town or village where aid might be procured21. Aside from this, their plans had been left to such circumstances as might confront them on the Brazilian shore.
The bulky machine did not draw as much water as might have been anticipated, owing to its broad displacement22 and the lightness of the metal of which it was built. In fact, under different circumstances, the voyagers would have enjoyed the novel experience. Except for the hum of the propeller23 at the fore-end of the craft she moved noiselessly through the water. All vibration24 and jar were absent, and the motion could only be compared to that of some gracefully25 gliding26 water bird.
“What speed are we makin’?” asked Captain Sprowl, who was leaning back in his cushioned seat smoking luxuriously27 like a magnate in his motor car.
“About twenty miles an hour,” was Jack28’s reply after a glance at the speed-registering device, which formed one of numerous dials and instruments attached to the dash-board. As Tom had once remarked, the dash-board of the Wondership looked “like the bridge of a battleship,” what with its compasses, registers and meters of various kinds.
“That ought to bring us in sight of shore before very long,” commented the captain, “I’d like to land before dark. This coast ain’t very thickly inhabited, so far as I know, and them as do live there may not have a very hearty29 ‘welcome’ on their door mat for us.”
“We’ve got plenty of rifles and ammunition,” declared Tom boldly, “in case anyone attacks us.”
“A good way to keep out of trouble, son, is not to go lookin’ for it,” was the captain’s response, “and anyhow, what good ‘ud your rifles be in a thick forest of trees with some sort of a savage30 behind each of ‘em?”
Tom looked abashed31 and said nothing. But Dick struck in with a question.
“There are savages32 ashore33, then?” he asked.
“Wa’al, I ain’t sayin’ no and I ain’t sayin’ yes,” said the captain evasively; “but Brazil is full of river Indians, and at certain times of the year they come down to the coast to get turtles’ eggs and fish and so forth34; and I’ve got a notion in the back of my head that they ain’t just as gentle and refined as they ought to be, ‘specially where they see a chance to get a little loot.”
Nothing more was said for some time, and the Wondership forged smoothly35 and steadily36 ahead. Suddenly the captain, who had been looking over the side, drew their attention to the water.
“Look down there,” he said, “if you boys want to see a rare sight.”
They all peered over and saw, swimming slowly along in the translucent37 water, a large, whitish-colored fish with a huge protuberance of some kind sticking out from its head.
“By the plunging38 porpoises39 of Portugal,” exclaimed Dick Donovan, “what under the sun is it?”
“A sword-fish?” hazarded Jack.
“That’s right, lad, and an old slapper, too. My! That sword of his must be five feet long if it’s an inch. Look at the spikes40 sticking out from it!”
“Jimminy! I’d hate to get rammed42 by that,” cried Tom, gazing down at the great fish with its odd, bony sword.
“Gracious! If he ever took it into his head to attack us, he’d soon make a hole in the bottom,” cried Jack the next moment, as the sword-fish gave a quick twist of its tail and darted43 ahead.
“Plenty of cases have been known of sword-fish attacking ships,” declared the captain. “In 1894, the whale ship Mary Ambree came into New Bedford with a big sword from a sword-fish stuck into her port quarter. It had broken off and was rammed about six inches into the wood. The fish that owned it must have died on the voyage up and rotted from its weapon.”
“That’s a peril44 we didn’t count on,” said Mr. Chadwick. “It would be a mighty45 serious matter for us all if that fish was to ram41 us, either by intent or mistake.”
“Maybe so vee bedder go py de air up,” said the professor, a trifle nervously46.
“It might be a good time to test that patch, anyhow,” declared Jack.
He turned on the gas inlet, and with a rush and hiss47 the bag began to fill. But he shut it off before sufficient buoyancy was obtained to lift them. He did not wish to waste gas unnecessarily, for although an extra supply of the gas-making material was on board, still there was not any too much of it.
The patch appeared to hold perfectly48. So interested were they all in seeing if this vital part of the craft was to prove efficient, that none of them paid any attention to what was going on about them.
It was Dick Donovan who excitedly called their attention at length to a great commotion49 on the water ahead of them. The sea was boiling up almost as if a volcano had suddenly opened beneath it. Then from the midst of the confusion, a great spout50 of water shot heavenward as if it had been projected from some mighty fountain.
“It’s a whale!” shouted Captain Sprowl, who had served his time in the “fishery,” as it is called.
“Himmel! So idt is!” cried the German naturalist51. “Ach! A big vun, too! Blitzen, see him!”
As he uttered these excited cries the whale leaped from the water,—“breached,” as it is called by whale-men. High into the air the huge form, fully1 eighty feet in length, rose much as though the colossal52 fish were imitating a leaping salmon53. As it settled back with a mighty crash that sounded like the report of a cannon54, a second and much smaller whale leaped from the water.
“It’s an old whale and her calf55!” shouted the captain. “Oh! if I had a harpoon56!”
“Poys, dot is a sight vot iss not possible to be seen efery day,” exclaimed the professor enthusiastically.
“Well, I hope they don’t decide to investigate us,” spoke57 Dick Donovan, “I’d as soon have the Flatiron Building coming alongside.”
“They’d make mincemeat of us sure enough,” declared the captain, “but I guess they won’t make trouble for us. It’s mostly the old bulls that attack boats. Cows is peaceable enough if you leave ‘em alone.”
“Be very sure that we’ll leave her ladyship yonder alone,” laughed Mr. Chadwick.
As he spoke there was a sudden swirl58 in the water ahead of them where the two whales were swimming side by side, the young one close to its mother. Then came a smother59 of foam60 and then the water alongside the swimming mammoth61 was dyed crimson62.
“It’s the sword-fish!” cried Mr. Chadwick. “He’s attacked the whale!”
“No, it’s the calf he’s after!” shouted the captain. “Hail Columbia! Now look out fer squalls!”
“Say!” cried Tom, “we’d better get away from here. Look, the big whale is turning on the sword-fish! There’ll be some waves here in a jiffy that will swamp us, if we don’t look out.”
“That’s right,” agreed the captain, “get this craft up in the air if you can, Jack. There’s nothing worse on land or sea than an old cow whale whose calf has been injured.”
As he spoke, the big whale rushed at the sword-fish whose ivory weapon had impaled63 her young one. Her great flukes struck the water with resounding64 crashes, making waves that threatened to swamp their craft.
“Get up! Get up!” roared Tom. “We’ll be swamped!”
Jack turned on the gas full power, but the ship did not rise. Her heavy load made her sluggish65.
“Start her!” bellowed66 the captain. “Start her for your life!”
“I can’t! She won’t rise!” cried Jack despairingly.
“Then we are lost. Look there!”
Coming toward them at the speed of an express train was the huge whale. On she drove, making straight for the stranded67 motor ship.
“She’s going to attack us! She thinks that we killed her young one!” cried Mr. Chadwick.
The motor ship lay straight in the path of the maddened whale. As they regarded the fury of the oncoming creature with apprehensive68 eyes, they could almost feel the terrible impact and the struggle for life that must ensue when the leviathan struck their frail69 craft.
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1
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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resinous
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| adj.树脂的，树脂质的，树脂制的 | |
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lockers
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| n.寄物柜( locker的名词复数 ) | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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7
navigating
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| v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的现在分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃 | |
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chronometers
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| n.精密计时器，航行表( chronometer的名词复数 ) | |
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ransacked
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| v.彻底搜查( ransack的过去式和过去分词 )；抢劫，掠夺 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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Augmented
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| adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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hoisting
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| 起重，提升 | |
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hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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funnel
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| n.漏斗；烟囱；v.汇集 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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displacement
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| n.移置，取代，位移，排水量 | |
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propeller
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| n.螺旋桨，推进器 | |
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vibration
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| n.颤动，振动；摆动 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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luxuriously
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| adv.奢侈地，豪华地 | |
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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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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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translucent
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| adj.半透明的；透明的 | |
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plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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porpoises
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| n.鼠海豚( porpoise的名词复数 ) | |
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spikes
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| n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划 | |
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ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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42
rammed
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| v.夯实（土等）( ram的过去式和过去分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输 | |
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43
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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45
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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46
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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47
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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48
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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49
commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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50
spout
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| v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱 | |
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51
naturalist
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| n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者) | |
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52
colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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53
salmon
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| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
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54
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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55
calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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56
harpoon
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| n.鱼叉；vt.用鱼叉叉，用鱼叉捕获 | |
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57
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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58
swirl
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| v.(使)打漩，(使)涡卷；n.漩涡，螺旋形 | |
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59
smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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60
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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mammoth
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| n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的 | |
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62
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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63
impaled
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| 钉在尖桩上( impale的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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65
sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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66
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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67
stranded
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| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
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68
apprehensive
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| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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