“There is no need for that,” said the scientist. “I see you do not trust me.”
Ned would have blushed except for the fact that he was almost as brown as an Indian; and whoever heard of an Indian blushing?
“I beg your pardon!” exclaimed the lad. “I—I really didn’t think what I was doing. But did you hear that noise?”
“Yes, I heard something. There is some excitement up above.”
There was no question about that. The shouting[209] and the tumult6 up above continued to increase, and it was evident that something serious had happened. There had been no concussion7 such as had taken place when the derelict hit the Sherman, but that there was danger was evident even to the scientist, who, like Professor Snodgrass, was absent-minded and let the ordinary affairs of life pass by unheeded.
“We had better go up and see what it is,” suggested Ned.
“Yes, I agree with you,” was the answer. “My explanations will keep for a while.”
Ned was of the same mind, and, putting away his weapon, he and his companion hastened out of the latter’s cabin. In the passageway leading to the main deck they encountered many sailors, marines, soldiers and officers hurrying along.
“What’s the matter? What’s happened now?” called Ned to some whom he knew.
“Don’t know! Another explosion, I guess!” some one answered.
“They’ve signaled to abandon ship!” cried another. “We’ve got to take to the boats!”
With an exclamation8 Dr. Hallet turned from Ned’s side. He swung about and was about to retrace9 his steps when the lad caught him by the arm.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Back to my cabin.”
[210]
“What for?”
“To get some of my most valuable experimental specimens10 and save my notebooks. Their loss would be irreparable.”
“You can’t go back!” cried Ned, and he sought to drag his companion with him. “The ship may go down at any minute, and if you’re caught in your cabin you won’t have a chance!”
“But I must save my papers!” cried the scientist. “They represent my life work. I would be ruined if they were lost! If we have to take to the boats I can save them if I have them with me. I can’t let them go down with the ship.”
Ned recognized the same traits so often shown by Professor Snodgrass under similar conditions. The doctor was going to prove a stubborn man, Ned could see that.
“Hurry up! Hurry up!” a sailor shouted as he passed Ned and his companion on the run. “Get to your boat stations!”
“Do you hear!” yelled Ned in the doctor’s ear. “We’ve got to abandon the troopship!”
“I don’t go without my notes!” was the answer, and the man sought to pull his arm away from Ned’s detaining hand.
“Well, if you feel that way about it the only thing for me to do is to help you,” muttered the Motor Boy. “I can’t see you drown like a rat in a trap, and you may if you don’t have help. Come[211] on!” he said in no very gentle voice as he swung around and hurried along with the doctor.
“What are you going to do?” asked the scientist in some alarm.
“Help you gather up your notebooks and other things. Oh, don’t be afraid!” he added, as he saw a look of something like distrust spread itself over the features of his companion. “I know what’s valuable. I have often helped Professor Snodgrass. I’ll do the best I can for you.”
“Ah! Thank you for that!” murmured Dr. Hallet. “Some of my notes are worth more than their weight in diamonds!”
“Professor Snodgrass all over again!” mused12 Ned, and he was hardly able to repress a smile in spite of the gravity of the situation.
And that it was grave he could not doubt as he noted13 the confusion on every side and saw the soldiers and others hurrying to the stations that had been assigned to them in case of accident. It had been announced before the troopship sailed that there were enough lifeboats, rafts, and other appliances for saving the men aboard the ship and to provide for all in case it was necessary to abandon the transport at sea. But Ned had his doubts of this, as, it was evident, many others had also. For every one was hurrying to get to a vantage point, though there was no real disorder14, and the men were obeying their officers.
[212]
Ned, rather reluctantly it must be confessed, followed the doctor into the cabin they had so lately quitted. The scientist began to gather up notebooks and papers and stuff them into his pockets.
“That won’t do!” cried Ned. “If you have to jump overboard they’ll get soaked!”
“But I’m not going to jump overboard!” was the calm reply, and it was to be noted that the doctor was now more calm than was Ned.
“You may have to,” was the grim response. “Haven’t you got a bit of oiled silk, or rubber, or something, you can wrap your papers in? That will protect them from the sea water.”
“Oiled silk? Oh yes, I have something like that,” the doctor decided15, after thinking a moment. He produced an oilcloth bag, saying:
“I use this to cover my specimen11 boxes when I go out in the rain. Will this do?”
“It will have to!” exclaimed Ned, and he began stuffing into the receptacle the papers he gathered up from the various places where they were scattered16 about the doctor’s cabin. “Lively now!” cried the lad. “We may not have much time!”
“I must save all I can!” murmured the doctor. He gathered up book after book of notes, and as fast as he handed them to Ned the Motor Boy stuffed them into the water-proof bag.
“Everybody on deck!” shouted a voice outside[213] the cabin door. “Everybody on deck! We’ve got to abandon ship! She’s leaking like a sieve17!”
“Come on!” cried Ned. “No time for any more!”
“I must save my fleas18! I must save the fleas I’m testing as gas poisoning and trench5 fever carriers!” cried Dr. Hallet, as he turned toward the little green box. “I can’t go without them!”
“You’ve got to!” muttered Ned, grabbing him by the shoulders. “Didn’t you hear ’em say we are leaking?” And by a sudden effort he succeeded in forcing the doctor out of the cabin, not before the scientist, however, had caught up the specimen box containing the insects.
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收听单词发音
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1
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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2
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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3
defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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4
trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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5
trench
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| n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕 | |
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6
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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7
concussion
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| n.脑震荡；震动 | |
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8
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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9
retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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10
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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11
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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12
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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13
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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14
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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15
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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16
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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17
sieve
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| n.筛，滤器，漏勺 | |
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18
fleas
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| n.跳蚤( flea的名词复数 )；爱财如命；没好气地（拒绝某人的要求） | |
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