“Aft with you, Carl,” called Bob, “and stand by to take in the stern anchor. Clackett, forward, and be ready for the bow anchor. Dick,” Bob’s eyes were again on the periscope table, “bring all the loose coils of rope you can find and lay them on the locker3.”
Dick had no notion what the ropes were wanted for, but he went for them, and soon had four coils laid along the top of the locker. After that, he passed to the steering5 wheel, standing6 shoulder to shoulder beside Bob in front of the periscope table.
There was an atmosphere of expectancy7 all through the submarine. Every nerve was strained, and each person stood at his post almost with bated breath. Ysabel, without speaking, came into the periscope room and watched Bob with steady eyes.
“There she is!” cried Dick, his eyes on the periscope mirror; “I see her coming!”
Bob also saw the motor launch, breaking into sight against the background of indistinct foliage8, far up the stream. The boat was comparatively small, and well loaded. Fingal was in the bow thwarts9, with a rifle across his knees; in the stern was Cassidy and a negro soldier, both likewise armed with rifles. Between Fingal and Cassidy and the negro were the prisoners. There were four of them—Jordan, Speake, Tirzal, and a slender, full-bearded man in a battered89 solar hat. Cassidy was close to the gasoline engine and was evidently looking after it. Fingal, from the bow, was doing the steering.
“They’re all there,” said Bob, in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. “Come here, Ysabel.”
The girl stepped obediently to his side. Bob pointed10 to one of the prisoners reflected in the mirror.
“Is that Coleman?” he asked.
“Yes,” was the answer.
“You’d better go back and sit down, Ysabel,” said Bob. “Pretty soon we’re going to need all the space we have in this vicinity.”
Bob was easy, almost smiling. A great relief had come to him, for the launch was in sight with four captives and three captors, and now it lay with Bob alone whether his friends and Coleman should be released or not.
“I’m waiting for the right time,” was the cool answer.
“We’ve only two revolvers,” muttered Dick, “and there are three rifles in that boat. What can we do?”
“Nothing with firearms. We’ve got to make a different play, Dick.”
A moment longer Bob waited, studying the approach of the launch with calculating eyes; then, suddenly, he turned.
“In with the anchors, Clackett, you and Carl,” he called. “See how quick you can get them off the bottom. Start your engine, Gaines,” he added.
The lifting of the anchors caused the Grampus to drift with the current. But only for a moment. Soon the screw took the push and Dick, under orders from Bob, headed the craft upstream and the propeller12 worked just fast enough to hold her steady.
90
“Anchor’s stowed!” called Clackett.
“Jump for the tank room, Clackett!” called Bob. “Carl, up here with you.”
As Carl came rolling excitedly into the periscope room, Clackett reported, by tube, that he was back at his usual post.
“Keep the Grampus pointed for the launch, Dick,” said Bob. “Carl, take a coil of rope and climb to the conning13-tower hatch. The moment the tower’s awash, open the hatch, get out on the deck and do what you can with the rope.”
Carl was bewildered. What was he to do with the rope? Nevertheless, he obeyed orders.
Bob continued to watch the periscope table and to calculate. Then, again suddenly, he whirled to the tube communicating with the tank chamber14.
“Empty the tanks by compressed air, Clackett!” he called. “See how quick you can do it! Everything depends on you!”
“Bring her up under the launch, Dick!” cried Bob. “Make no mistake, old chap! Under the launch, mind!”
A thrill ran through Dick Ferral’s nerves. At last he understood what his friend was about! Had he had time, Dick would have liked to give Bob Steele a hug from sheer admiration16.
“When the tanks are empty,” shouted Bob to Clackett, “come up, take a coil of rope and rush for the deck.”
“Aye, aye, sir!” called Clackett.
The periscope revealed a strange situation. The launch was almost upon the periscope ball. Too late those in the motor boat recognized the device. Before the boat could sheer off, the Grampus had risen under91 her bodily and lifted her clear of the water. The steel hull17 of the submarine shivered, and wild cries came from those in the motor boat.
Dick grabbed a coil of rope and leaped for the iron ladder.
“Up with the hatch, Carl!” he yelled. “Out on the deck and see how many you can pull out of the river.”
“Steer4 from the tower, Dick,” Bob called, racing20 up the ladder, “as soon as the hatchway is cleared.”
Clackett followed Bob, and Ysabel Sixty followed Clackett. The thrill of the moment was in the girl’s nerves. She could not have held herself back if she had wanted to. Armed with a coil of rope, she climbed over the rim21 of the hatch and out on the slippery plates of the deck.
What Bob saw, when he struck the deck, was an overturned launch in the water, and two men clinging to the bow of the Grampus. One of these was Cassidy and the other was Tirzal. The former was clinging to the flagstaff, and the other to one of the wire cable guys. By an accident, they had held to the curved deck instead of slipping back into the water.
Dick, from the tower, was able to direct the boat so as to facilitate the picking up of those in the river.
Carl tossed a rope to Speake, Bob got one to Coleman, and Clackett succeeded in getting a line in the hands of Jordan. Ysabel tossed one end of her rope to Fingal, but he flung it aside with an oath. The negro soldier reached for it, but Fingal struck his hand fiercely aside, seized the soldier by the neck and began swimming with him toward the river bank.
While the rescued prisoners were being hauled aboard, Bob watched Fingal and the negro. The current was swift, but both men were strong swimmers.92 To Bob’s satisfaction he saw the two gain the bank and get safely upon dry ground. Fingal’s move was characteristic of him, for, as soon as he could lift himself, he shook his clenched22 fist at the submarine and those on her deck. If he had had a rifle, undoubtedly23 he would have done some shooting.
“Bob Steele!” cried Jordan. He was sitting on the deck, his back against the side of the conning tower, shaking the water out of his ears.
“Well?” asked Bob.
“Did you come up under that launch by accident, or did you do it purposely?”
“I had that all figured out, Jordan,” laughed Bob.
“It was the greatest play I ever heard of!”
“It was the only one we could make that would stand any show of winning. When you and Speake and Tirzal left the Grampus, you took all the rifles. We were left with only a brace24 of six-shooters. Of course I knew better than to try to get the best of Fingal, Cassidy, and the soldier with two popguns when they were armed with rifles.”
“Of course you did!” chuckled25 Jordan. “I’m as wet as a drowned rat, but I’m happy—oh, yes, happier than I ever thought I should be, a few minutes ago. By the way, Bob, that gentleman with the dripping whiskers is Jeremiah Coleman, the fellow we came to rescue, and just missed leaving a few more prisoners to keep him company. Jerry, shake hands with Bob Steele. He was complimented in those messages from New Orleans, and I must say that he fills the bill.”
“Glad to meet you, Bob Steele,” said Coleman, as he leaned to take Bob’s hand. “You’ve done a fine thing for all of us, and it’s something that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.”
“Cassidy and Tirzal seem to have come aboard with93out gettin’ wet,” remarked Clackett, with a glance of contempt in the direction of the mate. Cassidy sat on the deck with his head bowed, as abject26 a figure as Bob ever saw.
“Which way now, Bob?” asked Dick.
“Belize,” replied Bob. “Go down the ladder and let Tirzal take the wheel until we all get below; after that, Tirzal can steer from the tower. Go below, gentlemen, with Dick. You’ll feel more comfortable after you dry your clothes, and then we can have a talk. There are a lot of things I’ve got to find out.”
Ysabel led the descent into the periscope room; Coleman followed her, then Tirzal, then Speake, and then Jordan. Clackett and Carl brought up the rear of the procession, both, with their eyes, telling the melancholy27 Cassidy what they thought of him as they dropped down the tower hatch.
“Better go below, Cassidy,” said Bob calmly.
For answer, the mate jerked a revolver from a belt at his waist and lifted the muzzle28 to his breast.
In a twinkling, Bob had hurled29 himself across the slippery deck and knocked the weapon out of Cassidy’s hand.
“You’re less of a man than I thought you, Cassidy,” cried Bob contemptuously, “to think of such a thing as that!”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
commotion
|
|
| n.骚动，动乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
periscope
|
|
| n. 潜望镜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
locker
|
|
| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
steer
|
|
| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
steering
|
|
| n.操舵装置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
expectancy
|
|
| n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
foliage
|
|
| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
thwarts
|
|
| 阻挠( thwart的第三人称单数 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
implored
|
|
| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
propeller
|
|
| n.螺旋桨，推进器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
conning
|
|
| v.诈骗，哄骗( con的现在分词 )；指挥操舵( conn的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
chamber
|
|
| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
hiss
|
|
| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
hull
|
|
| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
wrenching
|
|
| n.修截苗根，苗木铲根（铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土）v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的现在分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
scrambled
|
|
| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
racing
|
|
| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
rim
|
|
| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
clenched
|
|
| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
undoubtedly
|
|
| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
brace
|
|
| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
chuckled
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
abject
|
|
| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
melancholy
|
|
| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
muzzle
|
|
| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
hurled
|
|
| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |