The balloon was rapidly rising. Bob flew to the air-tank and frantically1 worked the pump. Gradually the primitive2 air-craft came to a stop, and floated motionless several hundred feet above the ground.
Then the boy hunkered upon the locker3 and peered over the edge of the car. Distinctly he could hear the clamorous4 cries and yells of the Portuguese5; and in the center of the jeering6, hooting7 mob, he could barely distinguish his diminutive8 friend. The sudden jerk of the car had thrown the goblin out, right among the villagers; and they were dancing delightedly around the green little sprite, clapping their hands and whooping9 themselves hoarse10.
Bob caught up the binocular and directed it toward the scene below him. After a momentary11 inspection12, he settled back with a sigh of partial relief.
“I guess they’re not going to kill him,” the boy muttered. “But I wonder what they’ll do with him; and I wonder what’s to become of me.”
[72]
Again he surveyed the scene below. The Portuguese were setting off toward their village, bearing the kicking, screaming Fitz Mee with them. A gigantic peasant carried the goblin in his arms.
“I don’t know what to do,” Bob murmured, in deep perplexity; “I don’t know what I can do. I don’t know the way to Goblinland; and so I can’t go there after help to rescue Fitz. I won’t go back home and leave him to his fate, though; that would be mean and cowardly. I—I don’t know what to—to do.”
A while he sat upon the locker, silently and thoughtfully peering over the edge of the basket, occasionally putting the binocular to his eyes. There was not a breath of air; and the balloon hung motionless as a fleecy summer cloud. The boy saw the peasants making their way up the valley to the outskirts14 of the village, and noted15 the hub-bub that was raised among the other villagers, at the advent16 of the goblin. Then the whole crowd disappeared among the trees and buildings of the little hamlet. With a start, Bob roused himself.
“I’ve got to do something,” he grumbled17 testily18 to himself; “I can’t just float here always. Poor old Spasms19! I’ve got to help him out of the fix he’s got into, someway. I don’t believe he’d go back on me—I don’t believe he would; and I won’t go back on him. But what in the world can I do?” scratching his head and frowning. “Oh, I’d like to be a giant just for a little while! If I wouldn’t show those Portuguese a thing or two! I’d drop right down among[73] ’em, lick the last one of ’em—and carry Fitz away in the palm of my hand. Oh! but that would be fine!” And he chuckled20 and wagged his head.
Then an idea, suggested by his wish to be a giant, came to him; and he leaped from his seat and hurried to the locker on the opposite side of the car, and threw it open. After a momentary search, he drew forth21 the hand-satchel22 containing the food-tablets and drink-pellets.
“I’ll just see, anyhow,” he whispered excitedly. “If the goblins make tablets to shrink people, maybe they make some to swell23 ’em up—make giants of ’em. I’ll just see.”
He opened the satchel and, squinting24 his eyes and wrinkling his brows, commenced to mumble25 over the names upon the tiny bottles.
“Food-tablets—tiger-muscle, food-tablets—lion-heart, drink-pellets—pure water, food-tablets—fat, gob-tabs—for dwarfing26 purposes.”
He grinned and shook his head.
“I don’t want any more of those,” he grimaced27; “I’m too small for any good use now. It’s funny there isn’t any—ah! What’s this? ‘Giant-tabs—to be used only in cases of extreme need.’ I’ll bet those are the very things I’m looking for. I’m going to try ’em, anyhow. If there ever was a case of extreme need, this is one.”
He shook out one of the little tablets and was about to pop it into[74] his mouth, when he started suddenly and sharply and shook his head, muttering:
“It won’t do to take it now—till I get to the ground. It might swell me up so big my weight would overcome the buoyancy of the feathers or break the ropes of the car; and then I’d fall like a gob of mud. I’ll have to wait till I’m out of the balloon before I make the experiment. And it may get me into trouble when I do take the stuff—I don’t know; it may poison me—or swell me up so fast I’ll burst. Well, I don’t know what else to try; so I’ve got to do it. Now I’ll just sail out over the town, the first thing, and see if I can find out what those Portuguese have done with Fitz—poor old chap! My! I almost wish I was out of all this mess of trouble, and back home.”
He set the needle of the selector as he had seen the goblin do, and gave a slight turn to the thumb-screw; and the balloon instantly began to move toward the village a mile or so away. When his vessel28 had reached a position directly over the little town, Bob shut off the power and brought it to a standstill. Then he took his glass and peered down among the roofs and treetops. He saw the people congregated29 in the central square of the place. It was evident they were holding some sort of public meeting. A speaker upon an improvised30 platform was wildly talking and gesticulating; and the other villagers were listening intently, mouths agape. Bob could[75] hear the words of the orator31 of the occasion, and was surprised and pleased to learn that he could understand their meaning. The man was saying:
“My people, I’ve called you together here to determine what we shall do with this strange being that has landed upon our shores. The first thing to do, however, is to ascertain32 what the thing is. It’s not a man—that’s plain; and I’d like an expression of opinion from you as to what you consider it to be. Speak out, now.”
“It’s a big green frog,” said one man.
Bob smiled as he listened.
“It’s a green parrot without feathers,” said another.
Bob grinned.
“It’s a green devil,” ventured a third.
Bob chuckled.
[76]
“It’s a green monkey,” opined a fourth.
Bob laughed outright33.
And the peasants heard him, and cast their gaze aloft; and immediately began to gesticulate and vociferate excitedly.
“I’m a goblin, you fools!” croaked34 a familiar voice. “I’m a goblin, I tell you!”
Bob then saw his friend. The latter was confined in a parrot cage hanging upon a post in front of a building. The speaker—who, it was plain, was in authority—quieted the populace; and then he continued:
“As you will perceive, there’s another one of the strange beings up there in that balloon. Now, my opinion is that they’re moon-men from the moon. As you all know, the moon’s made of green cheese; and that would account for the color of them.”
“But the one up there isn’t green,” a woman objected; “he’s gray.”
“No doubt he’s old and faded,” the speaker explained.
Bob laughed heartily35; then listened intently, for the official was saying:
“My opinion is that these moon-men have come to bring a pestilence36 upon us, my children; and if we do not rid ourselves of them, we will suffer greatly. So I condemn37 them to death. This one that, by your great prowess and bravery, you have already captured,[77] we will execute at sunset; and bury him with a great stone upon him, that he may know no resurrection. The other one must be captured. We must think of some plan to entice38 him within our reach. Let us adjourn39 to my official residence, there to consider the grave matter.”
Soon the street was apparently40 deserted41; but the boy could see guards peeping from places of concealment42.
“Bob!” Fitz Mee called softly. “Hello, Bob!”
“Hello, Fitz!” the lad answered.
“Come down and get me—quick!”
“I don’t dare, Fitz; they’re watching.”
“But you must get me out of this fix, Bob, somehow.”
“Of course, Fitz. But how?”
“Can’t you think of a plan? I’m so scared I can’t think.”
“I’ve thought of one plan.”
“What is it?”
Bob gave a few strokes to the air-pump; and the balloon sank almost to the level of the treetops. Then the boy said, cautiously:
“Fitz, do you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Well, this is the plan I’ve thought of: I’ve found some giant-tabs in your portable pantry; and I think of taking one of them.”
“That’s the thing,” Fitz interrupted gleefully. “You’re a genius, Bob.”
[78]
“It won’t hurt me—the medicine, will it?”
“Not a bit.”
“Just make a giant of me?”
“That’s all.”
“And I can go back to boy size or goblin size, when I want to?”
“Yes; all you’ll have to do is to take a few gob-tabs.”
“Ugh! more pills. Well, all right; I’ll do it, then. I’ll make a giant of myself, and sail in and knock these Portuguese galley-west—and carry you off.”
“Well, do it right now,” Fitz cried impatiently.
“I can’t.”
“Why can’t you?” peevishly43.
“I don’t dare take the giant-tabs till I’m upon the ground, you understand; my size would wreck44 the balloon. And I don’t dare to come to the ground, right here and right now; the Portuguese would capture me before I could do anything. See?”
“Y-e-s,” Fitz Mee admitted, disappointment in his voice. “But what are you going to do?”
“I’m going over the hills out of sight, drop to the ground there, and hide the balloon, and then come back afoot.”
“Well, don’t be very long about it, Bob.”
“Oh! there’s no hurry. They don’t mean to kill you till sunset, Fitz.”
[79]
“Well, do you think I want to stay cooped up here all day?”
“You mustn’t get impatient, Fitzy,” the boy giggled45.
“You stop your laughing,” the goblin grumbled. “It isn’t funny.”
“Isn’t it?” tauntingly46.
“No, it isn’t, Roberty-Boberty!”
“Yeah—yeah! Old Epilepsy!”
“Shut up!”
“You shut up!”
“Say, Bob?”
“What?”
“You will hurry, won’t you?”
“Yes! But say, Fitz?”
“Well?”
“How is it that I can understand what these Portuguese say?”
“Well, you know we goblins can understand any language.”
“We goblins?” the boy cried sharply.
“Yes,” Fitz chuckled.
“I’m no goblin,” Bob asserted stoutly47; “I’m a Yankee.”
“You’re a goblin—half goblin, anyhow.”
“I’m not!”
“You are! You’ve taken gob-tabs; and that makes you partly goblin.”
[80]
“Fitz Mee,” the boy yelled, “you mean old thing! You say that again, and I’ll sail off home—and leave you right where you are.”
“I won’t say it any more, Bob; but it’s so.”
“Good-bye, Fitz; I’m going.”
“Not home?”
“No; over the hills.”
“Well, hurry back.”
“All right.”
Bob released a little of the pent air in the tank, and soared high above the earth; then he manipulated the selector and sped away over the hills out of sight of the village. When he thought it safe, he worked the pump and descended48 to the earth. There he made the balloon fast in a secluded49 spot near the highway—by tying it securely to a tree, with the piece of anchor-rope remaining.
“There,” he breathed softly, “I’ll know where to find my air-ship; I’ll remember the place by this big funny-looking stone here at the roadside. Now I’ll take my medicine and be off to the rescue of my good comrade, Fitz Mee.”
He took one of the tiny giant-tabs and swallowed it; and immediately he began to grow and grow—clothes and all. He stretched up, up till his head was on a level with the tops of the smaller trees; and he spread out till he was as big in girth as the trunks of the largest.
[81]
“Wonderful!” he ejaculated, and his voice almost frightened him; it was as coarse and hoarse as the roar of a lion. He looked at his hands and feet—and laughed. They were as large as hams of meat; and his limbs were like the great limbs of an elephant. Proudly he strode about, crooking50 his arm and feeling his biceps muscle and muttering to himself:
“Won’t I make a scatterment among those Portuguese! I’ll scare ’em all into conniption fits. But I won’t hurt any of ’em, unless I have to; that would be wrong, cruel—just like a big man whipping a little boy. But I must be off; Fitz will be tired of waiting. I wonder how far I’ve got to walk. My! but I’m hungry; and I want meat.”
He picked up a large knotted pole for a cane51 and set off along the road, whistling; and his whistle was as loud as that of a calliope. The birds flew away in affright; and the hares and other small animals scampered52 into the depths of the forest. Bob smiled complacently53, recklessly swinging his big knotted club.
Presently he approached a hut by the roadside; and he went up to it and knocked upon the swinging door. An old woman put in an appearance; but, at sight of her gigantic caller, she let out a yell and fled back into the dusky interior.
Bob turned the corner of the cabin,—his head overtopped the comb of the roof by several feet!—and dropped upon hands and knees and[82] crawled into the kitchen. The poor old woman again caught sight of him; and fled from the premises54, screaming shrilly55. Bob pitied her and called to her to come back, that he meant her no harm; but his awful bellowing56 voice served only to frighten her the more. The boy-giant—or the giant-boy, or whatever he should be called—discovered upon the table in the center of the floor a leg of roast mutton, a loaf of black bread, a jug57 of milk and some fruit; and ravenously58 devoured59 the whole. Then he retreated from the kitchen; and, feeling much refreshed, resumed his way toward the village, taking strides fully13 fifteen feet long.
But when he had gone a short distance, he met the old woman whose food he had eaten returning toward her home, accompanied by her husband. The man had been at work in the fields; and now he was walking rapidly, his head down, cracking his fists and valiantly60 declaring what he would do to the bold intruder when he encountered him. Bob heard the fellow’s rash[83] threats, and gave a loud laugh. The man flung up his head, took one look at the boy-giant—and incontinently took to his heels, literally61 dragging his wife after him. Across the fields they flew, and disappeared in a bit of woodland; and Bob pursued his course unmolested, still laughing boisterously62. It was all so very funny!
He picked up a large knotted pole for a cane.
Shortly he reached the top of the hill, where he could look down upon the little village, whose inhabitants were all unconscious of the terrible being that was approaching it. There the boy-giant paused to consider. Shaking his head he muttered, a grin spreading over his coarse features:
“Well, those giant-tabs have increased my size wonderfully, but I don’t feel that they’ve increased my courage in the same way. I’m almost afraid to go down into that town. Those Portuguese might take it into their heads to shoot; and I’d be such a big mark they couldn’t miss me. But I guess there’s no other way; so here goes.”
He loped off down the hill; and a few minutes later he was entering the village. Some children at play saw him coming and ran ahead of him, screaming frantically. A woman came to her door, and immediately followed the children, also yelling at the top of her voice. Several men hastily put in an appearance; and as hastily joined the woman and children, in a mad race toward the public square of the town. The alarm spread. Others, and still others—of both sexes and all ages and sizes—emerged from concealment; and[84] sought safety in mad flight, all speeding toward one destination, the mayor’s official residence.
The mayor and his officers and advisors63 heard the hub-bub and poured forth to ascertain the cause of it; and when the boy-giant arrived at the town’s place of public gathering64, there they all were, yelling, screaming, shouting and gesticulating.
Bob swung his big club and bellowed65 “boo! boo! boo!” as loud as he could; and the frightened people tumbled over one another in an effort to hurry to places of security. The mayor led the way, closely followed by his officers. All deserted the place but one old soldier. He ran at Bob, a rusty66 sword in his hand, and tried to hack67 the boy-giant’s legs; and the latter had to snatch the sword away from the pugnacious68 old warrior69 and take him across his knee and spank70 him soundly, before he would consent to behave. However, when at last the boy-giant set the old fellow upon the ground, he scampered away as fast as he could limp.
“Oh, Bob—Bob!” Fitz Mee cried pipingly, piteously, a hint of tears in his voice. “I’m so glad you’ve come. They had just decided71 to execute me at noon; and it wants only an hour of the time.”
“A miss is as good as a mile, Fitz,” Bob laughed. “But we must get out of here before they recover their wits and their courage, and return; they might shoot us. My! but didn’t that old soldier want[85] to fight? A few like him would have given me a lot of trouble. Well, here we go—for safety and a better country.”
And he took the parrot cage containing the goblin under arm, and made a hurried retreat from the village.
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1
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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2
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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locker
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| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
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clamorous
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| adj.吵闹的，喧哗的 | |
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Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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jeering
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| adj.嘲弄的，揶揄的v.嘲笑( jeer的现在分词 ) | |
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7
hooting
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 )； 倒好儿； 倒彩 | |
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8
diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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whooping
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| 发嗬嗬声的，发咳声的 | |
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10
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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11
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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testily
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| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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spasms
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| n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 )；抽搐；（能量、行为等的）突发；发作 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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satchel
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| n.(皮或帆布的)书包 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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squinting
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| 斜视( squint的现在分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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mumble
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| n./v.喃喃而语，咕哝 | |
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dwarfing
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| n.矮化病 | |
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grimaced
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| v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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congregated
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| （使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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improvised
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orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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croaked
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| v.呱呱地叫( croak的过去式和过去分词 )；用粗的声音说 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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pestilence
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condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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entice
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| v.诱骗，引诱，怂恿 | |
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adjourn
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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peevishly
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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giggled
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tauntingly
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| 嘲笑地，辱骂地； 嘲骂地 | |
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stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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49
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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crooking
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| n.弯曲（木材等的缺陷）v.弯成钩形( crook的现在分词 ) | |
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51
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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52
scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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54
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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55
shrilly
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| 尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的 | |
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56
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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57
jug
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| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
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58
ravenously
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| adv.大嚼地，饥饿地 | |
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59
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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60
valiantly
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| adv.勇敢地，英勇地；雄赳赳 | |
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61
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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62
boisterously
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| adv.喧闹地，吵闹地 | |
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63
advisors
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| n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授 | |
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64
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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65
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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66
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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67
hack
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| n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳 | |
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68
pugnacious
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| adj.好斗的 | |
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69
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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70
spank
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| v.打，拍打(在屁股上) | |
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71
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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