"It's the ocean, of course," he said to himself. "I haven't reached Cuba yet."
It is to be regretted that Rob's knowledge of geography was so superficial; for, as he had intended to reach Cuba, he should have taken a course almost southwest from Boston, instead of southeast. The sad result of his ignorance you will presently learn, for during the entire day he continued to travel over a boundless1 waste of ocean, without the sight of even an island to cheer him.
The sun shone so hot that he regretted he had not brought an umbrella. But he wore a wide-brimmed straw hat, which protected him somewhat, and he finally discovered that by rising to a considerable distance above the ocean he avoided the reflection of the sun upon the water and also came with the current of good breeze.
Of course he dared no stop, for there was no place to land; so he calmly continued his journey.
"It may be I've missed Cuba," he thought; "but I can not change my course now, for if I did I might get lost, and never be able to find land again. If I keep on as I am I shall be sure to reach land of some sort, in time, and when I wish to return home I can set the indicator2 to the northwest and that will take me directly back to Boston."
This was good reasoning, but the rash youth had no idea he was speeding over the ocean, or that he was destined3 to arrive shortly at the barbarous island of Brava, off the coast of Africa. Yet such was the case; just as the sun sank over the edge of the waves he saw, to his great relief, a large island directly in his path.
He dropped to a lower position in the air, and when he judged himself to be over the center of the island he turned the indicator to zero and stopped short.
The country was beautifully wooded, while pretty brooks4 sparkled through the rich green foliage5 of the trees. The island sloped upwards6 from the sea-coast in all directions, rising to a hill that was almost a mountain in the center. There were two open spaces, one on each side of the island, and Rob saw that these spaces were occupied by queer-looking huts built from brushwood and branches of trees. This showed that the island was inhabited, but as Rob had no idea what island it was he wisely determined7 not to meet the natives until he had discovered what they were like and whether they were disposed to be friendly.
So he moved over the hill, the top of which proved to be a flat, grass-covered plateau about fifty feet in diameter. Finding it could not be easily reached from below, on account of its steep sides, and contained neither men nor animals, he alighted on the hill-top and touched his feet to the earth for the first time in twenty-four hours.
The ride through the air had not tired him in the least; in fact, he felt as fresh and vigorous as if he had been resting throughout the journey. As he walked upon the soft grass of the plateau he felt elated, and compared himself to the explorers of ancient days; for it was evident that civilization had not yet reached this delightful8 spot.
There was scarcely any twilight9 in this tropical climate and it grew dark quickly. Within a few minutes the entire island, save where he stood, became dim and indistinct. He ate his daily tablet, and after watching the red glow fade in the western sky and the gray shadows of night settle around him he stretched himself comfortably upon the grass and went to sleep.
The events of the day must have deepened his slumber10, for when he awoke the sun was shining almost directly over him, showing that the day was well advanced. He stood up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and decided11 he would like a drink of water. From where he stood he could see several little brooks following winding12 paths through the forest, so he settled upon one that seemed farthest from the brushwood villages, and turning his indicator in that direction soon floated through the air to a sheltered spot upon the bank.
Kneeling down, he enjoyed a long, refreshing13 drink of the clear water, but as he started to regain14 his feet a coil of rope was suddenly thrown about him, pinning his arms to his sides and rendering15 him absolutely helpless.
At the same time his ears were saluted16 with a wild chattering17 in an unknown tongue, and he found himself surrounded by a group of natives of hideous18 appearance. They were nearly naked, and bore spears and heavy clubs as their only weapons. Their hair was long, curly, and thick as bushes, and through their noses and ears were stuck the teeth of sharks and curious metal ornaments19.
These creatures had stolen upon Rob so quietly that he had not heard a sound, but now they jabbered20 loudly, as if much excited.
Finally one fat and somewhat aged21 native, who seemed to be a chief, came close to Rob and said, in broken English:
"How get here?"
"I flew," said the boy, with a grin.
The chief shook his head, saying:
"No boat come. How white man come?"
"Through the air," replied Rob, who was rather flattered at being called a "man."
The chief looked into the air with a puzzled expression and shook his head again.
"White man lie," he said calmly.
Then he held further conversation with his fellows, after which he turned to Rob and announced:
"Me see white man many times. Come in big boats. White man all bad. Make kill with bang-sticks. We kill white man with club. Then we eat white man. Dead white man good. Live white man bad!"
This did not please Rob at all. The idea of being eaten by savages23 had never occurred to him as a sequel to his adventures. So he said rather anxiously to the chief.
"Look here, old fellow; do you want to die?"
"Me no die. You die," was the reply.
"You'll die, too, if you eat me," said Rob. "I'm full of poison."
"Well, poison will make you sick—awful sick. Then you'll die. I'm full of it; eat it every day for breakfast. It don't hurt white men, you see, but it kills black men quicker than the bang-stick."
The chief listened to this statement carefully, but only understood it in part. After a moment's reflection he declared:
"White man lie. Lie all time. Me eat plenty white man. Never get sick; never die." Then he added, with renewed cheerfulness: "Me eat you, too!"
Before Rob could think of a further protest, his captors caught up the end of the rope and led him away through the forest. He was tightly bound, and one strand25 of rope ran across the machine on his wrist and pressed it into his flesh until the pain was severe. But he resolved to be brave, whatever happened, so he stumbled along after the savages without a word.
After a brief journey they came to a village, where Rob was thrust into a brushwood hut and thrown upon the ground, still tightly bound.
"We light fire," said the chief. "Then kill little white man. Then eat him."
With this comforting promise he went away and left Rob alone to think the matter over.
"This is tough," reflected the boy, with a groan26. "I never expected to feed cannibals. Wish I was at home with mother and dad and the girls. Wish I'd never seen the Demon27 of Electricity and his wonderful inventions. I was happy enough before I struck that awful Master Key. And now I'll be eaten—with salt and pepper, probably. Wonder if there'll be any gravy28. Perhaps they'll boil me, with biscuits, as mother does chickens. Oh-h-h-h-h! It's just awful!"
In the midst of these depressing thoughts he became aware that something was hurting his back. After rolling over he found that he had been lying upon a sharp stone that stuck out of the earth. This gave him an idea. He rolled upon the stone again and began rubbing the rope that bound him against the sharp edge.
Outside he could hear the crackling of fagots and the roar of a newly-kindled fire, so he knew he had no time to spare. He wriggled29 and pushed his body right and left, right and left, sawing away at the rope, until the strain and exertion30 started the perspiration31 from every pore.
At length the rope parted, and hastily uncoiling it from his body Rob stood up and rubbed his benumbed muscles and tried to regain his lost breath. He had not freed himself a moment too soon, he found, for hearing a grunt32 of surprise behind him he turned around and saw a native standing33 in the door of the hut.
Rob laughed, for he was not a bit afraid of the blacks now. As the native made a rush toward him the boy drew the electric tube from his pocket, pointed34 it at the foe35, and pressed the button. The fellow sank to the earth without even a groan, and lay still.
Then another black entered, followed by the fat chief. When they saw Rob at liberty, and their comrade lying apparently36 dead, the chief cried out in surprise, using some expressive37 words in his own language.
"If it's just the same to you, old chap," said Rob, coolly, "I won't be eaten to-day. You can make a pie of that fellow on the ground."
"No! We eat you," cried the chief, angrily. "You cut rope, but no get away; no boat!"
"I don't need a boat, thank you," said the boy; and then, as the other native sprang forward, he pointed the tube and laid him out beside his first victim.
At this act the chief stood an instant in amazed uncertainty38. Then he turned and rushed from the hut.
Laughing with amusement at the waddling39, fat figure, Rob followed the chief and found himself standing almost in the center of the native village. A big fire was blazing merrily and the blacks were busy making preparations for a grand feast.
Rob was quickly surrounded by a crowd of the villagers, who chattered40 fiercely and made threatening motions in his direction; but as the chief cried out to them a warning in the native tongue they kept a respectful distance and contented41 themselves with brandishing42 their spears and clubs.
"If any of your fellows come nearer," Rob said to the fat chief, "I'll knock 'em over."
"Watch sharp, and you'll see," answered Rob. Then he made a mocking bow to the circle and continued: "I'm pleased to have met you fellows, and proud to think you like me well enough to want to eat me; but I'm in a bit of a hurry to-day, so I can't stop to be digested." After which, as the crowd broke into a hum of surprise, he added: "Good-day, black folks!" and quickly turned the indicator of his traveling machine to the word "up."
Slowly he rose into the air, until his heels were just above the gaping44 blacks; but there he stopped short. With a thrill of fear he glanced at the indicator. It was pointed properly, and he knew at once that something was wrong with the delicate mechanism45 that controlled it. Probably the pressure of the rope across its face, when he was bound, had put it out of order. There he was, seven feet in the air, but without the power to rise an inch farther.
This short flight, however, had greatly astonished the blacks, who, seeing his body suspended in mid-air, immediately hailed him as a god, and prostrated46 themselves upon the ground before him.
The fat chief had seen something of white men in his youth, and had learned to mistrust them. So, while he remained as prostrate47 as the rest, he peeped at Rob with one of his little black eyes and saw that the boy was ill at ease, and seemed both annoyed and frightened.
So he muttered some orders to the man next him, who wriggled along the ground until he had reached a position behind Rob, when he rose and pricked48 the suspended "god" with the point of his spear.
"Ouch!" yelled the boy; "stop that!"
He twisted his head around, and seeing the black again make a movement with the spear, Rob turned his electric tube upon him and keeled him over like a ten-pin.
The natives, who had looked up at his cry of pain, again prostrated themselves, kicking their toes against the ground in a terrified tattoo49 at this new evidence of the god's powers.
The situation was growing somewhat strained by this time, and Rob did not know what the savages would decide to do next; so he thought it best to move away from them, since he was unable to rise to a greater height. He turned the indicator towards the south, where a level space appeared between the trees; but instead of taking that direction he moved towards the northeast, a proof that his machine had now become absolutely unreliable. Moreover, he was slowly approaching the fire, which, although it had ceased blazing, was a mass of glowing red embers.
In his excitement he turned the indicator this way and that, trying to change the direction of his flight, but the only result of his endeavor was to carry him directly over the fire, where he came to a full stop.
"Murder! Help! Fire and blazes!" he cried, as he felt the glow of the coals beneath him. "I'll be roasted, after all! Here; help, Fatty, help!"
The fat chief sprang to his feet and came to the rescue. He reached up, caught Rob by the heels, and pulled him down to the ground, away from the fire. But the next moment, as he clung to the boy's feet, they both soared into the air again, and, although now far enough from the fire to escape its heat, the savage22, finding himself lifted from the earth, uttered a scream of horror and let go of Rob, to fall head over heels upon the ground.
The other blacks had by this time regained50 their feet, and now they crowded around their chief and set him upright again.
Rob continued to float in the air, just above their heads, and now abandoned all thoughts of escaping by means of his wrecked51 traveling machine. But he resolved to regain a foothold upon the earth and take his chances of escape by running rather than flying. So he turned the indicator to the word "down," and very slowly it obeyed, allowing him, to his great relief, to sink gently to the ground.
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1
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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indicator
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| n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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brooks
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| n.小溪( brook的名词复数 ) | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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18
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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jabbered
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| v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的过去式和过去分词 )；急促兴奋地说话 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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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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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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gravy
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| n.肉汁；轻易得来的钱，外快 | |
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wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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waddling
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| v.（像鸭子一样）摇摇摆摆地走( waddle的现在分词 ) | |
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40
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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44
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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48
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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49
tattoo
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| n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于 | |
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50
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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51
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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