It may have been because he was just then cut off from all his fellow-creatures and even from the world itself; it may have been because he was satiated with marvels2 and with the almost absolute control over the powers which the Demon3 had conferred upon him; or it may have been because he was born and reared a hearty4, healthy American boy, with a disposition5 to battle openly with the world and take his chances equally with his fellows, rather than be placed in such an exclusive position that no one could hope successfully to oppose him.
Perhaps he himself did not know what gave him this horrible attack of "the blues," but the truth is he took out his handkerchief and cried like a baby from very loneliness and misery6.
There was no one to see him, thank goodness! and the tears gave him considerable relief. He dried his eyes, made an honest struggle to regain7 his cheerfulness, and then muttered to himself:
"If I stay up here, like an air-bubble in the sky, I shall certainly go crazy. I suppose there's nothing but water to look at down below, but if I could only sight a ship, or even see a fish jump, it would do me no end of good."
Thereupon he descended8 until, as the ocean's surface same nearer and nearer, he discovered a tiny island lying almost directly underneath10 him. It was hardly big enough to make a dot on the biggest map, but a clump11 of trees grew in the central portion, while around the edges were jagged rocks protecting a sandy beach and a stretch of flower-strewn upland leading to the trees.
It looked beautiful from Rob's elevated position, and his spirits brightened at once.
"I'll drop down and pick a bouquet," he exclaimed, and a few moments later his feet touched the firm earth of the island.
But before he could gather a dozen of the brilliant flowers a glad shout reached his ears, and, looking up, he saw two men running towards him from the trees.
They were dressed in sailor fashion, but their clothing was reduced to rags and scarcely clung to their brown, skinny bodies. As they advanced they waved their arms wildly in the air and cried in joyful12 tones:
"A boat! a boat!"
Rob stared at them wonderingly, and had much ado to prevent the poor fellows from hugging him outright13, so great was their joy at his appearance. One of them rolled upon the ground, laughing and crying by turns, while the other danced and cut capers14 until he became so exhausted15 that he sank down breathless beside his comrade.
"How came you here?" then inquired the boy, in pitying tones.
"We're shipwrecked American sailors from the bark 'Cynthia Jane,' which went down near here over a month ago," answered the smallest and thinnest of the two. "We escaped by clinging to a bit of wreckage16 and floated to this island, where we have nearly starved to death. Indeed, we now have eaten everything on the island that was eatable, and had your boat arrived a few days later you'd have found us lying dead upon the beach!"
Rob listened to this sad tale with real sympathy.
"But I didn't come here in a boat," said he.
The men sprang to their feet with white, scared faces.
"No boat!" they cried; "are you, too, shipwrecked?"
"No;" he answered. "I flew here through the air." And then he explained to them the wonderful electric traveling machine.
But the sailors had no interest whatever in the relation. Their disappointment was something awful to witness, and one of them laid his head upon his comrade's shoulder and wept with unrestrained grief, so weak and discouraged had they become through suffering.
Suddenly Rob remembered that he could assist them, and took the box of concentrated food tablets from his pocket.
"Eat these," he said, offering one of each to the sailors.
At first they could not understand that these small tablets would be able to allay17 the pangs18 of hunger; but when Rob explained their virtues19 the men ate them greedily. Within a few moments they were so greatly restored to strength and courage that their eyes brightened, their sunken cheeks flushed, and they were able to converse20 with their benefactor21 with calmness and intelligence.
Then the boy sat beside them upon the grass and told them the story of his acquaintance with the Demon and of all his adventures since he had come into possession of the wonderful electric contrivances. In his present mood he felt it would be a relief to confide22 in some one, and so these poor, lonely men were the first to hear his story.
When he related the manner in which he had clung to the Turk while both ascended23 into the air, the elder of the two sailors listened with rapt attention, and then, after some thought, asked:
"Why couldn't you carry one or both of us to America?"
Rob took time seriously to consider this idea, while the sailors eyed him with eager interest. Finally he said:
"I'm afraid I couldn't support your weight long enough to reach any other land. It's a long journey, and you'd pull my arms out of joint24 before we'd been up an hour."
Their faces fell at this, but one of them said:
"Why couldn't we swing ourselves over your shoulders with a rope? Our two bodies would balance each other and we are so thin and emaciated25 that we do not weigh very much."
While considering this suggestion Rob remembered how at one time five pirates had clung to his left leg and been carried some distance through the air.
"Have you a rope?" he asked.
"No," was the answer; "but there are plenty of long, tough vines growing on the island that are just as strong and pliable26 as ropes."
"Then, if you are willing to run the chances," decided27 the boy, "I will make the attempt to save you. But I must warn you that in case I find I can not support the weight of your bodies I shall drop one or both of you into the sea."
"We would soon meet death from starvation if you left us here on the island; so, as there is at least a chance of our being able to escape in your company I, for one, am willing to risk being drowned. It is easier and quicker than being starved. And, as I'm the heavier, I suppose you'll drop me first."
"I hope you'll keep near the water, for I haven't a good head for heights—they always make me dizzy."
"Oh, if you don't want to go," began Rob, "I can easily—"
"But I do! I do! I do!" cried the little man, interrupting him. "I shall die if you leave me behind!"
"Well, then, get your ropes, and we'll do the best we can," said the boy.
They ran to the trees, around the trunks of which were clinging many tendrils of greenish-brown vine which possessed31 remarkable32 strength. With their knives they cut a long section of this vine, the ends of which were then tied into loops large enough to permit the sailors to sit in them comfortably. The connecting piece Rob padded with seaweed gathered from the shore, to prevent its cutting into his shoulders.
"Now, then," he said, when all was ready, "take your places."
The sailors squatted33 in the loops, and Rob swung the vine over his shoulders and turned the indicator34 of the traveling machine to "up."
As they slowly mounted into the sky the little sailor gave a squeal35 of terror and clung to the boy's arm; but the other, although seemingly anxious, sat quietly in his place and made no trouble.
"Well, s'pose we should?" answered Rob, gruffly. "You couldn't drown until you struck the water, so the higher we are the longer you'll live in case of accident."
This phase of the question seemed to comfort the frightened fellow somewhat; but, as he said, he had not a good head for heights, and so continued to tremble in spite of his resolve to be brave.
The weight on Rob's shoulders was not so great as he had feared, the traveling machine seeming to give a certain lightness and buoyancy to everything that came into contact with its wearer.
As soon as he had reached a sufficient elevation37 to admit of good speed he turned the indicator once more to the east and began moving rapidly through the air, the shipwrecked sailors dangling38 at either side.
"Say, you shut up!" commanded the boy, angrily. "If your friend was as big a coward as you are I'd drop you both this minute. Let go my arm and keep quiet, if you want to reach land alive."
The fellow whimpered a little, but managed to remain silent for several minutes. Then he gave a sudden twitch40 and grabbed Rob's arm again.
"I've had about enough of this," said Rob, savagely42. "If you haven't any sense you don't deserve to live." He turned the indicator on the dial of the machine and they began to descend9 rapidly.
The little fellow screamed with fear, but Rob paid no attention to him until the feet of the two suspended sailors were actually dipping into the waves, when he brought their progress to an abrupt43 halt.
"Wh—wh—what are you g—g—going to do?" gurgled the cowardly sailor.
"I'm going to feed you to the sharks—unless you promise to keep your mouth shut," retorted the boy. "Now, then; decide at once! Which will it be—sharks or silence?"
"I won't say a word—'pon my honor, I won't!" said the sailor shudderingly44.
"All right; remember your promise and we'll have no further trouble," remarked Rob, who had hard work to keep from laughing at the man's abject45 terror.
Once more he ascended and continued the journey, and for several hours they rode along swiftly and silently. Rob's shoulders were beginning to ache with the continued tugging46 of the vine upon them, but the thought that he was saving the lives of two unfortunate fellow-creatures gave him strength and courage to persevere47.
Night was falling when they first sighted land; a wild and seemingly uninhabited stretch of the American coast. Rob made no effort to select a landing place, for he was nearly worn out with a strain and anxiety of the journey. He dropped his burden upon the brow of a high bluff48 overlooking the sea and, casting the vine from his shoulders, fell to the earth exhausted and half fainting.
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1
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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marvels
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| n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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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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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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8
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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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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14
capers
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| n.开玩笑( caper的名词复数 )；刺山柑v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的第三人称单数 ) | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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wreckage
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| n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏 | |
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allay
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| v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
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pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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emaciated
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| adj.衰弱的，消瘦的 | |
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pliable
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| adj.易受影响的；易弯的；柔顺的，易驾驭的 | |
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27
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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31
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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32
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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33
squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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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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35
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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36
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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38
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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40
twitch
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| v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛 | |
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41
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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42
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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43
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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44
shudderingly
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abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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46
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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47
persevere
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| v.坚持，坚忍，不屈不挠 | |
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48
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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