There might be several answers to the query2, but none was satisfactory. Possibly he was at the workshop of Professor Morgan, or had been set down at the end of the experimental tours the inventor was making, or the fate which Harvey dreaded4 may have already overtaken him.
“The one thing for me to do is to have another look at the Professor’s place at close range, when he has no thought of my being near. I shall surely be able to learn something worth while.”
Our friend kept the Dragon of the Skies under scrutiny5 so long as it remained in his field of vision. It was heading toward the cabin and in a brief while dipped from sight. The inventor had descended6 to resume work.
The day was drawing to a close. The sun had set, and twilight7 was creeping over the dismal8 wilderness9. It was a hard walk through the broken, rocky solitude10 where he could not find[68] any trail but simply knew the right course to follow. He had brought a goodly package of sandwiches with him and he now ate of the lunch. Fully11 a dozen remained in the paper bag that was placed on the seat before the tank, reserved to serve him on the morrow. He was loath12 to leave the aeroplane unwatched, but, as has been shown, there was no help for it, and he now trusted to the good fortune that had clung so markedly to him from the time he first left home.
With a final inspection13 of the machine, he skirted the edge of the wood to the farther corner and then went toward the inventor’s headquarters. It was hard work from the first. He was forced to go around huge boulders14 and masses of rock, push through the intricate undergrowth, now and then checked and driven to make long detours15, but he kept the right course and knew he had only to persevere17 to reach the spot in the end. The moon did not rise until late, but the sky was clear, and studded with brilliant stars, while the partial lighting18 up of the obscurity enabled him to avoid going astray.
As nearly as he could judge he had traversed half the distance when, without thought of any such thing, he came abruptly19 to the margin20 of a large pond or lake. He could not recall having[69] noticed a sheet of water in studying his map of the region and was in a dilemma21. In the obscurity the gleaming surface stretched beyond his vision on the right and left, nor could he see anything but darkness in front.
“I must cross in some way,” he reflected, “but how shall I do it? I shouldn’t mind taking a long swim, but it would be awkward in my clothes and I shouldn’t like to call upon the Professor in the costume of Adam and Eve.”
He had not left any of his garments with the aeroplane, for there was no saying when he was likely to need his outer coat. While the temperature was mild, a certain crispness natural to the season brooded in the air, and when he thrust his hand into the water he found it thrillingly cold. He inclined to the plan of fastening enough dry limbs together to float his garments, while he swam and pushed the little raft in front. He would not have hesitated to do this despite the chilliness22 of the water, could he have been certain that the swim would not prove a long one. True, he was within a half mile of the cabin, as he figured it, and it would seem that slight risk was involved.
“There’s no saying how far I should have to tramp to go round the lake,” he said, as he turned the question over in his mind, “but the other shore[70] can’t be very distant. The swim will do me good and I’ll take it.”
He began groping along the shore in quest of the material with which to make the float. It was while he was doing this that he uttered an exclamation23 of delight over another unexpected piece of good fortune. He almost fell over the prow24 of a canoe drawn25 lightly up the bank where its owner had left it. The graceful26 craft was a dozen feet long and the broad-bladed paddle lay in the bottom ready for use whenever needed.
“If that isn’t rare luck then there was never such a thing,” added Harvey after examining the primitive27 boat, which, Indian fashion, was constructed of birch bark sewed and gummed together and thoroughly28 water-tight. He knew something of canoes, shells and motor boats and had no misgiving29 of his ability to handle this craft.
But what of the owner? Where was he and when was he likely to return? Suppose he was a hunter or woodman who would discover him before he could get far from shore? What treatment would he deal out to the one that was running off with his property?
Hoping that the man might be near and could be hired to set him on the other side, Harvey called “Hello!” three or four times, in a voice[71] that carried several hundred yards. There was no reply however, a fact which convinced him that even if the owner soon returned the one who was making use of his property would be beyond rifle range.
Night was advancing and Harvey did not linger. He laid his outer coat in the farther end, and stepping carefully into the unstable30 structure, picked up the paddle, and pressing it against the bank, pushed the canoe well out upon the placid31 bosom32 of the lake. Taking his bearings, he glanced often at the sky and with the aid of the constellation33 Ursa Major (which always seemed to confront him when he looked into the sky), he proceeded as truly as if steering34 by compass. The paddle was light, with a broad blade at one end. Facing the way he was going, he dipped it first on the right and then the left, so gently that he caused only a faint ripple35 and made no noise.
He smiled at the discovery which came within the following five minutes. The wooded shore in front loomed36 to sight at the same time with the terminus of the lake on his right. A detour16 of two hundred yards would have led him around the body of water, and a swim for the same distance would have landed him on the shore opposite his starting point.
[72]“I hope the owner won’t feel offended when he finds his canoe has been shifted to another point, for he won’t have to travel far to get it again.”
A few minutes later, Harvey drew the boat up the bank and resumed his journey toward the workshop of Professor Morgan. It will be remembered that he was now quite near the little town of Dawson, which he left to the right. He held to his bearings so well that he came directly upon the place where the trail turned off from the highway and began picking his course to the cabin.
He was now “skating on thin ice.” The inventor might be going to the Washington House for his evening meal, or possibly returning therefrom. In either case, the utmost caution was necessary to avert37 a meeting with him. The trail over which Harvey was advancing with the utmost care may be described as an alley38 or avenue or cañon, walled in for most of the way by rocks and overhanging trees, with open places at intervals39, where the star-gleam showed objects indistinctly for a hundred feet or less.
It will be noted40 that the youth had to guard the front and rear, for there was no saying from which direction danger would appear. He remembered the character of the path, and stepped as softly as a burglar stealing over a carpeted floor. When he[73] had gone a few paces, he paused, listened, and peered into the inclosing gloom. He had little fear of meeting strangers, for the Professor had impressed all with the peril41 they ran in yielding to their curiosity. It was the fanatical inventor whom he held in dread3.
But his tense senses told nothing, and Harvey finally turned the corner of the rocky avenue, where there was a small open space, and the cabin loomed before him. He stood staring, wondering and speculating as to what it all could mean. The building was utterly42 dark and silent. Its shadowy outlines showed against the starlit sky, but it was as if he were looking upon some huge tomb. The gloom would not permit him to see whether the Dragon of the Skies was resting in the hangar provided for it, but he believed the strange air craft was there, awaiting the whim43 of its owner.
While making his guarded survey, Harvey did not forget the delicate situation in which he stood. He was partially44 veiled in shadow and though he heard not the slightest sound he turned his head and looked back over the trail which he had followed to the spot. A few rods distant it showed a slight rise, so that he came down a moderate slope to where he had halted. This low elevation45 threw the summit of the incline against the starlit[74] sky behind it and at the moment of looking, Harvey saw Professor Morgan’s gaunt form in silhouette46 striding over the rise and coming toward him, with the well-known linen47 duster flapping about his heels.
The watcher slipped a little farther to one side, where he was effectively screened, and silently awaited the man whose soft footfalls could now be heard. A minute later he passed so near to where the eavesdropper48 stood that a step toward him would have enabled Harvey to touch him with outstretched hand. But the last thing of which the Professor was thinking was of intruders into his domain49. The tall form stalked across the brief open space, halted an instant in front of the door, at which the inventor fumbled50 a moment and then passed inside.
Almost immediately the interior was flooded with dazzling light, brighter and more vivid than that of the noonday sun. Through the plate glass window could be seen the endless paraphernalia51 of the workshop of an inventive genius—the lathe52, bottles of chemicals, boxes, tools, coils of wire, retorts, queer-shaped utensils53, some suspended on the wall, others resting on shelves, and many as partially revealed lying on the solid planking of the floor. The Professor himself took a few steps[75] toward the rear of his shop and thus came into full view. He did not doff54 his headgear nor remove the linen duster which hung almost to his ankles. Harvey saw him reach up to one of the hooks on the wall, lift off a coil of copper55 wire, and then bending over the lathe, set a small wheel revolving56 rapidly by means of the treadle which one of his feet pressed. No one could guess the nature of what he was doing, except that it was a part of his experimentation57 for the perfecting of the monoplane which was already a wonder of its kind.
What Harvey Hamilton looked upon was of absorbing interest, but he could not forget the painful fact that Bohunkus Johnson was nowhere in sight, and the painful question which he had asked himself so many times still remained unanswered. It was certain the colored youth was not here.
For a half hour the spectator stood as motionless as a graven image, staring, listening, wondering what was coming next. The inventor now and then moved about the brilliantly lighted room, but he was busy as a bee and as absorbed in his work as if only a few minutes remained at his command in which to complete the most important task of his life. By and by he lighted a briarwood pipe, and never once removed it from his mouth. The clearness of Harvey’s view was proved by[76] the sight of each little puff58 of smoke which at intervals shot along the stem from his lips.
Being assured that Bunk59 was nowhere near the place, Harvey saw nothing to be gained by acting60 further as eavesdropper. He was withdrawing, when, as suddenly as it had been lighted, the workshop was shrouded61 in darkness. He waited awhile thinking some slight accident had occurred, but the impenetrable gloom continued. Professor Morgan evidently was through his work for the night, though it would be supposed that like most monomaniacs he would have been unconscious of the passage of time.
“It may mean he has solved the problem over which he has studied so long,” thought Harvey, softly groping his way back to the trail, along which he threaded his course to the highroad and then as nearly as he could judge to the point where he entered it when coming from the small lake. He was in a more confused state of mind than ever, and could not decide what step he should next take.
He had settled upon one thing: while so near Dawson he must so far as possible keep out of sight of everybody. He dared not go to the hotel for lodging62 and it was imprudent to apply at any private house. His plan was to return to where he had left the aeroplane, wrap himself in his outer[77] coat and cuddle up in the seat for the remainder of the night. The weather was so comparatively mild that the exposure would not harm him nor need he be uncomfortable. There is something attractive to a robust63, rugged64 youth in the idea of camping out or roughing it, besides which he was uneasy over leaving his machine without guard. He was in a section quite well settled and the finding of the canoe showed that people were liable to pass that way at any time.
Having now no trail to follow, Harvey could not accurately65 retrace66 his steps, but held to the course so well that he reached the shore of the lake at the time expected. But nothing was to be seen of the canoe that had brought him over. He made a brief but unsuccessful search.
“It can’t be far off,” was his conclusion; “the owner will have no trouble in finding it, if he hasn’t already done so and gone back to the other side.”
Recalling the slight expanse of water, Harvey picked his way along the margin until he reached the curving end, around which he passed, and then resumed his direct course to the clearing on whose edge he had left his machine. He saw and heard nothing to disturb him during his return and reached the spot while the night was still comparatively young.
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1
aviator
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| n.飞行家，飞行员 | |
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2
query
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| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
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3
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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4
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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5
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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6
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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7
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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8
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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9
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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10
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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11
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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12
loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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13
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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14
boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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15
detours
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| 绕行的路( detour的名词复数 )； 绕道，兜圈子 | |
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16
detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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17
persevere
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| v.坚持，坚忍，不屈不挠 | |
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18
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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19
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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21
dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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22
chilliness
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| n.寒冷，寒意，严寒 | |
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23
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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24
prow
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| n.(飞机)机头，船头 | |
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25
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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26
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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27
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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28
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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29
misgiving
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕 | |
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30
unstable
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| adj.不稳定的，易变的 | |
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31
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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32
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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33
constellation
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| n.星座n.灿烂的一群 | |
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34
steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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35
ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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36
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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37
avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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38
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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39
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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40
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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41
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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42
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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43
whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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44
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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45
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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46
silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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47
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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48
eavesdropper
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| 偷听者 | |
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49
domain
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| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
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50
fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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51
paraphernalia
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| n.装备；随身用品 | |
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52
lathe
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| n.车床，陶器，镟床 | |
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53
utensils
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| 器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物 | |
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54
doff
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| v.脱，丢弃，废除 | |
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55
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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56
revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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57
experimentation
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| n.实验，试验，实验法 | |
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58
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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59
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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60
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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61
shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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62
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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63
robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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64
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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65
accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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66
retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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