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CHAPTER XV SUSPICIOUS ACTIONS
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 “Man overboard!” cried several of the fishermen.
 
“Yes, and with a pesky swordfish too close for comfort!” added Abe Haskill. “Stop that motor, Bunker; we’ll have to pick him up.”
 
The fisherman who was called to, pulled out the switch, thus stopping the motor, and the boat drifted about on the slowly rising and falling billows.
 
“Can you see him?” asked the captain of the man who acted as mate.
 
“Yes, he’s right astern, but that fish——”
 
“Is he coming after Jake?”
 
“Full tilt1!”
 
“Grab that prod2, one of you!” yelled the captain. “See if you can harpoon3 him with it. I’ll git out the duck gun, though land knows it ain’t much use against a pesky swordfish!”
 
One of the fishermen picked up the iron-shod pole the unfortunate man had dropped as he went overboard, and stood ready to cast it at the big fish, which could be seen swirling4 along in the water, near the swimmer.
 
“Say!” cried Blake to Joe. “It may seem a heartless thing to do, but why can’t we get some moving pictures of this?”
 
“We can,” decided5 his chum. “We can’t help any, and we might as well film it.”
 
“Come on, then. You hold the camera steady and I’ll turn the handle.”
 
They had a machine all in readiness, its tripod shortened so that the lens could be brought close to the water.
 
“He’s dived!” cried one of the men.
 
“Who—the fish, or Jake?” demanded the captain.
 
“Jake. He saw the fish coming at him, and he went under. Lucky he did, or he might have been cut in two.”
 
“Throw that prod; can’t you? I’ll have this gun ready in a minute.”
 
The captain had pulled from a locker6 an old-fashioned, double-barreled duck gun.
 
“It’s loaded with slugs,” he called to the boys, who were even now taking moving pictures of the strange scene. “I carry it for sharks, but it’ll do as well against a swordfish, though they don’t commonly attack men.”
“Here goes for a cast!” cried the man with the prod, which was a sort of boathook without the hook. “I’ll see if I can spear him!”
 
Leaning forward he threw the weapon with all his force. The other fishermen, some of whom had grasped the spare oars7 to swing the boat around, looked eagerly to see the result.
 
“Missed, by ginger8!” exclaimed the captain. “Here, let me try. Where’s Jake?”
 
“Out there. He’s swimming strong,” was the answer. “The pesky fish is coming back at him again.”
 
“Duck, Jake, duck!” cried the captain, as he got ready with the gun. “I’m going to shoot. Get down out of the way, and hold your breath. We’ll have you in another minute!”
 
He could see the swordfish plainly now, rushing directly toward the swimmer. The man heard and followed directions. Deep down he dived, and the fish shot directly over him.
 
“Say, that’s a great picture!” cried Blake.
 
“That’s what!” yelled Joe, and then his voice was drowned in the report of the gun, which was doubly charged.
 
“I got him! By cracky, I got him!” cried the captain. “That’s his blood showing.”
 
The waves were indeed red with the blood of 122the big fish, and a moment later its body was floating on the swells9.
 
“There’s Jake!” cried one of the fishermen.
 
“All right!” was the response. “Throw him a line. He’s in no danger now.”
 
A few moments later the man was safe aboard, minus his boots, which he had kicked off in the sea, and some of his heavier clothing.
 
“That’s the end of Mr. Swordfish,” murmured the captain, in gratified tones, as he watched the lifeless body sink. “The sharks will get him. Are you all right, Jake?”
 
“Sure. It was hard work, though; and once I thought he had me. I dived just in time.”
 
“That’s what you did,” said Blake. “It was a great exhibition, and when it’s thrown on the screen it will make a sensation, I’m sure.”
 
“Say, you don’t mean to tell me you snapped what happened?” asked the fisherman, in surprise.
 
“We sure did,” declared Joe. “We got every move.”
 
“Plucky lads,” murmured the captain; “and right on the job, too. Start the motor,” he added to the man in charge of it.
 
“We’ve sprung a leak, captain!” exclaimed a man up in the bow. “Water’s coming in.”
 
“It’s where that pesky swordfish rammed10 us, 123I reckon. But stuff something in and it will hold until we get to shore. We haven’t far to go.”
 
The boat was soon under way again, and offers of aid from sister craft that circled around were declined. A bundle of rags served to stop the inrush of most of the water, and a little later the craft, with its load of fish, was hauled up on the beach by means of a tackle and fall, horses being the motive11 power. Joe and Blake got pictures of the other boats making a similar landing, theirs being the first in.
 
“Well, we got some fine views,” said Blake, as he and his chum started for their boarding place.
 
“We sure did, and something unexpected, too. I never counted on a swordfish attack.”
 
“No, and I guess the fishermen didn’t either. But it will make a realistic film, as Mr. Hadley would say.”
 
“It’s just our hoodoo luck again,” went on Joe. “Something out of the ordinary seems to be happening all the while to us.”
 
“Well, it’s better than monotony.”
 
“I suppose so. But I wonder what it will be next?”
 
The boys were congratulated on their success by Mr. Hadley and Mr. Ringold, and the films, when developed and printed a little later, furnished a series of fine views.
 
For the next week the boys had little time to themselves. The drama with the burning shack12 was enacted13 over again, this time with success, the volunteer firemen not throwing any water on the blaze. Other sea dramas were also made, and then came a period of rest, in which Blake and Joe had hardly anything to do.
 
“Say,” exclaimed Blake, one afternoon, “let’s go for a walk down the beach, by the cliffs. It’s a fine day and it will do us good.”
 
“All right,” agreed Joe. “I was thinking of paying another visit to the lighthouse, and asking if there was any news of my father; but, of course, there can’t be.”
 
“Hardly,” agreed Blake, thinking that the only news his chum would get there would be bad.
 
They strolled along the shore, making excursions here and there as something attracted them. Going through a little group of scrub oak, somewhat back from the shore, and climbing a slight elevation14 to get a view of the Pacific, the boys were startled, as they were about to emerge into a little open glade15, to hear voices.
 
“Some one else besides us out here to-day,” spoke16 Joe, in a low voice.
 
“That’s right,” agreed his chum. “Keep still until we see who it is.”
 
Cautiously they advanced until they stood behind 125a little screen of trees, and were gazing into the open place. They saw several men at work erecting17 some sort of tower, or pile of rocks, and on top of it was mounted a large lantern.
 
“There—that ought to show pretty well,” remarked one of the men.
 
“Yes, and be seen a good distance out to sea,” put in another. “It’s just in the right place, too; for the rocks extend a good way out, and you can’t see ’em even at dead low water.”
 
“And anything drawing more than ten feet will be sure to strike on ’em,” suggested a third.
 
“That’s right, Sandy,” came the retort. “Have you got the lantern fixed18 so that she’ll flash like the other?”
 
“I sure have. All we’ve got to do is to pull one wire—this way—and the light is shut off. Another pull, and she gives a flash, just like a revolving19 light.”
 
“Good. We’ll give it a trial to-night.”
 
“Say, what do you think they are?” whispered Joe.
 
“I hardly know, and yet——”
 
“Maybe they’re experimenting with a new kind of light?” suggested the other lad.
 
“Experimenting? Yes!” spoke Blake, in a low, tense voice. “And I can guess what they’re experimenting for.”
 
“What?”
 
Blake was about to answer, when one of the men, looking in the direction where the boys were concealed20, uttered an exclamation21.
 
“Hark!” he cried. “I think I heard something.”
 
“It was the wind,” declared one.
 
“A bird in the bushes,” said another.
 
“I’m going to see!” declared the man. And he came straight toward their hiding place.
该作者的其它作品
 
Tom Swift and his Airship
Tom Swift and the Electronic Hydrolung
Tom Swift and his Big Tunnel

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 tilt aG3y0     
v.(使)倾侧;(使)倾斜;n.倾侧;倾斜
参考例句:
  • She wore her hat at a tilt over her left eye.她歪戴着帽子遮住左眼。
  • The table is at a slight tilt.这张桌子没放平,有点儿歪.
2 prod TSdzA     
vt.戳,刺;刺激,激励
参考例句:
  • The crisis will prod them to act.那个危机将刺激他们行动。
  • I shall have to prod him to pay me what he owes.我将不得不催促他把欠我的钱还给我。
3 harpoon adNzu     
n.鱼叉;vt.用鱼叉叉,用鱼叉捕获
参考例句:
  • The harpoon drove deep into the body of the whale.渔叉深深地扎进鲸鱼体内。
  • The fisherman transfixed the shark with a harpoon.渔夫用鱼叉刺住鲨鱼。
4 swirling Ngazzr     
v.旋转,打旋( swirl的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Snowflakes were swirling in the air. 天空飘洒着雪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • She smiled, swirling the wine in her glass. 她微笑着,旋动着杯子里的葡萄酒。 来自辞典例句
5 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
6 locker 8pzzYm     
n.更衣箱,储物柜,冷藏室,上锁的人
参考例句:
  • At the swimming pool I put my clothes in a locker.在游泳池我把衣服锁在小柜里。
  • He moved into the locker room and began to slip out of his scrub suit.他走进更衣室把手术服脱下来。
7 oars c589a112a1b341db7277ea65b5ec7bf7     
n.桨,橹( oar的名词复数 );划手v.划(行)( oar的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。
  • The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 ginger bzryX     
n.姜,精力,淡赤黄色;adj.淡赤黄色的;vt.使活泼,使有生气
参考例句:
  • There is no ginger in the young man.这个年轻人没有精神。
  • Ginger shall be hot in the mouth.生姜吃到嘴里总是辣的。
9 swells e5cc2e057ee1aff52e79fb6af45c685d     
增强( swell的第三人称单数 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情)
参考例句:
  • The waters were heaving up in great swells. 河水正在急剧上升。
  • A barrel swells in the middle. 水桶中部隆起。
10 rammed 99b2b7e6fc02f63b92d2b50ea750a532     
v.夯实(土等)( ram的过去式和过去分词 );猛撞;猛压;反复灌输
参考例句:
  • Two passengers were injured when their taxi was rammed from behind by a bus. 公共汽车从后面撞来,出租车上的两位乘客受了伤。
  • I rammed down the earth around the newly-planted tree. 我将新栽的树周围的土捣硬。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 motive GFzxz     
n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的
参考例句:
  • The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
  • He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
12 shack aE3zq     
adj.简陋的小屋,窝棚
参考例句:
  • He had to sit down five times before he reached his shack.在走到他的茅棚以前,他不得不坐在地上歇了五次。
  • The boys made a shack out of the old boards in the backyard.男孩们在后院用旧木板盖起一间小木屋。
13 enacted b0a10ad8fca50ba4217bccb35bc0f2a1     
制定(法律),通过(法案)( enact的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
  • Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
14 elevation bqsxH     
n.高度;海拔;高地;上升;提高
参考例句:
  • The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
  • His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。
15 glade kgTxM     
n.林间空地,一片表面有草的沼泽低地
参考例句:
  • In the midst of a glade were several huts.林中的空地中间有几间小木屋。
  • The family had their lunch in the glade.全家在林中的空地上吃了午饭。
16 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
17 erecting 57913eb4cb611f2f6ed8e369fcac137d     
v.使直立,竖起( erect的现在分词 );建立
参考例句:
  • Nations can restrict their foreign trade by erecting barriers to exports as well as imports. 象设置进口壁垒那样,各国可以通过设置出口壁垒来限制对外贸易。 来自辞典例句
  • Could you tell me the specific lift-slab procedure for erecting buildings? 能否告之用升板法安装楼房的具体程序? 来自互联网
18 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
19 revolving 3jbzvd     
adj.旋转的,轮转式的;循环的v.(使)旋转( revolve的现在分词 );细想
参考例句:
  • The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。
  • The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。
20 concealed 0v3zxG     
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的
参考例句:
  • The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
  • I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。
21 exclamation onBxZ     
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词
参考例句:
  • He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
  • The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号,以引起读者的注意。


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