“How did we get wet?” interrogated1 the captain. “Water of course. It was all before us. It had come down upon us with the force of a hurricane.
“We waited where we were until the light of day came. Then we beheld2 an appalling3 scene. A mighty4 expanse of water lay before us.
“The lake had come back. The basin was full of water. Evidently it had a trick of doing this. That it was of the transient kind there was no doubt.
“I won’t attempt any theorizing or explanation of the phenomenon. I describe it to you just as it occurred. That is all. You’ll have to guess the rest.
“What of our shipmates and the gold? I don’t know. We never saw them again. We could do nothing but push on to the northward6. For months we wandered until we came to a great river leading down to the Paraguay. Thence we made our way to Parana and shipped home. This is my story.”
Frank drew a deep breath.
For a moment after the captain had finished he could not speak. At length he managed to say:
“You think the gold is still at the bottom of that lake?”
“Yes.”
“And that the lake is transient, or has spells of changing its basin?”
“Just so, mate!”
Frank was thoughtful for a moment. Finally he said:
“Do you think it would be easy to find that locality again?”
“Oh, there’s the rub,” said Beere, rubbing his hands; “in my lifetime I have made six attempts and failed. But, of course, we traveled overland.”
The same thought came to each.
“Then you think the air-ship—on account of a better view of the earth, could locate it?”
“I do,” replied Nicodemus. “Now you have the whole thing in a nutshell, Frank. The moment I looked at your air-ship, I saw a possible way to visit the mysterious country and locate the Transient Lake.”
Frank Reade, Jr., seemed for a moment in a glow. His eyes shone like blazing stars, and his manner was all eagerness.
“By Jove, you have done it, Captain Nicodemus!” he declared. “I have been trying to decide upon a new trip with the Spectre, and to visit the Transient Lake is just the thing. It promises eager anticipation7, excitement and thrilling adventure.”
The captain leaned over the table.
“You will go?” he asked, tensely.
“Yes,” replied Frank.
“And—will you allow me to go with you?”
“I would not think of going without you!” declared Frank.
“Thank you! I had quit the sea, and never thought to take another voyage. But a cruise in the air—that’s different, mate. When shall I report?”
“We will start within a week,” declared Frank; “it will not take long to get things in readiness. I will have Barney and Pomp put stores on board at once.”
We will not dwell upon the further conversation which followed. Suffice it to say that before the old captain left Readestown all arrangements were made.
Barney O’Shea was a jolly Irish boy, who had been long in the employ of Frank Reade, Jr. Pomp was a negro valet who was as devoted8 to Frank as man could be.
Wherever Frank traveled these two faithful chaps accompanied him.
Frank’s first move after the departure of Captain Nicodemus was to ring a bell. Instantly it was answered by Barney.
The Celt stood in the doorway9 and ducked his red head in response to Frank’s call.
“Shure, here I am, sor!” he declared.
“Where is Pomp?” asked Frank.
The Celt gave a queer little whistle. Almost instantly a comical little darky appeared beside him.
“Here I is, sah!” he said, with a scrape and a grin.
“Well, you jolly rascals,” said Frank, with a laugh. “I have some good news for you.”
“Golly, Marse Frank, wha’ am it?”
“Bejabers, it’s glad we are to hear that, sor!”
“Well,” said Frank, quickly, “I want you to have the Spectre ready for a quick departure. We are bound for a cruise to South America.”
Barney threw a handspring, and Pomp cut a pigeon-wing.
“Hi, hi!” cried the darky; “dat am jes’ too good news fo’ anyfing!”
“Be me sowl, I’m deloighted!”
“Put provisions aboard the Spectre at once,” ordered Frank. “See that she is completely equipped for a long cruise. You know what to do.”
Away scampered10 the two jolly fellows. So high were their spirits that they bubbled over, and before the yard of the machine works was crossed they fell to wrestling with each other.
“Hi, hi, chile!” sputtered11 Pomp, getting a grapevine on the Celt; “I kin5 trow yo’ jes’ as easy as yo’ like. Look out dar fo’ squalls!”
“Not much, me friend,” retorted Barney, securing an elbow lock. “One—two—three—an’ over yez go!”
They rolled around the yard for somewhile like a couple of monkeys. Neither desisted until they were completely exhausted12; then each sped away to do Frank’s bidding.
“I git square wif yo’ yet, yo’ no ’count I’ishman,” cried Pomp.
“Yez aren’t the soize,” retorted Barney.
In the great, high-roofed storehouse the Spectre rested upon her stocks.
She was a marvel13 of beauty and symmetry. Her lines were somewhat like those of a government cruiser, yet more narrow of beam and slender.
The hull14 was of thinly rolled composition of aluminum15 and steel to insure lightness and make it impervious16 to a bullet. The hull was pierced just below the rail with a number of dead-eye windows, which admitted light to the hold.
Above the deck there arose two cabins. The forward cabin was richly furnished, and contained the dining saloon and the living quarters of the ship’s company.
The after cabin contained the staterooms and berths17. It was provided with dead-eye windows, and could be made airtight in the event of the air-ship ascending18 into the rarefied atmosphere above the clouds, where human life could not be supported.
Forward was the pilot-house, a dome-shaped structure with heavy plate glass windows. In this were the steering19 gear and electric keyboard, with all nautical20 and scientific instruments suitable for navigation in the air.
The propelling power of the air-ship was furnished by electric motors placed in the hold. These drove a huge fan propeller21 at the stern.
Also they drove the four powerful helices placed upon revolving22 masts above the deck. These furnished the lifting power of the air-ship, which was most tremendous.
Everything about the Spectre was ship-shape and elegant, from the polished brass-work to the silver-bladed helices and shiny steel masts. It was a marvel of beauty and grace and appointment.
Having said this much we will close this brief and incomplete description of the great air-ship, leaving the reader to gather a more correct impression from the accurate representation of the artist.
A few evenings thereafter Frank received the following telegram from Captain Nicodemus:
“Dear Frank—Am all ready for the start. Shall I come to Readestown or will you stop for me at New Orleans, where I am at present? Wire me.
“Yours, ? ? ? Nicodemus Beere.”
Frank at once answered that he would pick the captain up at New Orleans on the way to the Gulf23. Then he hastened preparations for the start.
It was not long before the air-ship was rolled out into the great yard and was all ready for the start.
Then the people of Readestown rose en masse to give their distinguished24 fellow-citizen an ovation25 and a grand farewell to speed him on his journey.
The fame of the undertaking26 had traveled far and wide and from every part of the country people flocked to Readestown.
Their curiosity was most powerful to see the man who had mastered so easily the great problem of aerial navigation.
Frank was obliged to decline all invitations to events given in his honor. His full time was occupied in preparations for the start.
And at last all was ready.
Frank wired Beere at New Orleans and then went aboard the air-ship. Barney and Pomp accompanied him.
It was a beautiful August morning. A mighty crowd thronged27 the streets of Readestown to get a look at the air-ship as it mounted in the air.
None of them were disappointed.
Exactly at the hour named the Spectre leaped upward into the clouds. The people cheered and the bands played and cannon28 roared. And away sailed the Spectre.
Into space she sped, every moment growing smaller, until soon she was lost to sight altogether.
The great journey was begun.
The voyagers were destined29 to meet with many thrilling adventures ere they should see home again. What these were it will be our duty to chronicle.
“Begorra, she sails foine!” said Barney with delight, as he trimmed the course of the air-ship a bit; “she’ll niver be beat, Misther Frank!”
“I think myself that she sails well,” said the critical young inventor. “I shall not try to beat her this year.”
“Golly, Marse Frank, yo’ don’t hab no need ter,” declared Pomp; “she am good fo’ a long voyage, sah!”
“Begorra, phwere is it we will be afther meetin’ the other man?” asked Barney.
“At New Orleans,” replied Frank.
“An’ how far is that, sor?”
“About a thousand miles. We will make it in two days easy enough.”
“It is on our course, sor?”
“Yes.”
The air-ship sailed on over a mighty panorama30 of mountain and valley, hill and plain, lake and forest and river. Great cities alternated with little towns. It was a mighty spectacle from the air-ship’s deck.
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1
interrogated
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| v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询 | |
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2
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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3
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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4
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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6
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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7
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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8
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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9
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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10
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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11
sputtered
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| v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出 | |
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12
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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13
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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14
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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15
aluminum
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| n.(aluminium)铝 | |
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16
impervious
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| adj.不能渗透的，不能穿过的，不易伤害的 | |
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17
berths
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| n.（船、列车等的）卧铺( berth的名词复数 )；（船舶的）停泊位或锚位；差事；船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 )；占铺位 | |
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18
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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21
propeller
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| n.螺旋桨，推进器 | |
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22
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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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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24
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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25
ovation
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| n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌 | |
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26
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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27
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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29
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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30
panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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