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CHAPTER VII. A STARTLING SURPRISE.
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Frank gave an exclamation1 and started for the stairs.

“What is that you say, Barney?” he cried.

“Shure, sor, the lake has gone!”

Frank gave a loud shout.

“Heigho, Beere!” he cried, “the time for action has come. We are just in time. The lake has gone out.”

“Eh—w—what?” sputtered2 the captain, rolling out of his berth3. “You don’t mean that?”

“Yis, sor, for I saw it wid me own eyes!” cried Barney, “shure, cum up an’ ye kin4 see fer yersilf.”

The captain leaped into his trousers. Then he sprang up the cabin stairs with Frank.

In a moment all were at the rail. Then there was an astounded5 silence.

Barney’s hair fairly rose on end. He gazed down below, then up at the sky, then around him. Then he gasped6 for breath.

“Mither av Moses! Did ye iver see the loikes! Shure it has cum back agin!”

Both Frank and the captain looked sharp at the Celt.

There below them was the sparkling surface of the lake. It presented just the same appearance and was just as high as when they had last seen it the night before.

“Barney,” said Frank, severely8, “have you been drinking?”

The Celt stuttered and stammered9 and acted very foolish. But he managed to say:

“Be me sowl, Misther Frank, it was gone, and not an hour since, sor. I saw the sand an’ the rocks ’an’ all, sor!”

Frank and Nicodemus exchanged glances.

“What time was it when you discovered the disappearance10 of the lake, Barney?” asked Nicodemus.

“About two o’clock av the mornin’, sor!”

“Tell us all about it.”

Barney did this. Frank and the captain listened with interest. When he had finished Nicodemus said:

“Frank, there is no doubt of it. The lake went out and came back again while we were asleep.”

“It must be so,” agreed the young inventor.

“Shure, sor, it’s thrue,” averred11 Barney.

“Why didn’t you wake us up and tell us about it?”

“On me worrud, sor, I niver had a thought that it wud cum back again, sor, an’ I med out to wait until mornin’ rather than disthurb yez sleep, sor.”

“Well,” said Frank, turning to Nicodemus, “it is hardly likely that we could have accomplished12 anything anyway in that brief time.”

“That is true,” agreed the captain. “We will wait for another evacuation of the lake basin.”

All that day the little party watched the lake. That night all sat up until late to see if the lake would go out again.

But it did not. The next day brought no change, and thus several days passed.

Still the same smooth expanse of water smiled upon them every morning.

There seemed no reason for believing that it ever would or could change its basin.

A week passed thus.

Waiting and watching of course grew extremely monotonous13. So after awhile diversions were indulged in to pass away the time.

Hunting trips were made into the interior of the mysterious country.

Many strange things were seen, and once a glimpse was had of a mighty14 cavern15 mouth far up in the hills, in which there were grouped a dozen of giant men.

They were no doubt of the giant race which inhabited those mountains. It seemed as if they must be fully16 seven feet in height and of enormous build.

Our adventurers took good care to keep out of their way, for a collision with them might not be pleasant.

Two weeks drifted by.

Then the first of a series of thrilling events occurred.

Nicodemus arose early one morning and walked around the far shore of the lake.

He was pacing the sands abstractedly when his eye caught something in the sand.

He paused with a gasp7.

It was a footprint.

Moreover it was that of a man who wore a hobnailed boot. It could only prove one thing.

Others were in the region and they were also from civilization. Words cannot express the captain’s amazement17.

“By Neptune18,” he muttered, “how did they ever find their way to this out of the way place?”

Then other queries19 came to him. Who were they? What brought them here, and how many were in their party?

The captain’s curiosity was aroused.

Prudence20 bade him return to the air-ship and secure the co-operation of his companions. But powerful curiosity overruled discretion21.

He bent22 down over the trail and followed it. A little further on as he had expected, the footprints met with others. For two miles he followed them along the shore.

Then he turned an angle in the shore and came upon a startling scene.

This was a camp in the verge23 of a clump24 of palms. A dozen brawny25 men in white shirts, loose trousers and sombreros, were sitting about smoking and talking.

All the paraphernalia26 of a camp, with a train of mules27, was behind them. They had apparently28 been on the spot for some while.

Words can hardly express the sensations of the captain.

He stared at the scene, and then a sharp ejaculation escaped him.

“By Neptune! it is Jerry Dooley!”

His gaze was fixed29 upon a man who stood in the edge of the camp talking with three others. He was a man of smooth face, shifting gaze and stealthy manner. His appearance was that of a sea-faring man.

In him Nicodemus recognized one of the crew of the wrecked30 ship, who had been a companion of his at the time that the lake came back, and as Nicodemus had always believed, had drowned the entire crew left at the mound31 of gold.

But there had been one exception. This was Jerry Dooley, the ship’s steward32. As fate had it, he had started himself right after Nicodemus and Langley to go back to the camp on an errand. He was overtaken by the waters of the lake, but dashed high and dry upon an eminence33 on the lake shore.

Dooley had made ineffectual search for the camp, and not finding it, finally started back for the Pacific coast.

After many hardships he reached it and pluckily34 put to sea in the ship’s boat left there. Good fortune became his.

He was picked up by a coaster bound for Valparaiso and later got a berth aboard an American ship of the line. Later he went into the navy.

But he had never forgotten the Transient Lake and the mound of gold. He believed all his companions dead.

He succeeded in the navy and became a lieutenant35, finally being retired36 on half pay. Having the leisure time he now decided37 to carry out a long-cherished desire.

This was to pay a visit again to the Transient Lake, and if possible recover the buried treasure. He succeeded in organizing a party.

For a year they had floundered about in the swamps of Paraguay, and finally crossed the wild ranges of Chuquisoca, and by a stroke of luck found the lake.

And here they were encamped and waited for precisely38 the same thing that the aerial voyagers did, viz: the disappearance of the lake.

This much Captain Nicodemus guessed. He was so excited at the outlook that he inadvertently stood out in full view of the camp.

And just then Dooley, chancing to look up, saw him.

He gave a start and for a moment his face was livid. Then he started toward Nicodemus.

The captain saw that he had betrayed himself, so he did not attempt to conceal39 himself. Instead he advanced to meet the other.

“Dooley!” he exclaimed; “on my word, this beats all. I thought you dead.”

“And I thought you dead, skipper,” declared the lieutenant.

“What—when—how—what are you here for?”

The lieutenant looked sharply at the captain. In that moment each understood the other.

“I have come back for the gold in the bottom of the lake,” said Dooley.

The captain stiffened40 visibly.

“You have!” he exclaimed.

“Yes.”

“Do you expect to get it?”

“Not unless the lake again changes its basin.”

“Oh, umph! Let me see. Were not your companions drowned when the lake returned that time?”

“They were.”

“But you—how did you escape?”

Dooley told his story. Then he asked sharply:

“But how did you get here? You have not been here ever since?”

“Hardly,” replied Nicodemus, quietly. “I have come here for the same purpose as yourself, for the buried gold.”

“Ah!”

The two men gazed at each other. In that moment antagonism41 was uppermost.

“I suppose that gold belongs to whomever can recover it.”

“Certainly not!” replied Nicodemus.

“Indeed!” said Dooley, somewhat staggered. “How do you disprove that?”

“Easy enough. My right to it is indisputable, and confirmed by the law of prior discovery. The gold is mine!”

Dooley drew a deep, sharp breath. Matters were becoming strained.

“I disagree with you,” he said.

“Eh?” roared Beere.

“I do not agree with you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just this: We have as much title to that gold as you. It was to have been equally divided at the time. It shall be so now.”

“By what authority?” asked Beere.

“The authority of fair play. We have come thousands of miles, have dared death in every form, and we are not in a mood to sacrifice the prime object of our expedition.”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 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。
2 sputtered 96f0fd50429fb7be8aafa0ca161be0b6     
v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 );发劈啪声;喷出;飞溅出
参考例句:
  • The candle sputtered out. 蜡烛噼啪爆响着熄灭了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The balky engine sputtered and stopped. 不听使唤的发动机劈啪作响地停了下来。 来自辞典例句
3 berth yt0zq     
n.卧铺,停泊地,锚位;v.使停泊
参考例句:
  • She booked a berth on the train from London to Aberdeen.她订了一张由伦敦开往阿伯丁的火车卧铺票。
  • They took up a berth near the harbor.他们在港口附近找了个位置下锚。
4 kin 22Zxv     
n.家族,亲属,血缘关系;adj.亲属关系的,同类的
参考例句:
  • He comes of good kin.他出身好。
  • She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。
5 astounded 7541fb163e816944b5753491cad6f61a     
v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词);愕然;愕;惊讶
参考例句:
  • His arrogance astounded her. 他的傲慢使她震惊。
  • How can you say that? I'm absolutely astounded. 你怎么能说出那种话?我感到大为震惊。
6 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要
参考例句:
  • She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
  • People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
7 gasp UfxzL     
n.喘息,气喘;v.喘息;气吁吁他说
参考例句:
  • She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
  • The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。
8 severely SiCzmk     
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地
参考例句:
  • He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
  • He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
9 stammered 76088bc9384c91d5745fd550a9d81721     
v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠,结结巴巴地说,“你是什么意思?” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
10 disappearance ouEx5     
n.消失,消散,失踪
参考例句:
  • He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
  • Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。
11 averred 4a3546c562d3f5b618f0024b711ffe27     
v.断言( aver的过去式和过去分词 );证实;证明…属实;作为事实提出
参考例句:
  • She averred that she had never seen the man before. 她斩钉截铁地说以前从未见过这个男人。
  • The prosecutor averred that the prisoner killed Lois. 检察官称被拘犯杀害洛伊丝属实。 来自互联网
12 accomplished UzwztZ     
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的
参考例句:
  • Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
  • Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。
13 monotonous FwQyJ     
adj.单调的,一成不变的,使人厌倦的
参考例句:
  • She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。
  • His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律,一个调调儿。
14 mighty YDWxl     
adj.强有力的;巨大的
参考例句:
  • A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
  • The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。
15 cavern Ec2yO     
n.洞穴,大山洞
参考例句:
  • The cavern walls echoed his cries.大山洞的四壁回响着他的喊声。
  • It suddenly began to shower,and we took refuge in the cavern.天突然下起雨来,我们在一个山洞里避雨。
16 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
17 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
18 Neptune LNezw     
n.海王星
参考例句:
  • Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun.海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
  • Neptune turned out to be a dynamic,stormy world.海王星原来是个有生气、多风暴的世界。
19 queries 5da7eb4247add5dbd5776c9c0b38460a     
n.问题( query的名词复数 );疑问;询问;问号v.质疑,对…表示疑问( query的第三人称单数 );询问
参考例句:
  • Our assistants will be happy to answer your queries. 我们的助理很乐意回答诸位的问题。
  • Her queries were rhetorical,and best ignored. 她的质问只不过是说说而已,最好不予理睬。 来自《简明英汉词典》
20 prudence 9isyI     
n.谨慎,精明,节俭
参考例句:
  • A lack of prudence may lead to financial problems.不够谨慎可能会导致财政上出现问题。
  • The happy impute all their success to prudence or merit.幸运者都把他们的成功归因于谨慎或功德。
21 discretion FZQzm     
n.谨慎;随意处理
参考例句:
  • You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
  • Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。
22 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
23 verge gUtzQ     
n.边,边缘;v.接近,濒临
参考例句:
  • The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
  • She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。
24 clump xXfzH     
n.树丛,草丛;vi.用沉重的脚步行走
参考例句:
  • A stream meandered gently through a clump of trees.一条小溪从树丛中蜿蜒穿过。
  • It was as if he had hacked with his thick boots at a clump of bluebells.仿佛他用自己的厚靴子无情地践踏了一丛野风信子。
25 brawny id7yY     
adj.强壮的
参考例句:
  • The blacksmith has a brawny arm.铁匠有强壮的胳膊。
  • That same afternoon the marshal appeared with two brawny assistants.当天下午,警长带着两名身强力壮的助手来了。
26 paraphernalia AvqyU     
n.装备;随身用品
参考例句:
  • Can you move all your paraphernalia out of the way?你可以把所有的随身物品移开吗?
  • All my fishing paraphernalia is in the car.我的鱼具都在汽车里。
27 mules be18bf53ebe6a97854771cdc8bfe67e6     
骡( mule的名词复数 ); 拖鞋; 顽固的人; 越境运毒者
参考例句:
  • The cart was pulled by two mules. 两匹骡子拉这辆大车。
  • She wore tight trousers and high-heeled mules. 她穿紧身裤和拖鞋式高跟鞋。
28 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
29 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。
30 wrecked ze0zKI     
adj.失事的,遇难的
参考例句:
  • the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸
  • the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞
31 mound unCzhy     
n.土墩,堤,小山;v.筑堤,用土堆防卫
参考例句:
  • The explorers climbed a mound to survey the land around them.勘探者爬上土丘去勘测周围的土地。
  • The mound can be used as our screen.这个土丘可做我们的掩蔽物。
32 steward uUtzw     
n.乘务员,服务员;看管人;膳食管理员
参考例句:
  • He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
  • He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员,到过世界各地。
33 eminence VpLxo     
n.卓越,显赫;高地,高处;名家
参考例句:
  • He is a statesman of great eminence.他是个声名显赫的政治家。
  • Many of the pilots were to achieve eminence in the aeronautical world.这些飞行员中很多人将会在航空界声名显赫。
34 pluckily f456b1f7f188159a24a79bb3c11e7ed4     
adv.有勇气地,大胆地
参考例句:
  • He was Brentford's defensive star in pluckily holding out the determined Reading raids for long periods. 他是布伦特福德队的防守明星,长期坚持抗击雷丁队的猛攻。 来自互联网
  • A crushing setback, pluckily overcome, is a good plot motif to carry the yarn forward. 如果你的公司曾遭受过一次毁灭性的打击,但你的勇气让公司度过了难关,那么这个情节也很不错,能推动故事的发展。 来自互联网
35 lieutenant X3GyG     
n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员
参考例句:
  • He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
  • He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官,递上了一张简短的便条进去。
36 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
37 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。
38 precisely zlWzUb     
adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地
参考例句:
  • It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
  • The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
39 conceal DpYzt     
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽
参考例句:
  • He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方,他只好隐瞒身份。
  • He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。
40 stiffened de9de455736b69d3f33bb134bba74f63     
加强的
参考例句:
  • He leaned towards her and she stiffened at this invasion of her personal space. 他向她俯过身去,这种侵犯她个人空间的举动让她绷紧了身子。
  • She stiffened with fear. 她吓呆了。
41 antagonism bwHzL     
n.对抗,敌对,对立
参考例句:
  • People did not feel a strong antagonism for established policy.人们没有对既定方针产生强烈反应。
  • There is still much antagonism between trades unions and the oil companies.工会和石油公司之间仍然存在着相当大的敌意。


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