“I am he. What have you?”
“We are from Moscow. We have traveled day and night to reach you with a message from the Czar.”
At once the prison captain drew himself up with dignity and importance.
“I will read it,” he said, pompously2.
One of the couriers tendered him a document. He read it to himself and his brow cleared. Then he said:
“Nicolas Mafetodi, I have to say that his most gracious majesty3, the Czar, has sent you full and absolute pardon. It has been discovered that you are innocent of the charge brought against you. Count Valdstedt has confessed.”
“Olga!” murmured the exile, with a light of delirious4 happiness in his eyes. Then it faded and he reeled back.
He fell to the ground like a log. Instantly all rushed forward. Frank Reade, Jr., bent5 over him, feeling his pulse, and said:
“Give him air! He has only fainted.”
But the awful strain and suffering experienced by Nicolas had told seriously upon his strength.
However, he soon recovered with the aid of stimulants6. He managed to mount a horse.
But before doing this he half prostrated7 himself at Frank’s feet.
“Oh! good, kind American!” he cried. “There will always be a place in the heart of Nicolas for you. Never shall I forget you!”
Then all mounted their horses. The couriers rode in advance. All saluted the voyagers and then the cavalcade8 dashed away.
Our voyagers watched them until long out of sight.
Then Frank Reade, Jr., drew a deep breath.
“One man’s wrongs righted!” he said. “I am very glad!”
“Amen!” said Professor Gaston, and Barney and Pomp looked their feelings.
It was but an hour before noon. The little incident had taken up several hours of time.
But it was decided9 to resume the journey at once. There were many miles to cover before reaching the pole.
The airship since its overhauling10 was in first-class shape. It rose into the air as buoyant as a bird and sailed away to the northward11.
All were extremely glad that there had been no collision with the prison guard.
Lives would have been lost, perhaps some of their own number would have been killed and the affair been most serious for all parties.
The reprieve12 had come just in the nick of time. The couriers were entitled to great credit for hunting the prison captain up so promptly13.
Every day now the distance across the Arctic was lessened14.
Fur suits were in order—for the cold was most bitter.
“Begorra, it’s t sticker to me, shure!” cried Barney, in perplexity. “However can it be so much colder at the North Pole than at the South Pole?”
“It is no colder,” replied Professor Gaston.
“Phwat’s that, sor?”
“I say it’s no colder.”
“Well, I’m shure it is!”
“Nonsense!” declared Gaston. “The thermometer will not agree with your statement. But I think myself that one feels the cold of the northern frigid15 zone more than that of the south.”
“Well, sor,” cried Barney, not to be outdone in an argument, “what’s that but being a bit colder!”
“You may be colder,” laughed the professor, “but the weather is not.”
“Shure, thin, phwy is it that I am so much colder?” protested Barney.
“A peculiar16 state of affairs which gives two different colds. The atmosphere at the South Pole is a trifle more mild. It is a volcanic17 region, and perhaps that may account for it. It is true that the Arctic cold is more penetrating18. Yet the thermometer averages the same.”
Barney did not attempt to argue the subject further.
He was satisfied, and now turned his attention to Pomp. For several days he had been itching19 for an opportunity to get square with the darky for the result of the last practical joke.
The Celt did some deep studying, and finally conjured20 up a racket which he believed would settle accounts with the darky in good shape.
The Irishman succeeded in abstracting what was called an invisible wire from Frank’s private locker21.
This was a very thin but immensely strong steel wire, of about the size of cotton thread. But it was capable of conducting just as powerful an electric current as one five times the size.
It answered the Celt’s purpose to a dot. At once he proceeded to work his plans.
Pomp was very methodical in the most of his habits.
In retiring he had a certain way of hanging up his clothes and of tumbling into bed even. It was unvarying in all cases.
His shoes were placed side by side just under the head of his bunk22 and always in the same position.
Barney had noted23 this many times and had frequently joked the darky about it.
“Don’ yo’ fool yo’se’f!” Pomp retorted. “Dis chile hab been in a house what hab cotched afiah an’ I done beliebe in havin’ ebert’ing ready to tumble into quick in case dar is any fiah.”
Barney laughed heartily24. But this very peculiarity25 of the darky now gave him an excellent chance.
That night the darky retired26 at his usual hour. It had been his first watch and it was past midnight when he turned in.
Barney was on duty for the rest of the night. The Celt waited until all was quiet and he was assured that Pomp was sound asleep.
Then he crept down into the cabin.
He brought from the dynamo-room the two long coils of invisible wire. These were fastened to screws connected with the dynamos.
Reaching down, Barney slipped a small end of the wire into each shoe of the darky’s. This he fastened in such a way that it could not be easily removed, and yet would not interfere27 with putting the shoes on.
He made a complete circuit, and then turned on the current.
Now was the time for the fun to begin.
It was a peculiarity of Pomp’s that when suddenly awakened28 his first move was to don his shoes.
He would not more have thought of leaving his bunk without his shoes on than of flying to the moon.
So Barney had the wires well laid. He made sure that everything was all ready.
Then he leaned over and shouted in the darky’s ear:
“Foire—foire!”
The result was immediate29. Pomp sprang up with a wild yell.
“Massy sakes alibe! Don’ burn dis po’ chile up! Sabe me! Fo’ de Lor’!”
“Hurry up!” shouted Barney from the engine-room. “There’s no toime to lose! Jump into yer boots an’ come on!”
“Jes’ yo’ wait fo’ me, I’ish!” gurgled Pomp, who had not yet got the sticks of slumber30 out of his head. “I’se gwine to be wif yo’ right away!”
Then the excited darky made a grab for his shoes. Down into one of them went his foot.
The next moment, he went sailing up in a convulsive leap, and struck the partition overhead.
“Golly—massy—whoop la—whoo—I’se done killed! Sabe dis chile!” he yelled, wildly. “Wha’ am de mattah?”
The shoe flew off and Pomp was instantly relieved. He was wide awake now. He knew that he had received a tremendous shock, but he could not tell whether it had struck him in the feet or his head.
He imagined that the fire had caused some part of the framework of his bunk to become charged.
Could he have seen Barney at that moment in the engine-room he would have been enlightened.
The Celt was doubled up into a round ball, laughing for all he was worth, silently.
“Fo’ massy sakes, wha’ am mah shoe?” sputtered31 Pomp.
But he saw it at that moment and reached for it. Happily his hand did not strike the invisible wire.
Again Pomp’s foot went down into the shoe with great force. Once again he was literally32 lifted in the air.
This time the shoe stuck longer, and he went flopping33 over the floor in literal agony. Out of compassion34 Barney shut off the current.
“Begorra, it’s square I am wid him now!” he muttered. “Shure, he’ll niver thry to play a thrick on me again!”
Pomp had now recovered from his second shock. He put his hand down to the shoe and felt the invisible wire.
In a moment he had it in his hands, and as he followed it a comprehension of all burst upon him.
There was no fire; it was only a neat joke of Barney’s, and now he heard the haw-haw of the Irishman in the engine-room.
“Great ’possums!” he reflected, sagely35, “dat I’ishman hab done got de bes’ ob me dis time. But I’ll bet mah life he don’ do it agen!”
Then he crept slowly and sorrowfully back into his bunk.
Barney met Pomp the next morning on the engine-room stairs, but nothing was said. There was a twinkle in Pomp’s eyes, however, which boded36 no good.
The airship now had reached the frozen seas. Vast fields of ice, densely37 packed, extended as far as the eye could reach.
The cold was something frightful38. To add to the discomforts39 a blinding snowstorm began its sway.
For hours the Dart40 battled with the blinding snow. Then Frank decided to find a good place and wait until the storm was over. Much damage was being done to the wings and rotascope by the heavy snow.
So the young inventor selected a spot under the cover of a mighty41 berg or peak of ice which rose into the air for a height of full a hundred feet.
This kept off the brunt of the storm, and here the airship rested safely.
The electric heating apparatus42 was taxed to its fullest capacity, for the cold was something frightful.
All remained closely domiciled in the cabin. Frank had the rotascope and wings folded up so that the wind could not damage them.
And here in the gloom of the Arctic night the voyagers waited for the storm to cease.
Barney and Pomp were in their usual cheerful mood, and did much to keep up the spirits of the party with fiddle43 and banjo.
Irish melodies and negro songs were blended, and even Frank sang a sentimental44 song, for he was possessed45 of a beautiful tenor46 voice.
The storm raged for a long time. Indeed, it seemed as if the airship must be finally buried in the fearful white drift.
But at length the temperature began to rise, and Barney suggested a little trip outside.
“Shure, I haven’t used me snowshoes yet,” he declared. “And here is a most illegant opportunity.”
All agreed with the lively Celt.
The snowshoes were brought out and all donned them. Then the thickest of furs were worn.
For the cold was most bitter, and unless warmly clad human life could be supported but a very short time.
Opening the cabin door the voyagers walked out upon the snow-clad deck. It was a wild and wonderful scene which was presented to them.
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收听单词发音
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1
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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2
pompously
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| adv.傲慢地，盛大壮观地；大模大样 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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4
delirious
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| adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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6
stimulants
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| n.兴奋剂( stimulant的名词复数 )；含兴奋剂的饮料；刺激物；激励物 | |
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7
prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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8
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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9
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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10
overhauling
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| n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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11
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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12
reprieve
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| n.暂缓执行（死刑）；v.缓期执行；给…带来缓解 | |
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13
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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14
lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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15
frigid
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| adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的 | |
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16
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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17
volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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18
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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19
itching
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| adj.贪得的，痒的，渴望的v.发痒( itch的现在分词 ) | |
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20
conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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21
locker
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| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
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22
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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23
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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24
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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25
peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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26
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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27
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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28
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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29
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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30
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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31
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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32
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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33
flopping
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| n.贬调v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的现在分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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34
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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35
sagely
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| adv. 贤能地，贤明地 | |
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36
boded
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| v.预示，预告，预言( bode的过去式和过去分词 )；等待，停留( bide的过去分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待 | |
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37
densely
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| ad.密集地；浓厚地 | |
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38
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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39
discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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40
dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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41
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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42
apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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43
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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44
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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45
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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46
tenor
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| n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意 | |
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