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CHAPTER I WASHINGTON BACKS OUT
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 “Washington! I say Washington!”
 
Throughout a big shed, filled for the most part with huge pieces of machinery1, echoed the voice of Professor Amos Henderson. He did not look up from a small engine over which he was bending.
 
“Washington! Where are you? Why don’t you answer me?”
 
From somewhere underneath2 an immense pile of iron, steel and aluminum3 came the voice of a colored man.
 
“Yas sir, Perfesser, I’se goin’ t’ saggasiate my bodily presence in yo’ contiguous proximity4 an’ attend t’ yo’ immediate5 conglomerated prescriptions6 at th’ predistined period. Yas, sir!”
 
“Well, Washington, if you had started when you began that long speech you would have been at least half way here by this time. Hurry up! Never mind tightning those bolts now. Find the boys. I need them to help me with this engine. They must be around somewhere.”
 
“I seen ’em goin’ fishin’ down by th’ brook7 a little while ago,” answered the negro, crawling out from under what seemed to be a combined airship and watercraft. “Jack8 says as how yo’ gived him permission t’ occupy his indisputatious period of levity9 in endeavorin’ t’ extract from th’ liquid element some specimens10 of swimmin’ creatures.”
 
“If you mean I said he and Mark could go fishing in the brook, you’re right, Washington,” replied the professor with a smile. “But you waste a lot of time and breath trying to say it. Why don’t you give up using big words?”
 
“I reckon I was brought up t’ it,” replied the colored man grinning from ear to ear. He did not always use big words but when he did they were generally the wrong ones. Sometimes, he spoke11 quite correctly.
 
“Well, I suppose you can’t help it,” resumed Mr. Henderson. “However, never mind that. Find the boys and send them to me.”
 
“With th’ least appreciatableness amount of postponement,” answered the messenger, and he went out.
 
Washington White, who in color was just the opposite to his name, a general helper and companion to Professor Henderson, found Mark Sampson and Jack Darrow about a quarter of a mile from the big shed, which was in the center of a wooded island off the coast of Maine. The lads were seated on the bank of a small brook, fishing.
 
“Perfesser wants yo’ immediate,” said Washington.
 
“But we haven’t caught a single fish,” objected Mark.
 
“Them’s the orders from headquarters,” replied the colored man. “Yo’ both got t’ project yo’selves in th’ vicinity of th’ machine shop. I reckon th’ new fangled contraption that th’ perfesser is goin’ t’ navigate13 th’ air an’ sail th’ angry seas in, am about done. He want’s t’ try th’ engine.”
 
“Come on then,” said Jack. “We probably would not catch any fish, anyhow, Mark.”
 
Accompanied by Washington, the youths, each of whom was about eighteen years old, started toward the big shed.
 
While they are on their way opportunity may be taken to tell a little about them, as well as about Washington and the professor, and the curious craft on which the scientist was working.
 
A few years before this story opens Mr. Henderson had invented a wonderful electric airship. He had it about completed when, one day, he and the two boys became unexpectedly acquainted, and, as it developed, friends.
 
Mark and Jack were orphans15. After having rather a hard time knocking about the world trying to make a living, they chanced to meet, and resolved to cast their lots together. They boarded a freight train, and, as told in the first volume of this series, entitled, “Through the Air to the North Pole; or the Wonderful Cruise of the Electric Monarch16,” the cars were wrecked17 near where Professor Henderson was building his strange craft.
 
The boys were cared for by the scientist, and, after their recovery from hurts received in the collision, they accepted his invitation to make the trip through the upper regions in the airship, to search for the north pole. With them went Andy Sudds, an old hunter, and Tom Smith and Bill Jones, two farmers, but who were hired as helpers on the voyage. The party had many adventures on the trip, having battles with savage18 animals and more savage Esquimaux, and were tossed about in terrible storms. After making some scientific observations, which the professor was much interested in, they started back home.
 
Having found he could successfully sail in the air, Mr. Henderson resolved to try what it might be like under water.
 
He moved his machine shop to a lonely spot on the Maine coast, and there, with the help of the boys, Washington, Andy and two machinists constructed a submarine boat, called the Porpoise19.
 
In this the professor resolved to seek the south pole, he having a theory that it was surrounded by an open sea. After much hard work the Porpoise was made ready for the voyage.
 
What occurred on this great trip is described in the second book of this series, called “Under the Ocean to the South Pole, or the Strange Cruise of the Submarine Wonder.” In that is told how once more Tom and Bill, with Andy, the boys and Washington, accompanying Professor Henderson, had many thrilling experiences.
 
They were caught in the grip of the grass of the terrible Sargasso Sea. Monstrous20 suckers grasped the boat in their powerful arms, and had to be fought off. They were caught in a sea of boiling water and imprisoned21 between big fields of ice.
 
By means of strong diving suits they were able to leave the ship and walk about on the bottom of the sea. They visited a graveyard22 of sunken ships, saw many strange monsters as well as many beautiful fish in the great depths to which they sunk. Many times they were in dire23 peril24 but the resources of the professor, the bravery and daring of the boys, no less than the help Washington and Andy Sudds, the hunter, rendered at times, brought them through.
 
Those of you who read of their adventures will recall the strange island which they came upon in the Atlantic Ocean, far from the coast of South America.
 
When they first drew near this island they were almost sucked into the depths of a great whirlpool, caused by water pouring down a big hole that seemed to lead far into the earth. They reversed their ship just in time.
 
But, on going to another side of the island they were able to approach safely, as at this point the great hole was farther from the shore. Then they landed and investigated.
 
They found the island was almost circular, and the hole was also round, but not in the center of the land. It was an immense cavity, so wide they could not see across, and as for the depth they could only guess at it. Looking down they could only see rolling masses of vapor25 and clouds caused by the water which poured down from the ocean with the force of a Niagara.
 
Gazing down into the big hole Mark suggested it might lead to the centre of the earth, which some scientists claim is hollow. The professor admitted that the cavity looked as though it led to China.
 
They had no means of investigating further the mystery of the opening and returned to their submarine, completing the voyage to the south pole.
 
It was now about two years since they had come back from that eventful trip. One of the first things the professor did, after docking the Porpoise, was to shut himself up in his study and begin to draw plans. To the questions of the boys he returned no answer for several days. Then he announced he was working on a craft which could both sail on top of the water and navigate the air.
 
In time the plans were done, and, in order to keep the work secret, the shop was moved to an island which the professor owned.
 
Parts of the Monarch and the Porpoise were used in constructing the new craft, so there was no need to get other help than that which the boys, Washington and Bill and Tom could give, since the two latter accepted an offer of the professor to remain and work for him. The boys, of course, would not leave their friend.
 
The professor realized that he had a more difficult task in his new venture than he had set himself on other occasions. For a ship to be light enough to rise in the air, and, at another time, and with no change, to be strong enough to navigate the ocean, was indeed something to tax Mr. Henderson’s ingenuity26.
 
However, in the course of a little over a year the larger part of the work was done. Inside the big shed was the huge affair which, it was hoped, would enable its owner to be master of both air and water.
 
“Did the professor say anything special?” asked Mark of Washington.
 
“Nope. I reckon he were too busy problamatin’ the exact altitude projected in an inverse27 direction by th’ square root of th’ new engine when operated at a million times inside of a few seconds, but he didn’t say nothin’ t’ me. I were busy underneath th’ ship, fixin’ bolts when he tole me t’ find yo’. I wouldn’t be s’prised if he had th’ thing goin’ soon.”
 
“Do you think he’ll be generating the new gas to-day?” asked Jack eagerly. “That’s the most troublesome part; to get that gas right.”
 
“He didn’t say nothin’ t’ me 'bout12 it,” Washington stated, as he walked along beside the two boys. “He jest seemed anxious like.”
 
“We’d better hurry,” advised Mark. “He may be at an important part in his experiments and probably needs us. I hope it will work. He has spent many days on it, and we all have worked hard. It ought to be a success.”
 
“Perfesser allers makes things work,” declared Washington stoutly28.
 
“That’s a good way to feel about it, anyway,” observed Mark. “Well, we’ll soon know.”
 
The three hurried to the shed which they could see as they rounded a turn of the path through the wood. They noticed an elderly man approaching with a gun on his shoulder. On one arm he carried a game bag.
 
“Guess Andy got something for dinner,” remarked Jack.
 
“I hopes so, honey,” put in Washington. “I’se got a sort of gone feelin’ in my stomach!”
 
“Any luck, Andy?” called Mark, when he came within hailing distance.
 
“Fine,” replied Andy Sudds. “Rabbits and quail29. We’ll have a good dinner to-morrow.”
 
While Andy entered the living part of the big shed to put away his gun and game, the boys and Washington kept on to the engine room. They found the professor, with Bill and Tom, busy fitting pipes to the small engine which was set up at one side of the structure.
 
“Come, boys, I need your aid,” remarked Mr. Henderson as they entered. “Take off your coats and pitch in. Tighten30 up these bolts, Jack. Mark, you mix up those chemicals the way I taught you, and see that the dynamo is in working order for Washington to attend to.”
 
In a little while the shop was a veritable hive of industry, and it resounded31 to the sound of hammers, wrenches33 and machinery. In the background was the big ship, which seemed like two immense cigars, one above the other, the lower one the larger.
 
“Where was you calalatin’ t’ take this here ship when it gits done, Perfesser?” asked Washington, during a lull34 in the operations.
 
“Do you remember that big hole in the island we visited on our trip to the south pole?”
 
“I suah does,” answered the colored man.
 
“We are going to explore that,” went on the scientist. “We are going to make a voyage to the interior of the earth in our Flying Mermaid35.”
 
“Go down into th’ earth!” exclaimed Washington, his eyes big with fright.
 
“Certainly; why not?”
 
“Not for mine!” cried the colored man, dropping the wrench32 he was holding. “No sir! I’m not goin’ t’ project myself int’ a grave while I’se alive. Time enough when I kicks th’ bucket. No sir! If yo’ an’ the boys wants t’ risk yo’ se’ves goin’ down int’ th’ interior of th’ earth, where th’ Bible says there’s fiery36 furnaces, yo’ kin14 go, but Washington White stays on terra cotta! That’s where he stays; He ain’t ready t’ be buried, not jest yet!” and the frightened colored man started to leave the shed.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 machinery CAdxb     
n.(总称)机械,机器;机构
参考例句:
  • Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗?
  • Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。
2 underneath VKRz2     
adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面
参考例句:
  • Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
  • She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣,里面套着一条连衣裙。
3 aluminum 9xhzP     
n.(aluminium)铝
参考例句:
  • The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
  • During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段,它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。
4 proximity 5RsxM     
n.接近,邻近
参考例句:
  • Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
  • Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。
5 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
6 prescriptions f0b231c0bb45f8e500f32e91ec1ae602     
药( prescription的名词复数 ); 处方; 开处方; 计划
参考例句:
  • The hospital of traditional Chinese medicine installed a computer to fill prescriptions. 中医医院装上了电子计算机来抓药。
  • Her main job was filling the doctor's prescriptions. 她的主要工作就是给大夫开的药方配药。
7 brook PSIyg     
n.小河,溪;v.忍受,容让
参考例句:
  • In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
  • The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。
8 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
9 levity Q1uxA     
n.轻率,轻浮,不稳定,多变
参考例句:
  • His remarks injected a note of levity into the proceedings.他的话将一丝轻率带入了议事过程中。
  • At the time,Arnold had disapproved of such levity.那时候的阿诺德对这种轻浮行为很看不惯。
10 specimens 91fc365099a256001af897127174fcce     
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 );范例;(化验的)抽样;某种类型的人
参考例句:
  • Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
  • The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 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。
12 bout Asbzz     
n.侵袭,发作;一次(阵,回);拳击等比赛
参考例句:
  • I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
  • That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。
13 navigate 4Gyxu     
v.航行,飞行;导航,领航
参考例句:
  • He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
  • Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。
14 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。
15 orphans edf841312acedba480123c467e505b2a     
孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The poor orphans were kept on short commons. 贫苦的孤儿们吃不饱饭。
  • Their uncle was declared guardian to the orphans. 这些孤儿的叔父成为他们的监护人。
16 monarch l6lzj     
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者
参考例句:
  • The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
  • I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。
17 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
18 savage ECxzR     
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人
参考例句:
  • The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
  • He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
19 porpoise Sidy6     
n.鼠海豚
参考例句:
  • What is the difference between a dolphin and porpoise?海豚和和鼠海豚有什么区别?
  • Mexico strives to save endangered porpoise.墨西哥努力拯救濒危的鼠海豚。
20 monstrous vwFyM     
adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的
参考例句:
  • The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升,形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
  • Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人!
21 imprisoned bc7d0bcdd0951055b819cfd008ef0d8d     
下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁,合并执行。
  • They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。
22 graveyard 9rFztV     
n.坟场
参考例句:
  • All the town was drifting toward the graveyard.全镇的人都象流水似地向那坟场涌过去。
  • Living next to a graveyard would give me the creeps.居住在墓地旁边会使我毛骨悚然。
23 dire llUz9     
adj.可怕的,悲惨的,阴惨的,极端的
参考例句:
  • There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
  • We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了,但是我们渡过了困难。
24 peril l3Dz6     
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物
参考例句:
  • The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
  • The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。
25 vapor DHJy2     
n.蒸汽,雾气
参考例句:
  • The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。
  • This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。
26 ingenuity 77TxM     
n.别出心裁;善于发明创造
参考例句:
  • The boy showed ingenuity in making toys.那个小男孩做玩具很有创造力。
  • I admire your ingenuity and perseverance.我钦佩你的别出心裁和毅力。
27 inverse GR6zs     
adj.相反的,倒转的,反转的;n.相反之物;v.倒转
参考例句:
  • Evil is the inverse of good.恶是善的反面。
  • When the direct approach failed he tried the inverse.当直接方法失败时,他尝试相反的做法。
28 stoutly Xhpz3l     
adv.牢固地,粗壮的
参考例句:
  • He stoutly denied his guilt.他断然否认自己有罪。
  • Burgess was taxed with this and stoutly denied it.伯杰斯为此受到了责难,但是他自己坚决否认有这回事。
29 quail f0UzL     
n.鹌鹑;vi.畏惧,颤抖
参考例句:
  • Cowards always quail before the enemy.在敌人面前,胆小鬼们总是畏缩不前的。
  • Quail eggs are very high in cholesterol.鹌鹑蛋胆固醇含量高。
30 tighten 9oYwI     
v.(使)变紧;(使)绷紧
参考例句:
  • Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
  • Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策,以避免通货膨胀。
31 resounded 063087faa0e6dc89fa87a51a1aafc1f9     
v.(指声音等)回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 );产生回响;(指某处)回荡着声音
参考例句:
  • Laughter resounded through the house. 笑声在屋里回荡。
  • The echo resounded back to us. 回声传回到我们的耳中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
32 wrench FMvzF     
v.猛拧;挣脱;使扭伤;n.扳手;痛苦,难受
参考例句:
  • He gave a wrench to his ankle when he jumped down.他跳下去的时候扭伤了足踝。
  • It was a wrench to leave the old home.离开这个老家非常痛苦。
33 wrenches 238611407049b765eb73fb72376ef016     
n.一拧( wrench的名词复数 );(身体关节的)扭伤;扳手;(尤指离别的)悲痛v.(猛力地)扭( wrench的第三人称单数 );扭伤;使感到痛苦;使悲痛
参考例句:
  • NEVER use wrenches or other persuaders to operate the valve. 禁止使用扳手或其它强制性工具来操作阀门。 来自互联网
  • Thus, torque wrenches should be used for tightening DISS connections. 因此,应该使用转矩扳手来上紧DISS接头。 来自互联网
34 lull E8hz7     
v.使安静,使入睡,缓和,哄骗;n.暂停,间歇
参考例句:
  • The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。
  • Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后,地面战又突然爆发了。
35 mermaid pCbxH     
n.美人鱼
参考例句:
  • How popular would that girl be with the only mermaid mom!和人鱼妈妈在一起,那个女孩会有多受欢迎!
  • The little mermaid wasn't happy because she didn't want to wait.小美人鱼不太高兴,因为她等不及了。
36 fiery ElEye     
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的
参考例句:
  • She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
  • His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。


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