“I wonder if he is worried about something, or is thinking of something which seems to be concealed5 in the storeroom,” the boy thought.
But, after a while, the professor seemed to be more like himself. He was busy over several maps and charts, and then announced the ship would try air-sailing again for a while.
“We can make better time above than we can on the water,” he said, “and I am anxious to get to the mysterious island and learn what is in store for us.”
Perhaps if the professor had been able to look ahead, and see what was soon going to happen, he would not have been so anxious for it to occur.
It was shortly after dinner when, the gas container having been filled, the ship rose in the air, and began sailing over the ocean, about a mile up. The day was a fine one, and, as they were moving south, it was constantly growing warmer. Down on the water, in fact, it was quite hot, but in the air it was just right.
Like some immense bird the Mermaid6 went flying through the air. The boys and the professor sat upon the deck in easy chairs. It was like being on the top of some tall “sky-scraper” building which, by some strange power, was being moved forward. Below them the ocean tumbled in long, lazy swells7.
Suddenly Mark, who was looking through a telescope at the expanse of water stretched out under them, gave a cry.
“There’s a ship! She’s on fire!”
“Where?” asked the professor, stretching out his hand for the glass.
“Just to the port of the forward tube. See the smoke!” exclaimed Mark.
Mr. Henderson looked. Through the lens he saw a column of black vapor8 rising skyward. Mingled9 with it were red flames.
“Lower the Mermaid!” he cried. “We must save those on board if we can!”
Mark ran to the conning tower, where Washington was, to give the order. The colored man, who was looking ahead, intent on guiding the ship, did not at first hear what Mark called.
“Lower us! Send the Mermaid down!” Mark cried again.
The sudden shout and the excited voice of Mark so startled Washington, that, fearing some accident had happened, he pulled the lever, controlling the gas supply, with more force than necessary.
There was a loud explosion, followed by a crackling sound, a flash of light, and the Mermaid came to a sudden stop.
“What’s the matter?” cried Mark, feeling that something was wrong.
“I don’t know!” Washington replied, as he dashed toward the engine room.
The Mermaid, her forward flight checked, hung in the air, suspended, neither rising or falling.
“Why don’t we go on down?” the professor asked, hurrying to the tower.
“There has been an explosion—an accident!” exclaimed Mark. “I guess we can’t go down!”
“But we must!” Mr. Henderson insisted, seizing the lever which should have produced a downward motion. The handle swung to and fro. It was disconnected from the apparatus10 it operated.
The ship was now stationary11 in the air, moving neither forward nor backward, neither rising nor falling. Washington had stopped the air pumps as soon as he learned something was wrong.
When Mr. Henderson saw the useless lever, which had controlled the outlet12 of gas from the holder13, he ran out on deck. One glance told him what had happened. One of the electric wires had become short-circuited,—that is, the insulation14 had worn off and allowed the current to escape. This had produced a spark, which had exploded the gas which was in the pipe leading from the generator15 up into the aluminum16 holder. Fortunately there was an automatic cut-off for the supply of vapor, or the whole tank would have gone up.
As it was, only a small quantity had blown up, but this was enough to break the machinery17 at the point where the lever in the conning tower joined the pipe. If it had not been for the automatic cut-off all the gas in the holder would have poured out in a great volume, and the ship would have fallen like a shot.
“Can we do nothing to save those on the burning vessel18?” asked Mark, pointing to where a cloud of smoke hung over the ocean.
“Are we in any danger?” asked Jack.
“Not specially,” Mr. Henderson replied. “But we must find a means of lowering ourselves gradually.”
“Then it will be too late to save any of those on the ship,” observed Mark.
“I’m afraid so,” the scientist made reply.
The Mermaid rested some distance above the surface of the waters. She moved slightly to and fro with the wind, and rocked gently. The professor was examining the broken machinery.
“I have a plan!” suddenly cried Mark.
“What is it?” asked Mr. Henderson.
“Can’t we bore a hole in the tank, insert a small faucet20 or tap, and let the gas out that way gradually?” asked the boy. “When we get down we can rescue those in danger of fire, and, later, can repair the break.”
“The very thing!” exclaimed Mr. Henderson. “I never thought of that! Here, Washington! Bring me a drill, and a small stop-cock!”
The drill was obtained from the engine room. Working rapidly Mr. Henderson bored a hole in the lower part of the holder. As soon as the metal was penetrated21 the gas, which was under considerable pressure, rushed from the tank with a hissing22 sound. At once the Mermaid began to settle rapidly.
But the professor was prepared for this. He thrust the end of the stop-cock into the hole. It was screwed fast and the valve turned. This stopped the flow of gas and checked the descent of the ship. Then, by opening the tap the vapor was allowed to escape gradually, bringing the Flying Mermaid gently to the water.
As the adventurers approached they could see that the vessel was now a mass of flames. The wind was driving the fire toward the forecastle, and the crew had sought refuge aft. But this expedient23 could not last long, for, already the tongues of fire were licking the sides of the craft and coming nearer and nearer the seemingly doomed24 men. The vessel was a large one, and heavily laden25.
As those in peril26 caught sight of the Mermaid settling down into the water, apparently27 from the clouds, their fears gave place to astonishment28. So great was this that they ceased their cries of terror. Then, as they saw that the strange craft navigated29 the ocean, for the engines were started aboard the Mermaid, they began to call for help.
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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2
conning
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| v.诈骗，哄骗( con的现在分词 )；指挥操舵( conn的现在分词 ) | |
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3
preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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4
spoke
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| 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 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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mermaid
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| n.美人鱼 | |
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7
swells
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| 增强( swell的第三人称单数 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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8
vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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9
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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10
apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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11
stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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12
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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13
holder
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| n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物 | |
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insulation
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| n.隔离；绝缘；隔热 | |
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15
generator
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| n.发电机，发生器 | |
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aluminum
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| n.(aluminium)铝 | |
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machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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18
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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20
faucet
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| n.水龙头 | |
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21
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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22
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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23
expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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24
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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26
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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29
navigated
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| v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的过去式和过去分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃 | |
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