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首页 » 英文科幻小说 » Five Thousand Miles Underground29章节 » CHAPTER XI MYSTERIOUS HAPPENINGS
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CHAPTER XI MYSTERIOUS HAPPENINGS
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 The voice of the mate echoed through the Mermaid1. Those on deck heard it, as did Tony in the engine room, where he was vainly trying to understand the complicated machinery2.
 
An instant later there sounded from beneath the ship a series of splashes. More sailors were leaping from the deck of the craft to the ocean. The distance was not great, particularly as they all landed in water.
 
“Quick!” cried the mate to a group of sailors that hesitated before taking the jump. “The ship may blow up any minute now.”
 
The men needed no second urging. As soon as they struck the water they began to swim ashore3, as it was not far away. One after another they jumped over the rail. Tony was the last to go. He urged the captives to follow him, but they all refused.
 
A minute later the only one of the pirate crew left on the ship was the mate. The others were all struggling in the sea. Eventually they all reached shore in safety.
 
The airship was now within about twenty feet of the water. It was still falling but not so rapidly.
 
“Better send her up, now,” said the mate to Mark, and the boy turned the necessary levers to accomplish this.
 
Dipping into the water as a sea gull4 does when searching for food on the wing, for she had come quite low, the Mermaid mounted once more into the air, and was soon sailing along over the heads of Tony and his gang.
 
“What’s it all about?” asked Mr. Henderson, who seemed in a sort of stupor5. “I thought the ship was broken. How, then, can it rise?”
 
“It was only a trick of mine,” Rodgers said. “The gas machine is not broken. I had Mark fix it so that only a little vapor6 would be generated. When the supply in the holder7 was not enough, and no more was being made, the ship had to sink. Mark and I pretended it was worse than it really was just to scare the scoundrels.”
 
“And you evidently succeeded,” observed Mr. Henderson. “They have all left us. I am glad you stayed.”
 
“So am I,” said Rodgers. “I was just waiting for a chance to escape from that crowd. This was the plan I thought of that night. I wanted to see the men put on some island where they could manage to live, and which was not too far away.”
 
The Mermaid was now mounting upward rapidly, as Mark had adjusted the machinery properly. The craft was well rid of the pirate crew, and was able to proceed on its way, and enable Mr. Henderson to carry out his plans.
 
When the Mermaid had reached a certain height her prow8 was turned the other way, and she was sent back racing9 over the ground she had just covered. But now the ship was in the hands of friends. Fortunately no great damage had been done by the sailors, and the professor was soon able to get things in ship-shape. The engines had not been molested10 and were working better than ever.
 
“Now to make another attempt to reach the big hole in the earth,” the professor cried. “We will be careful next time, who we rescue from ships at sea.”
 
The island was soon left behind, becoming a mere11 speck12 on the ocean. Those aboard the Mermaid knew no harm could befall the sailors, as there were no savage13 tribes on the little spot of land. Eventually the sailors were picked up by a passing vessel14 and taken to their homes. The story of their first mutiny leaked out and they were properly punished.
 
It required several days travel before the airship regained15 the distance she had lost because of the plans of the pirates. Also, there were a number of minor16 repairs to make, and the professor and his friends were kept busy.
 
“How much longer before we come to the big hole?” asked Jack17, one day.
 
“I think we ought to be near it in about two weeks,” the professor replied. “I only hope we shall not be disappointed, and will be able to explore it.”
 
“'Tain’t goin’ t’ be no fun t’ be decimated an’ expurgitated inter18 a conglomerous aggregation19 of elements constituting th’ exterior20 portion of human anatomy,” said Washington in dubious21 tones.
 
“You mean you’re afraid of being boiled in the steam from the big hole?” asked Mark.
 
“Jest so,” replied the colored man.
 
“You don’t need to worry about that,” put in the professor. “I will not take the ship down if there is any danger, though of course there will be some risk.”
 
The ship, having been fully22 repaired, was now able to be speeded up, and was sent scudding23 along toward her destination. Rodgers proved a valuable acquisition toward the crew, for he had sailed many years in the waters over which they were flying, and was able to give the professor many valuable hints. He had heard vague stories of the island with the big hole, but had never been near it. He did not make the trip however, as, at his request, he was put off at an inhabited island one night.
 
It was about a week after the sailors were frightened from the ship, that a curious experience befell Mark. Washington was on duty in the conning24 tower, attending to the apparatus25 as the ship flew through the air, and all the others had gone to bed. Mark had remained up, later than the others as he was interested in reading a book on science.
 
About ten o’clock he became hungry, and going to the pantry got some bread and cold meat. He set these on a table, and then, remembering he would need some water to drink, started after some in the cooler, which was in a little room near the tower.
 
Washington heard the boy as he turned the faucet26 to draw the liquid, and spoke27 to him, as the colored man was rather lonesome at his post. Mark did not linger more than a minute or two, but when he returned to where he had left the food he was much surprised.
 
There was not a trace of it to be seen. The dishes were on the table, but every vestige28 of bread and meat had disappeared.
 
“I wonder if a cat or dog has been here,” was Mark’s first thought. Then he remembered that no such animals were aboard the Mermaid.
 
Something on the floor caught his eye. He stooped and picked it up. It was a slice of bread, but in such shape that the boy stared at it, puzzled as to how it could have become so.
 
It was flattened29 out quite thin, but the strangest part of it was that it bore what seemed to be the marks of thumb and fingers from a very large hand. So big, in fact, was the print, that Mark’s hand scarce covered half of it, and, where the bread had been squeezed into a putty like mass (for it was quite fresh) the peculiar30 markings on the skin of the tips of the fingers were visible.
 
“It looks as if a giant grabbed this slice of bread,” Mark observed. “There are strange happenings aboard this ship. I wish I knew what they meant.”
 
He looked all around for the food, thinking perhaps a rat had dragged it off, but there was no trace of it.
 
Suddenly the boy thought he heard a sound from the big storeroom. He was almost sure he heard something moving in there. He started toward the door when he was stopped by hearing the professor’s voice call:
 
“Don’t open that door, Mark. Have I not told you that place must not be entered?”
 
“I thought I heard some one in there,” Mark replied.
 
“There is nothing in there but some apparatus of mine,” Mr. Henderson said. “I want no one to see it. What is the matter?”
 
Mark explained matters to the scientist, who had, as he said later, arisen on hearing the boy moving about.
 
“Oh, it was a rat that took your stuff,” Mr. Henderson said. “I guess there are some pretty big ones on the ship. Get some more food and go to sleep.”
 
Mark felt it best to obey, though he was by no means satisfied with the professor’s explanation. He listened intently to see if any more noises came from the storeroom, but none did, and he went to bed.
 
Several times after that Mark tried the experiment of leaving food about. On each occasion it was taken.
 
“It looks as if the ship was haunted,” he said. “Of course I know it isn’t, but it’s very queer. They must be strange rats that can get food from shelves when there is only the smooth side of the ship to climb up,” for on some occasions Mark had tried the experiment of putting the food as nearly out of reach as possible.
 
It took several nights to learn all this, and, as he did not want to take any one into his confidence, he had to work in secret. But, with all his efforts he learned nothing, save that there was something odd about the ship that he could not fathom31.
 
At first he believed the professor had some strange animal concealed32 in the storeroom, but he dismissed this idea almost as soon as he thought of it. For what could the scientist want with an animal when they were going to the interior of the earth? That some beast had slipped aboard was out of the question. Mark was much puzzled, but finally, deciding the matter did not concern him a great deal, gave up trying to solve the mystery, at least for a time.
 
The ship was now in the neighborhood of the equator and the climate had become much warmer. So hot indeed were some nights that they slept out on deck, with the Mermaid flying through the air at a moderate pace, for it was deemed best not to go at any great speed after dark.
 
One night the professor, after consulting various charts and maps, and making calculations which covered several sheets of paper announced:
 
“We should sight the mysterious island to-morrow.”
 
“That’s good news!” exclaimed Jack. “I’m anxious to see what’s below inside of that big hole.”
 
“Everybody git ready for their funerals!” exclaimed Washington in a deep voice. “I ain’t got many——”
 
“Cheer up,” interrupted Jack, poking33 Washington in the ribs34. The colored man was very ticklish35, and he began to laugh heartily36, though, perhaps, he did not feel like it.
 
Suddenly, above the sound of his shouts, there came a crashing, grinding noise from the engine room.
 

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 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。
2 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。
3 ashore tNQyT     
adv.在(向)岸上,上岸
参考例句:
  • The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前,孩子们就上岸了。
  • He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。
4 gull meKzM     
n.鸥;受骗的人;v.欺诈
参考例句:
  • The ivory gull often follows polar bears to feed on the remains of seal kills.象牙海鸥经常跟在北极熊的后面吃剩下的海豹尸体。
  • You are not supposed to gull your friends.你不应该欺骗你的朋友。
5 stupor Kqqyx     
v.昏迷;不省人事
参考例句:
  • As the whisky took effect, he gradually fell into a drunken stupor.随着威士忌酒力发作,他逐渐醉得不省人事。
  • The noise of someone banging at the door roused her from her stupor.梆梆的敲门声把她从昏迷中唤醒了。
6 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。
7 holder wc4xq     
n.持有者,占有者;(台,架等)支持物
参考例句:
  • The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
  • That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。
8 prow T00zj     
n.(飞机)机头,船头
参考例句:
  • The prow of the motor-boat cut through the water like a knife.汽艇的船头像一把刀子劈开水面向前行驶。
  • He stands on the prow looking at the seadj.他站在船首看着大海。
9 racing 1ksz3w     
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的
参考例句:
  • I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
  • The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
10 molested 8f5dc599e4a1e77b1bcd0dfd65265f28     
v.骚扰( molest的过去式和过去分词 );干扰;调戏;猥亵
参考例句:
  • The bigger children in the neighborhood molested the younger ones. 邻居家的大孩子欺负小孩子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He molested children and was sent to jail. 他猥亵儿童,进了监狱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
12 speck sFqzM     
n.微粒,小污点,小斑点
参考例句:
  • I have not a speck of interest in it.我对它没有任何兴趣。
  • The sky is clear and bright without a speck of cloud.天空晴朗,一星星云彩也没有。
13 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。
14 vessel 4L1zi     
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管
参考例句:
  • The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
  • You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。
15 regained 51ada49e953b830c8bd8fddd6bcd03aa     
复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 ); 赢回; 重回; 复至某地
参考例句:
  • The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
  • She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻,但很快恢复了镇静。
16 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修
参考例句:
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
17 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。
18 inter C5Cxa     
v.埋葬
参考例句:
  • They interred their dear comrade in the arms.他们埋葬了他们亲爱的战友。
  • The man who died in that accident has been interred.在那次事故中死的那个人已经被埋葬了。
19 aggregation OKUyE     
n.聚合,组合;凝聚
参考例句:
  • A high polymer is a very large aggregation of units.一个高聚物是许多单元的非常大的组合。
  • Moreover,aggregation influences the outcome of chemical disinfection of viruses.此外,聚集作用还会影响化学消毒的效果。
20 exterior LlYyr     
adj.外部的,外在的;表面的
参考例句:
  • The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。
  • We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。
21 dubious Akqz1     
adj.怀疑的,无把握的;有问题的,靠不住的
参考例句:
  • What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。
  • He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。
22 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。
23 scudding ae56c992b738e4f4a25852d1f96fe4e8     
n.刮面v.(尤指船、舰或云彩)笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Clouds were scudding across the sky. 云飞越天空。 来自辞典例句
  • China Advertising Photo Market-Like a Rising Wind and Scudding Clouds. 中国广告图片市场:风起云涌。 来自互联网
24 conning b97e62086a8bfeb6de9139effa481f58     
v.诈骗,哄骗( con的现在分词 );指挥操舵( conn的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He climbed into the conning tower, his eyes haunted and sickly bright. 他爬上司令塔,两眼象见鬼似的亮得近乎病态。 来自辞典例句
  • As for Mady, she enriched her record by conning you. 对马德琳来说,这次骗了你,又可在她的光荣历史上多了一笔。 来自辞典例句
25 apparatus ivTzx     
n.装置,器械;器具,设备
参考例句:
  • The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
  • They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。
26 faucet wzFyh     
n.水龙头
参考例句:
  • The faucet has developed a drip.那个水龙头已经开始滴水了。
  • She turned off the faucet and dried her hands.她关掉水龙头,把手擦干。
27 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。
28 vestige 3LNzg     
n.痕迹,遗迹,残余
参考例句:
  • Some upright stones in wild places are the vestige of ancient religions.荒原上一些直立的石块是古老宗教的遗迹。
  • Every vestige has been swept away.一切痕迹都被一扫而光。
29 flattened 1d5d9fedd9ab44a19d9f30a0b81f79a8     
[医](水)平扁的,弄平的
参考例句:
  • She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
  • I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。
30 peculiar cinyo     
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的
参考例句:
  • He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
  • He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
31 fathom w7wy3     
v.领悟,彻底了解
参考例句:
  • I really couldn't fathom what he was talking about.我真搞不懂他在说些什么。
  • What these people hoped to achieve is hard to fathom.这些人希望实现些什么目标难以揣测。
32 concealed 0v3zxG     
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的
参考例句:
  • The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
  • I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。
33 poking poking     
n. 刺,戳,袋 vt. 拨开,刺,戳 vi. 戳,刺,捅,搜索,伸出,行动散慢
参考例句:
  • He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。
  • He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。
34 ribs 24fc137444401001077773555802b280     
n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 );(船或屋顶等的)肋拱;肋骨状的东西;(织物的)凸条花纹
参考例句:
  • He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
  • Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。
35 ticklish aJ8zy     
adj.怕痒的;问题棘手的;adv.怕痒地;n.怕痒,小心处理
参考例句:
  • This massage method is not recommended for anyone who is very ticklish.这种按摩法不推荐给怕痒的人使用。
  • The news is quite ticklish to the ear,这消息听起来使人觉得有些难办。
36 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
参考例句:
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿,就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手,热情地和我握手。


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