tom swift and his wizard camera(汤姆·史威夫特和他的女巫相机)-第16章
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tiger getting you。〃
〃No； I'm merely going to set the camera； attach the light and let it work
automatically this time。 I've put in an extra long roll of film； for I'm going
to keep it going for a long while； and part of the time there may be no
animals there to take pictures of。 No； I'm not going to sit out to…night。 I'm
too tired。 I'll conceal the camera in the bushes so it won't be damaged if
there's a fight。 Then； as I said； we'll start for Switzerland to…morrow。〃
〃Switzerland！〃 cried Ned。 〃What in the world do you want to go make
a big jump like that for？ And what do you expect to get in that mountain
land？〃
〃I'm going to try for a picture of an avalanche；〃 said Tom。 〃Mr。 Period
wants one； if I can get it。 It is quite a jump； but then we'll be flying over
civilized countries most of the time； and if any accident happens we can
go down and easily make repairs。 We can also get gasolene for the motor；
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though I have quite a supply in the tanks； and perhaps enough for the
entire trip。 At the same time we won't take any chances。 So we'll be off for
Switzerland in the morning。
〃I think some avalanche pictures will be great； if you can get them；〃
remarked Mr。 Nestor。 〃But； Tom； you know those big slides of ice； snow
and earth aren't made to order。〃
〃Oh； I know；〃 agreed the young inventor with a smile。 〃I'll just have to
take my chances； and wait until one happens。〃
〃Bless my insurance policy！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon。 〃And when it
does happen； Tom； are you going to stand in front of it； and snap…shot it？〃
〃Indeed I'm not。 This business is risky and dangerous enough； without
looking for trouble。 I'm going to the mountain region； and hover around in
the air； until we see an avalanche 'happen' if that is the right word。 Then I'll
focus the camera on it； and the films and machinery will do the rest。〃
〃Oh； that's different；〃 remarked the odd man； with an air of relief。
Tom and Ned soon had the camera set near the spring and then；
everyone being tired with the day's work and excitement； they retired。 In
the morning there were signs around the spring that many animals had
been there in the night。 There were also marks as if there had been a fight；
but of course what sort； or how desperate； no one could say。
〃If anything happened the camera got it； I'm sure of that much；〃
remarked Tom； as he brought in the apparatus。 〃I'm not going to develop
the roll； for I don't want to take the time now。 I guess we must have
something； anyhow。〃
〃If there isn't it won't so much matter for you have plenty of other
good views；〃 said Mr。 Nestor。
I will not go into details of the long trip to Switzerland； where； amid
the mountains of that country； Tom hoped to get the view he wanted。
Sufficient to say that the airship made good time after leaving India。
Sometimes Tom sent the craft low down； in order to get views； and again；
it would be above the clouds。
〃Well； another day will bring us there；〃 said Tom one evening； as he
was loading the camera with a fresh roll of films。 〃Then we'll have to be
on the lookout for an avalanche。〃
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〃Yes； we're making pretty good time；〃 remarked Ned； as he looked at
the speed gage。 〃I didn't know you had the motor working so fast； Tom。〃
〃I haven't；〃 was the young inventor's answer； as he looked up in
surprise。 〃Why； we are going quite fast！ It's the wind； Ned。 It's right with
us； and it's carrying us along。〃
Tom arose and went to the anemometer； or wind…registering instrument。
He gave a low whistle； half of alarm。
〃Fifty miles an hour she's blowing now；〃 he said。 〃It came on suddenly；
too； for a little while ago it was only ten。〃
〃Is there any danger？〃 asked Mr。 Nestor； for he was not very familiar
with airship perils。
〃Well； we've been in big blows before； and we generally came out all
right；〃 returned Tom。 〃Still； I don't like this。 Why she went up five points
since I've been looking at it！〃 and he pointed to the needle of the gage；
which now registered fifty…five miles an hour。
〃Bless my appendix！〃 gasped Mr。 Damon。 〃It's a hurricane Tom！〃
〃Something like that；〃 put in Ned； in a low voice。
With a suddenness that was startling； the wind increased in violence
still more。 Tom ran to the pilot house。
〃What are you going to do？〃 Ned called。
〃See if we can't go down a bit；〃 was Tom's answer。 〃I don't like this。 It
may be calmer below。 We're up too high as it is。〃
He tried to throw over the lever controlling the deflecting rudder；
which would send the Flyer down； but he could not move it。
〃Give me a hand！〃 he called to Ned； but even the strength of the two
lads was not sufficient to shift it。
〃Call Koku！〃 gasped Tom。 〃If anybody can budge it the giant can！〃
Meanwhile the airship was being carried onward in the grip of a
mighty wind； so strong that its pressure on the surface of the deflecting
rudder prevented it from being shifted。
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CHAPTER XV
SNAPPING AN AVALANCHE
〃Bless my thermometer！〃 gasped Mr。 Damon。 〃This is terrible！〃 The
airship was plunging and swaying about in the awful gale。 〃Can't
something be done； Tom？〃
〃What has happened？〃 cried Mr。 Nestor。 〃We were on a level keel
before。 What is it？〃
〃It's the automatic balancing rudder！〃 answered Tom。 〃Something has
happened to it。 The wind may have broken it！ Come on； Ned！〃 and he led
the way to the engine room。
〃What are you going to do？ Don't you want Koku to shift the
deflecting rudder？ Here he is；〃 Ned added； as the giant came forward； in
response to a signal bell that Tom's chum had rung。
〃It's too late to try the deflecting rudder！〃 tried Tom。 〃I must see what
is the matter with our balancer。〃 As he spoke the ship gave a terrific
plunge； and the occupants were thrown sideways。 The next moment it was
on a level keel again； scudding along with the gale； but there was no
telling when the craft would again nearly capsize。
Tom looked at the mechanism controlling the equalizing and
equilibrium rudder。 It was out of order； and he guessed that the terrific
wind was responsible for it。
〃What can we do？〃 cried Ned； as the airship nearly rolled over。 〃Can't
we do anything； Tom？〃
〃Yes。 I'm going to try。 Keep calm now。 We may come out all right。
This is the worst blow we've been in since we were in Russia。 Start the gas
machine full blast。 I want all the vapor I can get。〃
As I have explained the Flyer was a combined dirigible balloon and
aeroplane。 It could be used as either； or both； in combination。 At present
the gas bag was not fully inflated； and Tom had been sending his craft
along as an aeroplane。
〃What are you going to do？〃 cried Ned； as he pulled over the lever that
set the gas generating machine in operation。
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〃I'm going up as high as I can go！〃 cried Tom。 〃If we can't go down we
must go up。 I'll get above the hurricane instead of below it。 Give me all the
gas you can； Ned！〃
The vapor hissed as it rushed into the big bag overhead。 Tom carried
aboard his craft the chemicals needed to generate the powerful lifting gas；
of which he alone had the secret。 It was more powerful than hydrogen； and
simple to make。 The balloon of the Flyer was now being distended。
Meanwhile Tom； with Koku； Mr。 Damon and Mr。 Nestor to help him；
worked over the deflecting rudder； and also on the equilibrium mechanism。
But they could not get either to operate。
Ned stood by the gas machine； and worked it to the limit。 But even
with all that energy； so powerful was the wind； that the Flyer rose slowly；
the gale actually holding her down as a water…logged craft is held below
the waves。 Ordinarily； with the gas machine set at its limit the craft would
have shot up rapidly。
At times the airship would skim along on the level； and again it would
be pitched and tossed about； until it was all the occupants could do to keep
their feet。 Mr。 Damon was continually blessing everything he could
remember。
〃Now she's going！〃 suddenly cried Ned； as he looked at the dials
registering the pressure of the gas； and showing the height of the airship
above the earth。
〃Going how？〃 gasped Tom； as he looked over from where he was
working at the equilibrium apparatus。 〃Going down？〃
〃Going up！〃 shouted Ned。 〃I guess we'll be all right soon！〃
It was true。 Now that the bag was filled with the powerful lifting gas；
under pressure； the Flyer was beginning to get out of the dangerous
predicament into which the gale had blown her； Up and up she went； and
every foot she climbed the power of the wind became less。
〃Maybe it all happened for the best；〃 said Tom； as he noted the height
gage。 〃If we had gone down； the wind might have been worse nearer the
earth。〃
Later they learned that this was so。 The most destructive wind storm
ever known swept across the southern part of Europe； over which they
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were flying that night； and； had the airship gone down； she would
probably have been destroyed。 But； going up； she got above the wind…
strata。 Up and up she climbed； until； when three miles above the earth； she
was in a calm zone。 It was rather hard to breathe at this height； and Tom
set the oxygen apparatus at work。
This created in the interior of the craft an atmosphere almost like that
