tom swift and his wizard camera(汤姆·史威夫特和他的女巫相机)-第21章
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main cabin。 There； too； was the strange； sweetish； sickly smell。 〃Mr。 Tom；
where you be？ Time to get up！〃 the giant called to his master； as he went
in； and gently shook the young inventor by the shoulder。
〃Eh？ What's that？ What's the matter？〃 began Tom； and then he
suddenly sat up。 〃Oh； my head！〃 he exclaimed； putting his hands to his
aching temples。
〃And that queer smell！〃 added Ned； who was also awake now。
〃Bless my talcum powder！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃I have a splitting
headache。〃
〃Hum！ Chloroform； if I'm any judge！〃 called Mr。 Nestor from his
berth。
〃Chloroform！〃 cried Tom； staggering to his feet。 〃I wonder〃 He did not
finish his sentence； but made his way to the room where his camera was
kept。 〃It's gone！〃 he cried。 〃We have been chloroformed in the night； and
some one has taken my Wizard Camera。〃
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CHAPTER XX
AFTER THE ENGLISHMEN
〃The camera gone！〃 gasped Ned。
〃Did they chloroform us？〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon。 〃Bless my〃 but for
one of the few times in his life； he did not know what to bless。
〃Get all the fresh air you can；〃 hastily advised Mr。 Nestor。 〃Koku；
open all the doors and windows；〃 for； though it was hot during the day in
the jungle； the nights were cool； and the airship was generally closed up。
With the inrush of the fresh air every one soon felt better。
〃Is anything else gone？〃 asked Ned； as he followed Tom into the
camera room。
〃Yes； several rolls of unexposed films。 Oh； if only they haven't got too
much of a start！ I'll get it away from them！〃 declared Tom with energy。
〃From who？ Who took it？〃 asked Ned。
〃Those Englishmen； of course！ Who else？ I believe they are in the pay
of Turbot and Eckert。 Their taking pictures was only a bluff！ They got on
my trail and stuck to it。 The delays we had； gave them a chance to catch up
to us。 They came over to the airship； to pretend to borrow films； just to get
a look at the place； and size it up； so they could chloroform us； and get the
camera。〃
〃I believe you're right；〃 declared Mr。 Nestor。 〃We must get after those
scoundrels as quickly as possible！〃
〃Bless my shoulder braces！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃How do you imagine
they worked that trick on us？〃
〃Easily enough；〃 was Mr。 Nestor's opinion。 〃We were all dead tired
last night； and slept like tops。 They watched their chance； sneaked up； and
got in。 After that it was no hard matter to chloroform each one of us in turn；
and they had the ship to themselves。 They looked around； found the
camera； and made off with it。〃
〃Well； I'm going to get right after them！〃 cried Tom。 〃Ned； start the
motor。 I'll steer for a while。〃
〃Hold on！ Wait a minute；〃 suggested Mr。 Nestor。 〃I wouldn't go off in
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the ship just yet；~ Tom。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because you don't know which way to go。 We must find out which
trail the Englishmen took。 They have African porters with them； and those
porters doubtless know some of the blacks around here。 We must inquire
of the natives which way the porters went； in carrying the goods of our
rivals； for those Englishmen would not abandon camp without taking their
baggage with them。〃
〃That's so；〃 admitted the young inventor。 〃That will be the best plan。
Once I find which way they have gone I can easily overtake them in the
airship。 And when I find 'em〃 Tom paused significantly。
〃Me help you fix 'em！〃 cried Koku； clenching his big fist。
〃They will probably figure it out that you will take after them；〃 said
Mr。 Nestor； 〃but they may not count on you doing it in the Flyer； and so
they may not try to hide。 It isn't going to be an easy matter to pick a small
party out of the jungle though； Tom。〃
〃Well； I've done more difficult things in my airships；〃 spoke our hero。
〃I'll fly low； and use the glass。 I guess we can pick out their crowd of
porters； though they won't have many。 Oh； my camera！ I hope they won't
damage it。〃
〃They won't；〃 was Ned's opinion。 〃It's too valuable。 They want it to
take pictures with； themselves。〃
〃Maybe。 I hope they don't open it； and see how it's made。 And I'm glad
I thought to hide the picture films I've taken so far。 They didn't get those
away from us； only some of the blank。 ones；〃 and Tom looked again in a
secret closet。 where he kept the battle…films； and the others； in the dark； to
prevent them from being light…struck； by any possible chance。
〃Well； if we're going to make some inquiries； let's do it；〃 suggested Mr。
Nestor。 〃I think I see some of the Africans over there。 They have made a
temporary camp； it seems； to attend to some of their wounded。〃
〃Do you think we can make them understand what we want？〃 asked
Ned。 〃I don't believe they speak English。〃
〃Oh these blacks have been trading with white men；〃 said Tom； 〃for
they have 'trader's' guns； built to look at； and not to shoot very well。 I
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fancy we can make ourselves understood。 If not； we can use signs。〃
Leaving Koku and Mr。 Damon to guard the airship； Tom； Ned and Mr。
Nestor went to the African camp。 There was a large party of men there；
and they seemed friendly enough。 Probably winning the battle the day
before had put them in good humor； even though many of them were hurt。
To Tom's delight he found one native who could speak a little English；
and of him they made inquiries as to what direction the Englishmen had
taken。 The black talked for a while among his fellows； and then reported to
our friends that； late in the night； one of the porters； hired by Montgomery
and Kenneth； had come to camp to bid a brother good…bye。 This porter had
said that his masters were in a hurry to get away； and had started west。
〃That's it！〃 cried Mr。 Nestor。 〃They're going to get somewhere so they
can make their way to the coast。 They want to get out of Africa as fast as
they can。〃
〃And I'm going to get after 'em as fast as I can！〃 cried Tom grimly。
〃Come on！〃
They hurried back to the airship； finding Koku and Mr。 Damon
peacefully engaged in talk； no one having disturbed them。
〃Start the motor； Ned！〃 called his chum。 〃We'll see what luck we
have！〃
Up into the air went the Flyer； her great propellers revolving rapidly。
Over the jungle she shot； and then； when he found that everything was
working well； and that the cleaned gas generator was operating as good as
when it was new； the young inventor slowed up； and brought the craft
down to a lower level。
〃For we don't want to run past these fellows； or shoot over their heads
in our hurry；〃 Tom explained。 〃Ned； get out the binoculars。 They're easier
to handle than the telescope。 Then go up forward； and keep a sharp
lookout。 There is something like a jungle trail below us； and it looks to be
the only one around here。 They probably took that。〃 Soon after leaving the
place where they had camped after the battle； Tom had seen a rude path
through the forest； and had followed that lead。
On sped the Flyer； after the two Englishmen； while Tom thought
regretfully of his stolen camera。
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CHAPTER XXI
THE JUNGLE FIRE
〃Well； Tom； I don't seem to see anything of them；〃 remarked Ned that
afternoon； as he sat in the bow of the air craft； gazing from time to time
through the powerful glasses。
〃No； and I can't understand it； either；〃 responded the young inventor；
who had come for…ward to relieve his chum。 〃They didn't have much the
start of us； and they'll have to travel very slowly。 It isn't as if they could
hop on a train； and； even if they did； I could overtake them in a short time。
But they have to travel on foot through the jungle； and can't have gone
far。〃
〃'Maybe they have bullock carts；〃 suggested Mr。 Damon。
'~The trail isn't wide enough for that；〃 declared Tom。 〃We've come
quite a distance now； even if we have been running at low speed； and we
haven't seen even a black man on the trail；〃 and he motioned to the rude
path below them。
〃They may have taken a boat and slipped down that river we crossed a
little while ago；〃 suggested Ned。
〃That's so！〃 cried Tom。 〃Why didn't I think of it？ Say！ I'm going to
turn back。〃
〃Turn back？〃
〃Yes； and go up and down the stream a way。 We have time； for we can
easily run at top speed on the return trip。 Then； if we don't see anything of
them on the water； we'll pick up the trail again。 Put her around； Ned； and
I'll take the glasses for a while。〃
The Flyer was soon shooting back over the same trail our friends had
covered； and； as Ned set the propellers going at top speed； they were
quickly hovering over a broad but shallow river； which cut through the
jungle。
〃Try it down stream first；〃 suggested Tom； who was peering through
the binoculars。 〃They'd be most likely to go down； as it would be easier。〃
Along over the stream swept the airship； covering several miles。
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〃There's a boat！〃 suddenly exclaimed Mr。 Nestor； pointing to a native
canoe below them。
〃Bless my paddle wheel！ So it is！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃I believe it's
them； Tom！〃
〃No； there are only natives in that craft；〃 answered the young inventor
a moment later； as he brought the binoculars into focus。 〃I wish it was
them； though。〃
A few more miles were covered down stream； and then Tom t
