tom swift and his wizard camera(汤姆·史威夫特和他的女巫相机)-第3章
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impossible places to get the pictures。 It's all well enough to talk about
getting moving pictures of natives in battle； or wild beasts fighting； or
volcanoes in action； but it isn't so easy to do it。 Then； too； I'd have to make
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some changes in my airship if I went on that trip。 No； I can't go。 I'll tell
him he'll have to find some one else。〃
Mr。 Period pulled out his watch； opened it quickly； snapped it shut
again； and exclaimed：
〃Well； how about it； Tom Swift？ When can you start！ The sooner the
better for me！ You'll want some money for expenses I think。 I brought my
check book along； also a fountain pen。 I'll give you a thousand dollars now；
for I know making an electric moving picture camera isn't going to be
cheap work。 Then； when you get ready to start off in your airship； you'll
need more money。 I'll be Johnny…on…the…spot all right； and have it ready
for you。 Now when do you think you can start？〃
He sat down at a bench； and began filling out a check。
〃Hold on！〃 cried Tom； amused in spite of himself。 〃Don't sign that
check； Mr。 Period。 I'm not going。〃
〃Not going？〃 The man's face showed blank amazement。
〃No；〃 went on Tom。 〃I can't spare the time。 I'm sorry； but you'll have to
get some one else。〃
〃Some one else？ But who can I get？〃
〃Why； there are plenty who would be glad of the chance。〃
〃But they can't invent an electric moving picture camera； and； if they
could； they wouldn't know enough to take pictures with it。 It's got to be
you or no one； Tom Swift。 Look here； I'll make it fifteen thousand dollars
above expenses。〃
〃No； I'm sorry； but I can't go。 My work here keeps me too busy。
〃Oh； pshaw！ Now； look here； Tom Swift！ Do you know who sent me to
see you？〃
〃It was Mr。 Nestor； who has a daughter named Mary； I believe。 Mr。
Nestor is one of the directors in our company； and one day； when he told
me about you sending a wireless message from Earthquake Island； I knew
you would be the very man for me。 So now you see you'll be doing Mr。
Nestor a favor； as well as me； if you go on this trip。〃
Tom was somewhat surprised； yet he realized that Mr。 Period was
speaking the truth。 Mr。 Nestor was identified with many new enterprises。
Yet the youth was firm。
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〃I really can't go；〃 said our hero。 〃I'd like to； but I can't。 I'd like to
oblige Mr。 Nestor； forwell； for more reasons than one；〃 and Tom blushed
slightly。 〃But it is out of the question。 I really can't go。〃
〃But you must！〃 insisted the camera man。 〃I won't take 'no' for an
answer。 You've got to go； Tom Swift； do you hear that？ You've go to go？〃
Mr。 Period was apparently very much excited。 He strode over to Tom
and smote his hands together to emphasize what he said。 Then he shook
his finger at Tom； to impress the importance of the matter on our hero。
〃You've just got to go！〃 he cried。 〃You're the only one who can help
me； Tom。 Do go！ I'll pay you well； andoh； well； I know you don't need
the money； exactly； butsay； you've got to go！〃
In his earnestness Mr。 Period laid his hand on Tom's arm。 The next
instant something happened。
With a few big strides Koku was beside the picture man。 With great
quickness he grasped Mr。 Period by the coat collar； lifted him off his feet
with one hand； and walked over to a window with him； easily lifting him
above the floor。
With one fling the giant tossed the short； stout gentleman out into a
snow bank； while Tom looked on； too surprised to do anything； even if he
had had the chance。
〃There。 You touch Tom Swift again； and I sit on you and keep you
under snow！〃 cried the giant； while Mr。 Period kicked and squirmed about
in the drift； as Tom made a leap forward to help him out。
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CHAPTER III
TOM MAKES UP HIS MIND
〃Great Scott！〃 yelled the picture man。 〃What in the world happened
to me？ Did I get kicked by that mule Boomerang of Eradicate's； that I've
heard so much about？ Or was it an earthquake； such as I want to get a
picture of？ What happened？〃
He was still floundering about in the deep bank of snow that was just
outside the window。 Fortunately the sash had been up； and Koku had
tossed Mr。 Period through the open window。 Otherwise； had there been
glass； the well…meaning； but unreasoning giant would probably have
thrown his victim through that； and he might have been badly cut。 Tom
had the window open for fresh air； as it was rather close in the shop。
〃Why； Koku！〃 exclaimed the young inventor； as he leaned out of the
window； and extended his hand to the moving picture man to help him out
of the drift。 〃What do von mean by that？〃 Have you gone crazy？〃
〃No； but no one shall lay hands on my master！〃 declared the giant half
savagely。 〃I have vowed to always protect you from danger； in return for
what you did for me。 I saw this man lay his hand on you。 In another
moment he might have killed you； had not Koku been here。 There is no
danger when I am by；〃 and he stretched out his huge arms； and looked
ferocious。 〃I have turned over that man； your enemy！〃 he added。
〃Yes； you overturned me all right；〃 admitted Mr。 Period； as he got to
his feet； and crawled in through the window to the shop again。 〃I went
head over heels。 I'm glad it was clean snow； and not a mud bank； Tom。
What in the world is the matter with him？〃
〃I guess he thought you were going to harm me； said Tom in a low
voice； as the picture man came in the shop。 〃Koku is very devoted to me；
and sometimes he makes trouble；〃 the youth went on。 〃But he means it all
for the best。 I am very sorry for what happened；〃 and Tom aided Mr。
Period in brushing the snow off his garments。 〃Koku； you must beg the
pardon of this gentleman；〃 Tom directed。
〃What for？〃 the giant wanted to know。
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〃For throwing him into the snow。 It is not allowed to do such things in
this country； even though it is in Giant Land。 Beg his pardon。
〃I shall not；〃 said the giant calmly； for Tom had taught him to speak
fairly good English； though sometimes he got his words backwards。
〃The man was about to kill you； and I stopped himI will stop him
once more； though if he does not like the snow； I can throw him
somewhere else。〃
〃No！ No！ You must not do it！〃 cried Tom。 〃He meant no harm。 He is
my friend。〃
〃I am glad to hear you say that；〃 exclaimed the picture man。 〃I have
hopes that you will do what I want。〃
〃He your friend？〃 asked Koku wonderingly。 〃Certainly； and you must
beg his pardon for what you did；〃 insisted Tom。
〃Very well。 I am glad you did not hurt yourself；〃 said the giant； and
with that 〃apology〃 he stalked out of the room； his feelings evidently very
much disturbed。
〃Ha！ Ha！〃 laughed Mr。 Period。 〃I guess he can't see any one but you；
Tom。 But never mind。 I know he didn't mean anything； and； as I'm none
the worse I'll forgive him。 My necktie isn't spotted； is it？〃
〃No； the snow didn't seem to do that any harm；〃 replied the young
inventor； as he looked at the brilliant piece of red silk around Mr。 Period's
collar。
〃I am very particular about my neckties；〃 went on the picture man。 〃I
always wear one color。 My friends never forget me then。〃
Tom wondered how they could ever forget him； even though he wore
no tie； for his figure and face were such as to not easily be forgotten。
〃I'm glad it's not soiled；〃 went on 〃Spotty〃 as he liked to be called。
〃Now； Tom； you said you were my friend。 Prove it by accepting my offer。
Build that wizard camera； and get me some moving pictures that will be a
sensation。 Say you will！〃
He looked appealingly at Tom； and； remembering the rather rude and
unexpected treatment to which Koku had submitted the gentleman； Tom
felt his mind changing。 Still he was not yet ready to give in。 He rather
liked the idea the more he thought of it； but he felt that he had other duties；
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and much to occupy him at home； especially if he perfected his silent
motor。
〃Will you go？〃 asked Mr。 Period； picking up his fountain pen and
check book； that he had laid aside when he walked over to Tom； just
before the giant grasped him。 〃Say you will。〃
The young inventor was silent a moment。 He thought over the many
adventures he had gone throughin the caves of ice； in the city of gold；
escaping from the giants； and the red pygmiesHe went over the details of
his trips through the air； of the dangers under the seas； of those he had
escaped from on Earthquake Island。 Surely e was entitled to a little rest at
home。
And yet there was a lure to it all。 A certain fascination that was hard to
resist。 Mr。 Period must have seen what was going on in Tom's mind； for he
said：
〃I know you're going。 I can see it。 Why； it will be just the very thing
you need。 You'll get more fame out of this thing than from any of your
other inventions。 Come； say you'll do it。
〃I'll tell you what I'll do ！〃 he went on eagerly。 〃After you make the
camera； and take a lot of films； showing strange and wonderful scenes； I'll
put at the end of each film； next to my picture； your name； and a statement
showing that you took the originals。 How's that？ Talk about being
advertised！ Why you can't beat it！ Millions of people will read your
