tom swift and his wizard camera(汤姆·史威夫特和他的女巫相机)-第5章
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motor； for the new airship； is nearly complete； and it may have been some
one trying to get that。 I received an offer from a concern the other day；
who wished to purchase it； and； when I refused to sell； they seemed rather
put out。〃
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The two lads raced on； while Eradicate tottered back to the house；
where he found Mr。 Swift and the picture man awaiting him。
〃I guess he got away；〃 remarked Ned； after he and his chum had
covered nearly the length of the big garden。
〃I'm afraid so；〃 agreed Tom。 〃I can't hear Koku any more。 Still； I'm not
going to give up。〃
Pantingly they ran on； and； a little later； they met the big man coming
back。
〃Did he get away？〃 asked Tom。 〃Yes； Mr。 Tom； he scaped me all
right。〃
〃Escaped you mean； Koku。 Well； never mind。 You did your best。〃
〃I would like to have hold of him；〃 spoke the giant； as he stretched out
his big arms。
〃Did you know who he was？〃 inquired Ned。
〃No； I couldn't see his face；〃 and he gave the same description of the
affair as had Eradicate。
〃Was it a full grown man； or some one about my size？〃 Tom wanted to
know。
〃A man；〃 replied the giant。
〃Why do you ask that？〃 inquired Ned； as the big fellow went on to
resume his talk with Eradicate； and the two chums turned to go into the
house； after the fruitless chase。
〃Because； I thought it might be Andy Foger；〃 was Tom's reply。 〃It
would be just like him； but if it was a man； it couldn't be him。 Andy's
rather short。〃
〃Besides； he doesn't live here any more；〃 said Ned。
〃I know； but I heard Sam Snedecker； who used to be pretty thick with
him； saying the other day that he expected a visit from Andy。 I hope he
doesn't come back to Shopton； even for a day； for he always tries to make
trouble for me。 Well； let's go in； and tell 'em all about our chase after a
chicken thief。〃
〃And so he got away？〃 remarked Mr。 Swift； when Tom had completed
his story。
〃Yes；〃 answered the young inventor； as he closed； and locked； the low
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library window； for there was a chilly breeze blowing。 〃I think I will have
to rig up the burglar alarm on my shop again。 I don't want to take any
chances。〃
〃Do you remember what we were talking about； when that interruption
came？〃 asked Mr。 Period； after a pause。 〃You were saying； Tom； that you
had made up your mind； and that was as far as you got。 What is your
answer to my offer？〃
〃Well；〃 spoke the lad slowly； and with a smile； 〃I think I will〃
〃Now don't say 'no'〃； interrupted the picture man。 〃If you are going to
say 'no' take five minutes more； or even ten； and think it over carefully。 I
want you〃
〃I wasn't going to say 'no；'〃 replied Tom。 〃I have decided to accept
your offer； and I'll get right at work on the electrical camera； and see what
I can do in the way of getting moving pictures for you。〃
〃You will？ Say； that's great！ That's fine！ I knew you would accept； but
I was the least bit afraid you might not； without more urging。〃
〃Of course；〃 began Tom； 〃it will take〃
〃Not another word。 Just wait a minute；〃 interrupted Mr。 Period in his
breezy fashion。 〃Take this。〃
He quickly filled out a check and handed it to Tom。
〃Now sign this contract； which merely says that you will do your best
to get pictures for me； and that you won't do it for any other concern； and
everything will be all right。 Sign there；〃 he added； pointing to a dotted line；
and thrusting a fountain pen into Tom's hand。 The lad read over the
agreement； which was fair enough； and signed it； and Ned affixed his
name as a witness。
〃Now when can you go？〃 asked Mr。 Period eagerly。
〃Not before Spring； I'm afraid；〃 replied Torn。 〃I have first to make the
camera； and then my airship needs overhauling if I am to go on such long
trips as will be necessary in case I am to get views of wild beasts in the
jungle。〃
〃Well； make it as soon as you can；〃 begged Mr。 Period。 〃I can have the
films early next Fall then； and they will be in season for the Winter runs at
the theatres。 Now； I'm the busiest man in the world； and I believe I have
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lost five hundred dollars by coming here to…night。 Still； I don't regret it。
I'm going back now； and I'll expect to hear from you when you are ready
to start。 There's my address。 Good…bye；〃 and thrusting a card into Tom's
hand he hurried out of the room。
〃Won't you stop all night？〃 called Mr。 Swift after him。
〃Sorry。 I'd like to but can't。 Got a big contract I must close in New
York to…morrow morning。 I've ordered a special train to be at the Shopton
station in half an hour； and I must catch that。 Good night！〃 and Mr。 Period
hurried away。
〃Say； he's a hustler all right！〃 exclaimed Ned。
〃Yes； and I've got to hustle if I invent that camera；〃 added Tom。 〃It's
got to be a specially fast one； and one that can take pictures from a long
distance。 Electricity is the thing to use； I guess。〃
〃Then you are really going off on this trip。 Tom？〃 asked his father；
rather wistfully。
〃I'm afraid I am；〃 replied his son。 〃I thought I could stay at home for a
while； but it seems not。〃
〃I was in hopes you could give me a little time to help me on my
gyroscope invention；〃 went on the aged man。 〃But I suppose it will keep
until you come back。 It is nearly finished。〃
〃Yes； and I don't like stopping work on my noiseless motor；〃 spoke
Tom。 〃But that will have to wait； too。〃
〃Do you know where you are going？〃 inquired Ned。
〃Well； I'll have to do considerable traveling I suppose to get all the
films he wants。 But once I'm started I'll like it I guess。 Of course you're
coming； Ned。〃
〃I hope so。〃
〃Of course you are！〃 insisted Tom； as if that settled it。 〃And I'm sure
Mr。 Damon will go also。 I haven't seen him in some time。 I hope he isn't
ill。〃
Tom started work on his Wizard Camera； as he called it； the next day
that is he began drawing the designs； and planning how to construct it。
Ned helped him； and Koku was on hand in case he was needed； but there
was little he could do； as yet。 Tom made an inspection of his shop the
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morning after the chicken thief scare； but nothing seemed to have been
disturbed。
A week passed； and Tom had all the plans drawn for the camera。 He
had made several experiments with different forms of electricity for
operating the mechanism； and had decided on a small； but very powerful；
storage battery to move the film； and take the pictures。
This storage battery； which would be inside the camera； would operate
it automatically。 That is； the camera could be set up any place； in the
jungle； or on the desert； it could be left alone； and would take pictures
without any one being near it。 Tom planned to have it operate at a certain
set time； and stop at a certain time； and he could set the dials to make this
time any moment of the day or night。 For there was to be a powerful light
in connection with the camera； in order that night views might be taken。
Besides being automatic the camera could be worked by hand。
When it was not necessary to have the camera operate by the storage
battery； it could be connected to wires and worked by an ordinary set of
batteries； or by a dynamo。 This was for use on the airship； where there was
a big electrical machine。 I shall tell you more about the camera as the story
proceeds。
One afternoon Tom was alone in the shop； for he had sent Koku on an
errand； and Eradicate was off in a distant part of the grounds； doing some
whitewashing； which was his specialty。 Ned had not come over； and Mr。
Swift； having gone to see some friends； and Mrs。 Baggert being at the
store； Tom； at this particular time； was rather isolated。
He was conducting some delicate electrical experiments； and to keep
the measuring instruments steady he had closed all the windows and doors
of his shop。 The young inventor was working at a bench in one corner； and
near him； standing upright； was a heavy shaft of iron； part of his
submarine； wrapped in burlap； and padded； to keep it from rusting。
〃Now；〃 said Tom to himself； as he mixed two kinds of acid in a jar； to
produce a new sort of electrical current； 〃I will see if this is any better than
the first way in which I did it。〃
He was careful about pouring out the powerful stuff； but； in spite of
this； he spilled a drop on his finger。 It burned like fire； and； instinctively；
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he jerked his hand back。
The next instant there was a series of happenings。 Tom's elbow came
in contact with another jar of acid； knocking it over； and spilling it into the
retort where he had been mixing the first two liquids。 There was a hissing
sound； as the acids combined； and a thick； white vapor arose； puffing into
Tom's face； and making him gasp。
He staggered back； brushed against the heavy iron shaft in the corner；
and it fell sideways against him； knocking him to the floor； and dropping
across his thighs。 The padding on it saved him from broken bones； but the
shaft was so heavy； that after it was on him； Tom could not move。 He was
held fast on the floor of his shop； unable to use his legs； and prevented
from getting up。
For a moment Tom was stunned； and then he called：
〃Help！ Help！ Eradicate！ Koku！ Help！〃
He waited a moment； but there was only a silence。
And then Tom smelled a strange odoran odor of a choking gas that
seemed to smother him。
