tom swift and his wizard camera(汤姆·史威夫特和他的女巫相机)-第2章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Well？〃 returned Tom。
〃This is something entirely new。 It has never been done before； though
if you should happen to be able to get a picture of giants don't miss the
opportunity。〃
〃Get a picture？〃 exclaimed Tom； wondering if； after all； his visitor
might not be a little insane。
〃Pictures； yes。 Listen。 I'm James Period。 Jim； if you like it better； or
just plain 'Spotty。' That's what most of my friends call me。 Get the idea？ A
period is a spot。 I'm a Period； therefor I'm a spot。 But that isn't the real
reason。 It's because I'm always Johnny on the Spot when anything is
happening。 If it's a big boxing exhibition； I'm there。 If it's a coronation； I'm
there； or some of my men are。 If it's a Durbar in India； you'll find Spotty
on the spot。 That's me。 If there's going to be a building blown up with
dynamiteI'm on hand； or some of my men。 If there's a fire I get there as
soon as the engines doif it's a big one。 Always on the spotthat's me
James PeriodSpotty for short。 Do you get me？〃 and he drew a long
breath and looked at Tom； his head on one side。
〃I understand that you are〃
〃In the moving picture business；〃 interrupted Mr。 Period； who never
seemed to let Tom finish a sentence。 〃I'm the biggest moving picture man
in the worldnot in size； but in business。 I make all the best films。 You've
6
… Page 7…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
seen some of 'em I guess。 Every one of 'em has my picture on the end of
the film。 Shows up great。 Advertising schemeget me？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Tom； as he recalled that he had seen some of the films in
question； and good ones they were too。 〃I see your point； but〃
〃You want to know why I come to you； don't you？〃 again interrupted
〃Spotty；〃 with a laugh。 〃Well； I'll tell you。 I need you in my business。 I
want you to invent a new kind of moving picture camera。 A small light
oneworked by electricitya regular wizard camera。 I want you to take it
up in an airship with you； and then go to all sorts of wild and strange
countries； Africa； Indiathe junglesget pictures of wild animals at peace
and fightingherds of elephantsget scenes of native wars earthquakes
eruptions of volcanoesall the newest and most wonderful pictures you
can。 You'll have to make a new kind of camera to do it。 The kind we use
won't do the trick。
〃Now do you get me？ I'm going to give you ten thousand dollars；
above all your expenses； for some films such as I've been speaking of。 I
want novelty。 Got to have it in my business！ You can do it。 Now will
you？〃
〃I hardly think〃 began Tom。
〃Don't answer me now；〃 broke in Mr。 Period。 〃Take four minutes to
think it over。 Or even five。 I guess I can wait that long。 Take five minutes。
I'll wait while you make up your mind； but I know you'll do it。 Five
minutesno more；' and hastily getting up off the box Mr。 Period began
impatiently pacing up and down the shop。
7
… Page 8…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
CHAPTER II
A MAN IN THE SNOW BANK
Tom Swift looked somewhat in surprise at his strange visitor。 It had
all happened so suddenly； the offer had been such a strange one； the man
himselfMr。 Periodwas so odd； that our hero hardly knew what to think。
The moving picture agent continued pacing up and down the room now
and then looking at his watch as if to note when the five minutes had
passed。
〃No；〃 said Tom to himself。 〃I'm not going to take this offer。 There's too
much work and risk attached to it。 I want to stay at home and work on my
noiseless motor for the airship。 After that wellI don't know what I'll do。
I'll tell Mr。 Period that he needn't wait the five minutes。 My mind is made
up now！〃
But as Tom was about to make this announcement； and dismiss his
caller； he looked again at the visitor。 There was something attractive about
himabout his hasty way of talking； about his manner of interrupting；
about the way he proposed matters。 Tom was interested in spite of himself。
〃Well；〃 he reflected； 〃I may as well wait until the five minutes are up；
anyhow。〃
Koku； the giant servant； glanced at his young master； as if to ask if
there was anything that he could do。 Tom shook his head； and then the big
man strolled over to the other side of the machine shop； at the same time
keeping a careful eye on Mr。 Period。
While Tom is waiting for the time to expire； I will take a few minutes
to tell you something more about him。 Those of my friends who have read
the previous books in this series need no introduction to my hero； but
those who may chance upon this as their first book in the Tom Swift series；
will like to be more formally introduced。
Tom； whose mother had been dead some years； lived with his father；
Barton Swift； in the town of Shopton。 Mr。 Swift was an inventor of
prominence； and his son was fast following in his footsteps。 A Mrs。
Baggert kept house for the Swifts； and another member of the household
8
… Page 9…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
was Eradicate Sampson； an aged colored man； who said he used to
〃eradicate〃 the dirt。 He had been with Tom on many trips； but of late was
getting old and feeble。 Then there was Garret Jackson； an engineer
employed by the Swifts。 These were all the immediate members of the
household。
Tom had a chum； Ned Newton； who used to work in a bank； and there
was a girl； Mary Nestor； a daughter of Amos Nestor； in which young lady
Tom was much interested。
Eradicate Sampson had a mule； Boomerang； of whom he thought
almost as much as he did of Tom。 Eradicate was a faithful friend and
servant； but； of late； Koku； or August； the giant； had rather supplanted him。
I must not forget Mr。 Wakefield Damon； of Waterfield； a village near
Shopton。 Mr。 Damon was an odd man； always blessing everything。 He and
Tom were good friends； and had been on many trips together。
The first book of the series was called 〃Tom Swift and His Motor…
Cycle；〃 and related how Tom bought the cycle from Mr。 Damon； after the
latter had met with an accident on it； and it was in this way that our hero
became acquainted with the odd man。
Tom had many adventures on his motor…cycle； and； later on he secured
a motor…boat； in which he beat his enemy； Andy Foger； in a race。 Next
Tom built an airship； and in this he went on a wonderful trip。 Returning
from this he and his father heard about a treasure sunken under the ocean。
In his submarine boat Tom secured the valuables； and made a large sum
for himself。
In his electric runabout； which was the swiftest car on the road； Tom
was able to save from ruin a bank in which his father was interested； and；
a short time after that； he went on a trip in an airship； with a man who had
invented a new kind。 The airship was smashed； and fell to Earthquake
Island； where there were some refugees from a shipwreck； among them
being the parents of Mary Nestor。 In the volume called 〃Tom Swift and
His Wireless Message；〃 I told how he saved these people。
When Tom went among the diamond makers he had more strange
adventures； on that trip discovering the secret of phantom mountain。 He
had bad luck when he went to the caves of ice； for there his airship was
9
… Page 10…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
wrecked。
When Tom made the trip in his sky racer he broke all records for an
aerial flight； incidentally saving his father's life。 It was some time after this
when he invented an electric rifle； and went to elephant land； to rescue
some missionaries from the red pygmies。
The eleventh volume of the series is called 〃Tom Swift in the Land of
Gold；〃 and relates his adventures underground； while the next one tells of
a new machine he inventedan air…glider which he used to save the
exiles of Siberia； incidentally； on that trip； finding a valuable deposit of
platinum。
As I have said； it was on his trip to giant land that Tom got his big
servant。 This book； the thirteenth of the series； is called 〃Tom Swift in
Captivity；〃 for the giants captured him and his friends； and it was only by
means of their airship that they made their daring escape。
Tom had been back from the strange land some time now。 One giant he
had turned over to the circus representative for whom he had undertaken
the mission； and the other he retained to work around his shop； as
Eradicate was getting too old。 It was now winter； and there had been quite
a fall of snow the day before Mr。 Period； the odd moving picture man；
called on Tom。 There were many big drifts outside the building。
Tom had fitted up a well…equipped shop； where he and his father
worked on their inventions。 Occasionally Ned Newton； or Mr。 Damon；
would come over to help them； but of late Tom had been so busy on his
noiseless motor that he had not had time to even see his friends。
〃'Well； I guess the five minutes have passed； and my mind is made
up；〃 thought Tom； as he looked at his watch。 〃I might as well tell Mr。
Period that I can't undertake his commission。 In the first place it isn't going
to be an easy matter to make an electric moving picture camera。 I'd have to
spend a lot of time studying up the subject； and then I might not be able to
get it to work right。
〃And； again； I can't spare the time to go to all sorts of wild and
impossible places to get the pictures。 It's
