tom swift and his wizard camera(汤姆·史威夫特和他的女巫相机)-第24章
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earthquake。〃
〃Good！〃 cried Tom。 〃Oh； I don't mean it exactly that way；〃 he hastened
to add； as he saw the counsel looking queerly at him。 〃I meant that I could
get pictures of both earthquake and volcano then。 I don't wish the poor
people any harm。〃
〃Well； you're the first one I ever saw who was anxious to get next door
to a volcano；〃 remarked the counsel。 〃Hold on； though； that's not quite
right。 I heard yesterday that a couple of young fellows passed through here
on their way to the same place。 Come to think of it； they were moving
picture men； also。〃
〃Great Scott！〃 cried Tom。 〃Those must be my rivals； I'll wager。 I must
get right on the job。 Thanks for the information；〃 and hurrying front the
office he joined his friends on the airship。 and was soon aloft again。
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〃Look； Tom； what's that？〃 cried Ned； about noon the next day when
the Flyer； according to their calculations must be nearing the city of
Arequipa。 〃See that black cloud over there。 I hope it isn't a tornado； or a
cyclone； or whatever they call the big wind storms down here。〃
Tom； and the others； looked to where Ned pointed。 There was a
column of dense smoke hovering in the air； lazily swirling this way and
that。 The airship was rapidly approaching it。
〃Why that〃 began Tom； but before he could complete the sentence
the smoke was blown violently upward。 It became streaked with fire； and；
a moment later； there was the echo of a tremendous explosion。
〃The volcano！〃 cried Tom。 〃The Arequipa volcano！ We're here just in
time； for she's in eruption now！ Come on； Ned； help me get out the camera！
Mr。 Damon； you and Mr。 Nestor manage the airship！ Put us as close as you
dare！ I'm going to get some crackerjack pictures！〃
Once more came a great report。
〃Bless my toothpick！〃 gasped Mr。 Damon。 〃This is awful！〃 And the
airship rushed on toward the volcano which could be plainly seen now；
belching forth fire； smoke and ashes。
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CHAPTER XXIV
THE MOLTEN RIVER
〃Whew！〃 gasped Ned； as he stood beside Tom in the bow of the
airship。 〃What's that choking us； Tom？〃
〃Sulphur； I guess； and gases from the volcano。 The wind blew 'em over
this way。 They're not dangerous； as long as there is no carbonic acid gas
given off； and I don't smell any of that； yet。 Say； Ned； it's erupting all right；
isn't it？〃
〃I should say so！〃 cried his chum。
〃Put us a little to one side； Mr。 Damon；〃 called Tom to his friend； who
was in the pilot house。 〃I can't get good pictures through so much smoke。
〃It's clearer off to the left。〃
〃Bless my bath robe！〃 cried the odd man。 〃You're as cool about it； Tom；
as though you were just in an ordinary race； at an aeroplane meet。〃
〃And why shouldn't I be？〃 asked our hero with a laugh； as he stopped
the mechanism of the camera until he should have a clearer view of the
volcano。 〃There's not much danger up here； but I want to get some views
from the level； later； and then〃
〃You don't get me down there！〃 interrupted Mr。 Nestor； with a grim
laugh。
They were now hovering over the volcano； but high enough up so that
none of the great stones that were being thrown out could reach them。 The
column of black smoke； amid which could be seen the gleams of the
molten fires in the crater； rolled toward them； and the smell of sulphur
became stronger。
But when； in accordance with Tom's suggestion； the airship had been
sent over to one side； they were clear of the vapor and the noxious gas。
Then； too； a better view could be had of the volcano below them。
〃Hold her down！〃 cried Tom； as he got in a good position； and the
propellers were slowed down so that they just overcame the influence of a
slight wind。 Thus the Flyer hovered in the air； while below her the volcano
belched forth red…hot rocks； some of them immense in size； and quantities
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of hot ashes and cinders。 Tom had the camera going again now； and there
was every prospect of getting a startling and wonderful； as well as rare
series of moving pictures。
〃Wow！ That was a big one！〃 cried Ned； as an unusually large mass of
rocks was thrown out； and the column of fire and smoke ascended nearly
to the hovering craft。 A moment later came an explosion； louder than any
that had preceded。 〃We'd better be going up； hadn't we Tom？〃 his chum
asked。
〃A little； yes； but not too far。 I want to get as many near views as I
can。〃
〃Bless my overshoes！〃 gasped Mr。 Damon； as he heard Tom say that。
Then he sent some of the vapor from the generating machine into the gas
bag； and the Flyer arose slightly。
Ned looked in the direction of the town； but could not see it； on
account of the haze。 Then he directed his attention to the terrifying sight
below him。
〃It's a good thing it isn't very near the city；〃 he said to Tom； who was
engaged in watching the automatic apparatus of the camera； to see when
he would have to put in a fresh film。 〃It wouldn't take much of this sort of
thing to destroy a big city。 But I don't see any streams of burning lava；
such as they always say come out of a volcano。〃
〃It isn't time for that yet；〃 replied Tom。 〃The lava comes out last； after
the top layer of stones and ashes have been blown out。 They are a sort of
stopper to the volcano； I guess； like the cork of a bottle； and； when they're
out of the way； the red…hot melted rock comes out。 Then there's trouble。 I
want to get pictures of that。〃
〃Well； keep far enough away；〃 advised Mr。 Nestor； who had come
forward。 〃Don't take any chances。 I guess your rivals won't get here in
time to take any pictures； for they can't travel as fast as we did。〃
〃No；〃 agreed the young inventor； 〃unless some other party of them
were here ahead of us。 They'll have their own troubles； though； making
pictures anything like as good as we're getting。〃
〃There goes another blast！〃 cried Ned； as a terrific explosion sounded；
and a shower of hot stuff was thrown high into the air。 〃If I lived in
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Arequipa I'd be moving out about now。〃
〃There isn't much danger I guess； except from showers of burning
ashes； and volcanic dust；〃 spoke Mr。 Nestor； 〃and the wind is blowing it
away from the town。 If it continues this way the people will be saved。〃
〃Unless there is so much of the red…hot lava that it will bury the city；〃
suggested Tom。 〃I hope that doesn't happen；〃 and he could not repress a
shudder as he looked down on the awful scene below him。
After that last explosion the volcano appeared to subside somewhat；
though great clouds of smoke and tongues of fire leaped upward。
〃I've got to put in a new reel of film！〃 suddenly exclaimed Tom。
〃While I stop the camera； Mr。 Damon； I think you and Mr。 Nestor might
put the airship down to the ground。 I want some views on the level。〃
〃What！ Go down to earth with this awful volcano spouting fire？〃 cried
Mr。 Damon。 〃Bless my comb and brush！〃
〃We can get well down the side of the mountain；〃 said Tom。 〃I won't
go into any danger； much less ask any one else to do so； and I certainly
don't want my ship damaged。 We can land down there；〃 he said； pointing
to a spot on the side of the volcanic mountain； that was some distance
removed from the mouth of the crater。 It won't take me long to get one reel
of views； and then I'll come up again。〃
The two men finally gave in to Tom's argument； that there was
comparatively little danger； for they admitted that they could quickly rise
up at the first sign of danger； and accordingly the Flyer descended。 Tom
quickly had a fresh reel of film inserted； and started his camera to working；
standing it on a tripod some distance from the airship。
Once more the volcano was 〃doing its prettiest；〃 as Tom expressed it。
He glanced around； as another big explosion took place； to see if any other
picture men were on hand； but the terrible mountain seemed deserted；
though of course someone might be on the other side。
〃What's that？〃 suddenly cried Ned； looking apprehensively at his
chum。 At the same time Tom jumped to his feet； for he had been kneeling
near the camera。
〃Bless my〃 began Mr。 Damon； but he got no farther； for suddenly the
solid ground began to tremble and shake。
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〃An earthquake！〃 shouted Mr。 Nestor。 〃Come； Tom！ Get back to the
ship！〃 The young inventor and Ned had been the only ones to leave it； as it
rested on a spur of the mountain。
As Tom and Ned leaped forward to save the camera which was
toppling to one side； there came a great fissure in the side of the volcano；
and a stream of molten rock； glowing white with heat； gushed out。 It was a
veritable river of melted stone； and it was coming straight for the two lads。
〃Run！ Run！〃 cried Mr。 Nestor。 〃We have everything ready for a quick
flight。 〃Run； Tom！ Ned！〃
The lads leaped for the Flyer； the molten rock coming nearer and
nearer； and then with a cry Koku sprang overboard and made a dash
toward his master。
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CHAPTER XXV
THE EARTHQUAKECONCLUSION
〃Here； Mr。 Tom。 Me carry you an' Ned。 You hold picture machine！〃
cried the giant。 〃Me run faster。〃
As he spoke he lifted Ned up u
