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The Master Key
By
L. Frank Baum
(AKA Edith Van Dyne)
Contents:=
10. How Rob Served a Mighty King
20. The Unhappy Fate of the Demon
These things are quite improbable, to be sure;=
but
are they impossible?
Our big world rolls over as smoothly as it did
centuries ago, without a squeak to show it needs oiling after all these yea=
rs
of revolution. But times change because men change, and because civilizatio=
n,
like John Brown's soul, goes ever marching on.
The impossibilities of yesterday become the
accepted facts of to-day.
Here is a fairy tale founded upon the wonders =
of
electricity and written for children of this generation. Yet when my readers shall have bec=
ome
men and women my story may not seem to their children like a fairy tale at =
all.
Perhaps one, perhaps two--perhaps several of t=
he
Demon's devices will be, by that time, in popular use.
Who knows?
When Rob became interested in electricity his
clear-headed father considered the boy's fancy to be instructive as well as
amusing; so he heartily encouraged his son, and Rob never lacked batteries,
motors or supplies of any sort that his experiments might require.
He fitted up the little back room in the attic=
as
his workshop, and from thence a net-work of wires soon ran throughout the
house. Not only had every out=
side
door its electric bell, but every window was fitted with a burglar alarm;
moreover no one could cross the threshold of any interior room without
registering the fact in Rob's workshop. The gas was lighted by an electric =
fob;
a chime, connected with an erratic clock in the boy's room, woke the servan=
ts
at all hours of the night and caused the cook to give warning; a bell rang
whenever the postman dropped a letter into the box; there were bells, bells,
bells everywhere, ringing at the right time, the wrong time and all the tim=
e. And
there were telephones in the different rooms, too, through which Rob could =
call
up the different members of the family just when they did not wish to be
disturbed.
His mother and sisters soon came to vote the b=
oy's
scientific craze a nuisance; but his father was delighted with these eviden=
ces
of Rob's skill as an electrician, and insisted that he be allowed perfect f=
reedom
in carrying out his ideas.
"Electricity," said the old gentlema=
n,
sagely, "is destined to become the motive power of the world. The future advance of civilization=
will be
along electrical lines. Our b=
oy may
become a great inventor and astonish the world with his wonderful
creations."
"And in the meantime," said the moth=
er,
despairingly, "we shall all be electrocuted, or the house burned down =
by
crossed wires, or we shall be blown into eternity by an explosion of
chemicals!"
"Nonsense!" ejaculated the proud
father. "Rob's storage
batteries are not powerful enough to electrocute one or set the house on
fire. Do give the boy a chanc=
e,
Belinda."
"And the pranks are so humiliating,"
continued the lady. "Whe=
n the minister
called yesterday and rang the bell a big card appeared on the front door on
which was printed the words: 'Busy; Call Again.' Fortunately Helen saw him =
and
let him in, but when I reproved Robert for the act he said he was just tryi=
ng
the sign to see if it would work."
"Exactly! The boy is an inventor already.
Mrs. Joslyn sighed. She knew remonstrance was useless =
so
long as her husband encouraged the boy, and that she would be wise to bear =
her cross
with fortitude.
Rob also knew his mother's protests would be o=
f no
avail; so he continued to revel in electrical processes of all sorts, using=
the
house as an experimental station to test the powers of his productions.
It was in his own room, however,--his
"workshop"--that he especially delighted. For not only was it the center of =
all
his numerous "lines" throughout the house, but he had rigged up
therein a wonderful array of devices for his own amusement. A trolley-car moved around a circu=
lar track
and stopped regularly at all stations; an engine and train of cars moved
jerkily up and down a steep grade and through a tunnel; a windmill was busi=
ly
pumping water from the dishpan into the copper skillet; a sawmill was in fu=
ll
operation and a host of mechanical blacksmiths, scissors-grinders, carpente=
rs,
wood-choppers and millers were connected with a motor which kept them worki=
ng
away at their trades in awkward but persevering fashion.
The room was crossed and recrossed with
wires. They crept up the wall=
s,
lined the floor, made a grille of the ceiling and would catch an unwary vis=
itor
under the chin or above the ankle just when he least expected it. Yet visitors were forbidden in so
crowded a room, and even his father declined to go farther than the
doorway. As for Rob, he thoug=
ht he
knew all about the wires, and what each one was for; but they puzzled even =
him,
at times, and he was often perplexed to know how to utilize them all.
One day when he had locked himself in to avoid
interruption while he planned the electrical illumination of a gorgeous
pasteboard palace, he really became confused over the network of wires. He had a "switchboard," =
to be
sure, where he could make and break connections as he chose; but the wires =
had
somehow become mixed, and he could not tell what combinations to use to thr=
ow
the power on to his miniature electric lights.
So he experimented in a rather haphazard fashi=
on,
connecting this and that wire blindly and by guesswork, in the hope that he
would strike the right combination.
Then he thought the combination might be right and there was a lack =
of
power; so he added other lines of wire to his connections, and still others,
until he had employed almost every wire in the room.
Yet it would not work; and after pausing a mom=
ent
to try to think what was wrong he went at it again, putting this and that l=
ine
into connection, adding another here and another there, until suddenly, as =
he
made a last change, a quick flash of light almost blinded him, and the
switch-board crackled ominously, as if struggling to carry a powerful curre=
nt.
Rob covered his face at the flash, but finding
himself unhurt he took away his hands and with blinking eyes attempted to l=
ook
at a wonderful radiance which seemed to fill the room, making it many times
brighter than the brightest day.
Although at first completely dazzled, he peered
before him until he discovered that the light was concentrated near one spo=
t,
from which all the glorious rays seemed to scintillate.
He closed his eyes a moment to rest them; then
re-opening them and shading them somewhat with his hands, he made out the f=
orm
of a curious Being standing with majesty and composure in the center of the=
magnificent
radiance and looking down upon him!
Rob was a courageous boy, but a thrill of fear
passed over him in spite of his bravest endeavor as he gazed upon the wondr=
ous
apparition that confronted him. For
several moments he sat as if turned to stone, so motionless was he; but his
eyes were nevertheless fastened upon the Being and devouring every detail of
his appearance.
And how strange an appearance he presented!
His jacket was a wavering mass of white light,
edged with braid of red flames that shot little tongues in all directions.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> The buttons blazed in golden fire.=
His trousers had a bluish, incande=
scent
color, with glowing stripes of crimson braid. His vest was gorgeous with all the=
colors
of the rainbow blended into a flashing, resplendent mass. In feature he was most majestic, a=
nd his
eyes held the soft but penetrating brilliance of electric lights.
It was hard to meet the gaze of those searching
eyes, but Rob did it, and at once the splendid apparition bowed and said in=
a
low, clear voice:
"I am here."
"I know that," answered the boy,
trembling, "but WHY are you here?"
"Because you have touched the Master Key =
of
Electricity, and I must obey the laws of nature that compel me to respond to
your summons."
"I--I didn't know I touched the Master
Key," faltered the boy.
"I understand that. You did it unconsciously. No one in the world has ever done =
it
before, for Nature has hitherto kept the secret safe locked within her
bosom."
Rob took time to wonder at this statement.
"Then who are you?" he inquired, at
length.
"The Demon of Electricity," was the
solemn answer.
"Good gracious!" exclaimed Rob, &quo=
t;a
demon!"
"Certainly. I am, in truth, the Slave of the M=
aster
Key, and am forced to obey the commands of any one who is wise and brave en=
ough--or,
as in your own case, fortunate and fool-hardy enough--to touch it."
"I--I've never guessed there was such a t=
hing
as a Master Key, or--or a Demon of Electricity, and--and I'm awfully sorry =
I--I
called you up!" stammered the boy, abashed by the imposing appearance =
of
his companion.
The Demon actually smiled at this speech,--a s=
mile
that was almost reassuring.
"I am not sorry," he said, in kindli=
er
tone, "for it is not much pleasure waiting century after century for s=
ome
one to command my services. I=
have
often thought my existence uncalled for, since you Earth people are so stup=
id
and ignorant that you seem unlikely ever to master the secret of electrical
power."
"Oh, we have some great masters among
us!" cried Rob, rather nettled at this statement. "Now, there's Edison--" =
"Edison!" exclaimed the Demon, with a
faint sneer; "what does he know?"
"Lots of things," declared the boy.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> "He's invented no end of wond=
erful electrical
things."
"You are wrong to call them wonderful,&qu=
ot;
replied the Demon, lightly. "He really knows little more than yourself
about the laws that control electricity.&n=
bsp;
His inventions are trifling things in comparison with the really
wonderful results to be obtained by one who would actually know how to dire=
ct
the electric powers instead of groping blindly after insignificant
effects. Why, I've stood for =
months
by Edison's elbow, hoping and longing for him to touch the Master Key; but I
can see plainly he will never accomplish it."
"Then there's Tesla," said the boy. =
The Demon laughed.
"There is Tesla, to be sure," he
said. "But what of him?&=
quot;
"Why, he's discovered a powerful light,&q=
uot;
the Demon gave an amused chuckle, "and he's in communication with the
people in Mars."
"What people?"
"Why, the people who live there."
"There are none."
This great statement almost took Rob's breath
away, and caused him to stare hard at his visitor.
"It's generally thought," he resumed=
, in
an annoyed tone, "that Mars has inhabitants who are far in advance of
ourselves in civilization. Many scientific men think the people of Mars have
been trying to signal us for years, only we don't understand their
signals. And great novelists =
have
written about the Martians and their wonderful civilization, and--"
"And they all know as much about that lit=
tle
planet as you do yourself," interrupted the Demon, impatiently. "The trouble with you Earth p=
eople
is that you delight in guessing about what you can not know. Now I happen to know all about Mar=
s,
because I can traverse all space and have had ample leisure to investigate =
the
different planets. Mars is not peopled at all, nor is any other of the plan=
ets
you recognize in the heavens. Some
contain low orders of beasts, to be sure, but Earth alone has an intelligen=
t,
thinking, reasoning population, and your scientists and novelists would do
better trying to comprehend their own planet than in groping through space =
to
unravel the mysteries of barren and unimportant worlds."
Rob listened to this with surprise and
disappointment; but he reflected that the Demon ought to know what he was
talking about, so he did not venture to contradict him.
"It is really astonishing," continued
the Apparition, "how little you people have learned about
electricity. It is an Earth e=
lement
that has existed since the Earth itself was formed, and if you but understo=
od its
proper use humanity would be marvelously benefited in many ways."
"We are, already," protested Rob;
"our discoveries in electricity have enabled us to live much more
conveniently."
"Then imagine your condition were you able
fully to control this great element," replied the other, gravely. "The weaknesses and privation=
s of
mankind would be converted into power and luxury."
"That's true, Mr.--Mr.--Demon," said=
the
boy. "Excuse me if I don=
't get
your name right, but I understood you to say you are a demon."
"Certainly. The Demon of Electricity."
"But electricity is a good thing, you kno=
w,
and--and--"
"Well?"
"I've always understood that demons were =
bad
things," added Rob, boldly.
"Not necessarily," returned his
visitor. "If you will ta=
ke the
trouble to consult your dictionary, you will find that demons may be either=
good
or bad, like any other class of beings.&nb=
sp;
Originally all demons were good, yet of late years people have come =
to
consider all demons evil. I d=
o not
know why. Should you read Hes=
iod
you will find he says:
'Soon
was a world of holy demons made, Aerial spirits, by great Jove
designed To be on earth=
the
guardians of mankind.'"
=
"But
Jove was himself a myth," objected Rob, who had been studying mytholog=
y.
The Demon shrugged his shoulders.
"Then take the words of Mr. Shakespeare, =
to
whom you all defer," he replied.
"Do you not remember that he says:
'Thy
demon (that's thy spirit which keeps thee) is Noble, courageous, high, unma=
tchable.'"
=
"Oh,
if Shakespeare says it, that's all right," answered the boy. "But it seems you're more lik=
e a
genius, for you answer the summons of the Master Key of Electricity in the =
same
way Aladdin's genius answered the rubbing of the lamp."
"To be sure. A demon is also a genius; and a ge=
nius
is a demon," said the Being.
"What matters a name? =
span>I
am here to do your bidding."
Familiarity with any great thing removes our a=
we
of it. The great general is o=
nly
terrible to the enemy; the great poet is frequently scolded by his wife; the
children of the great statesman clamber about his knees with perfect trust =
and
impunity; the great actor who is called before the curtain by admiring
audiences is often waylaid at the stage door by his creditors.
So Rob, having conversed for a time with the
glorious Demon of Electricity, began to regard him with more composure and =
less
awe, as his eyes grew more and more accustomed to the splendor that at firs=
t had
well-nigh blinded them.
When the Demon announced himself ready to do t=
he
boy's bidding, he frankly replied:
"I am no skilled electrician, as you very
well know. My calling you her=
e was
an accident. So I don't know =
how to
command you, nor what to ask you to do."
"But I must not take advantage of your
ignorance," answered the Demon. "Also, I am quite anxious to util=
ize
this opportunity to show the world what a powerful element electricity real=
ly
is. So permit me to inform you
that, having struck the Master Key, you are at liberty to demand from me th=
ree
gifts each week for three successive weeks. These gifts, provided they are wit=
hin
the scope of electricity, I will grant."
Rob shook his head regretfully.
"If I were a great electrician I should k=
now
what to ask," he said. "But I am too ignorant to take advantage of
your kind offer."
"Then," replied the Demon, "I w=
ill
myself suggest the gifts, and they will be of such a character that the Ear=
th
people will learn the possibilities that lie before them and be encouraged =
to
work more intelligently and to persevere in mastering those natural and sim=
ple laws
which control electricity. Fo=
r one
of the greatest errors they now labor under is that electricity is complica=
ted
and hard to understand. It is
really the simplest Earth element, lying within easy reach of any one who
stretches out his hand to grasp and control its powers."
Rob yawned, for he thought the Demon's speeches
were growing rather tiresome.
Perhaps the genius noticed this rudeness, for he continued:
"I regret, of course, that you are a boy
instead of a grown man, for it will appear singular to your friends that so
thoughtless a youth should seemingly have mastered the secrets that have
baffled your most learned scientists.
But that can not be helped, and presently you will become, through my
aid, the most powerful and wonderful personage in all the world."
"Thank you," said Rob, meekly. "It'll be no end of fun."=
;
"Fun!" echoed the Demon,
scornfully. "But never m=
ind; I
must use the material Fate has provided for me, and make the best of it.&qu=
ot;
"What will you give me first?" asked=
the
boy, eagerly.
"That requires some thought," return=
ed
the Demon, and paused for several moments, while Rob feasted his eyes upon =
the
gorgeous rays of color that flashed and vibrated in every direction and
surrounded the figure of his visitor with an intense glow that resembled a
halo.
Then the Demon raised his head and said:
"The thing most necessary to man is food =
to
nourish his body. He passes a
considerable part of his life in the struggle to procure food, to prepare it
properly, and in the act of eating.
This is not right. Your body can not be very valuable to you if all =
your
time is required to feed it. I
shall, therefore, present you, as my first gift, this box of tablets. Within each tablet are stored cert=
ain
elements of electricity which are capable of nourishing a human body for a =
full
day. All you need do is to to=
ss one
into your mouth each day and swallow it.&n=
bsp;
It will nourish you, satisfy your hunger and build up your health an=
d strength. The ordinary food of mankind is mo=
re or
less injurious; this is entirely beneficial. Moreover, you may carry enough tab=
lets
in your pocket to last for months."
Here he presented Rob the silver box of tablet=
s,
and the boy, somewhat nervously, thanked him for the gift.
"The next requirement of man," conti=
nued
the Demon, "is defense from his enemies. I notice with sorrow that men freq=
uently
have wars and kill one another.
Also, even in civilized communities, man is in constant danger from
highwaymen, cranks and policemen.
To defend himself he uses heavy and dangerous guns, with which to
destroy his enemies. This is
wrong. He has no right to tak=
e away
what he can not bestow; to destroy what he can not create. To kill a fellow-creature is a hor=
rid
crime, even if done in self-defense.
Therefore, my second gift to you is this little tube. You may carry it within your pocke=
t. Whenever
an enemy threatens you, be it man or beast, simply point the tube and press
this button in the handle. An
electric current will instantly be directed upon your foe, rendering him wh=
olly
unconscious for the period of one hour.&nb=
sp;
During that time you will have opportunity to escape. As for your enemy, after regaining
consciousness he will suffer no inconvenience from the encounter beyond a
slight headache."
"That's fine!" said Rob, as he took =
the
tube. It was scarcely six inc=
hes
long, and hollow at one end.
"The busy lives of men," proceeded t= he Demon, "require them to move about and travel in all directions. Yet to assist them there are only = such crude and awkward machines as electric trolleys, cable cars, steam railways= and automobiles. These crawl slow= ly over the uneven surface of the earth and frequently get out of order. It has grieved me that men have no= t yet discovered what even birds know: that the atmosphere offers them swift and = easy means of traveling from one part of the earth's surface to another." <= o:p>
"Some people have tried to build
airships," remarked Rob.
"So they have; great, unwieldy machines w=
hich
offer so much resistance to the air that they are quite useless. A big machine is not needed to car=
ry one
through the air. There are fo=
rces
in nature which may be readily used for such purpose. Tell me, what holds you to the Ear=
th, and
makes a stone fall to the ground?"
"Attraction of gravitation," said Ro=
b,
promptly.
"Exactly. That is one force I refer to,"=
; said
the Demon. "The force of
repulsion, which is little known, but just as powerful, is another that man=
kind
may direct. Then there are th=
e Polar
electric forces, attracting objects toward the north or south poles. You have guessed something of this=
by
the use of the compass, or electric needle. Opposed to these is centrifugal
electric force, drawing objects from east to west, or in the opposite
direction. This force is crea=
ted by
the whirl of the earth upon its axis, and is easily utilized, although your
scientific men have as yet paid little attention to it.
"These forces, operating in all direction=
s,
absolute and immutable, are at the disposal of mankind. They will carry you through the
atmosphere wherever and whenever you choose. That is, if you know how to contro=
l them. Now, here is a machine I have myse=
lf
perfected."
The Demon drew from his pocket something that
resembled an open-faced watch, having a narrow, flexible band attached to i=
t.
"When you wish to travel," said he,
"attach this little machine to your left wrist by means of the band. It is very light and will not be i=
n your
way. On this dial are points =
marked
'up' and 'down' as well as a perfect compass. When you desire to rise into the a=
ir set
the indicator to the word 'up,' using a finger of your right hand to turn i=
t. When you have risen as high as you=
wish,
set the indicator to the point of the compass you want to follow and you wi=
ll
be carried by the proper electric force in that direction. To descend, set the indicator to t=
he
word 'down.' Do you
understand?"
"Perfectly!" cried Rob, taking the
machine from the Demon with unfeigned delight. "This is really wonderful, an=
d I'm
awfully obliged to you!"
"Don't mention it," returned the Dem=
on,
dryly. "These three gift=
s you may
amuse yourself with for the next week.&nbs=
p;
It seems hard to entrust such great scientific discoveries to the
discretion of a mere boy; but they are quite harmless, so if you exercise
proper care you can not get into trouble through their possession. And who knows what benefits to hum=
anity
may result? One week from to-=
day,
at this hour, I will again appear to you, at which time you shall receive t=
he second
series of electrical gifts."
"I'm not sure," said Rob, "that=
I
shall be able again to make the connections that will strike the Master
Key."
"Probably not," answered the Demon.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> "Could you accomplish that, y=
ou might
command my services forever. =
But,
having once succeeded, you are entitled to the nine gifts--three each week =
for
three weeks--so you have no need to call me to do my duty. I shall appear of my own accord.&q=
uot;
"Thank you," murmured the boy.
The Demon bowed and spread his hands in the fo=
rm
of a semi-circle. An instant =
later
there was a blinding flash, and when Rob recovered from it and opened his e=
yes
the Demon of Electricity had disappeared.
There is little doubt that this strange experi=
ence
befallen a grown man he would have been stricken with a fit of trembling or=
a
sense of apprehension, or even fear, at the thought of having faced the
terrible Demon of Electricity, of having struck the Master Key of the world=
's greatest
natural forces, and finding himself possessed of three such wonderful and
useful gifts. But a boy takes
everything as a matter of course.
As the tree of knowledge sprouts and expands within him, shooting out
leaf after leaf of practical experience, the succession of surprises dulls =
his
faculty of wonderment. It tak=
es a
great deal to startle a boy.
Rob was full of delight at his unexpected good
fortune; but he did not stop to consider that there was anything remarkably
queer or uncanny in the manner in which it had come to him. His chief sensation was one of pri=
de. He would now be able to surprise t=
hose
who had made fun of his electrical craze and force them to respect his
marvelous powers. He decided =
to say
nothing about the Demon or the accidental striking of the Master Key. In exhibiting to his friends the
electrical devices he had acquired it would be "no end of fun" to
mark their amazement and leave them to guess how he performed his feats.
So he put his treasures into his pocket, locked
his workshop and went downstairs to his room to prepare for dinner.
While brushing his hair he remembered it was no
longer necessary for him to eat ordinary food. He was feeling quite hungry at that
moment, for he had a boy's ravenous appetite; but, taking the silver box fr=
om his
pocket, he swallowed a tablet and at once felt his hunger as fully satisfie=
d as
if he had partaken of a hearty meal, while at the same time he experienced =
an
exhilarating glow throughout his body and a clearness of brain and gaiety of
spirits which filled him with intense gratification.
Still, he entered the dining-room when the bell rang and found his father and mother and sisters already assembled there. <= o:p>
"Where have you been all day, Robert?&quo=
t;
inquired his mother.
"No need to ask," said Mr. Joslyn, w=
ith
a laugh. "Fussing over e=
lectricity,
I'll bet a cookie!"
"I do wish," said the mother, fretfu=
lly,
"that he would get over that mania.&n=
bsp;
It unfits him for anything else."
"Precisely," returned her husband,
dishing the soup; "but it fits him for a great career when he becomes a
man. Why shouldn't he spend h=
is summer
vacation in pursuit of useful knowledge instead of romping around like ordi=
nary
boys?"
"No soup, thank you," said Rob.
"What!" exclaimed his father, lookin=
g at
him in surprise, "it's your favorite soup."
"I know," said Rob, quietly, "b=
ut I
don't want any."
"Are you ill, Robert?" asked his mot=
her.
"Never felt better in my life," answ=
ered
Rob, truthfully.
Yet Mrs. Joslyn looked worried, and when Rob
refused the roast, she was really shocked.
"Let me feel your pulse, my poor boy!&quo=
t;
she commanded, and wondered to find it so regular.
In fact, Rob's action surprised them all. He sat calmly throughout the meal,
eating nothing, but apparently in good health and spirits, while even his
sisters regarded him with troubled countenances.
"He's worked too hard, I guess," said
Mr. Joslyn, shaking his head sadly.
"Oh, no; I haven't," protested Rob;
"but I've decided not to eat anything, hereafter. It's a bad habit, and does more ha=
rm
than good."
"Wait till breakfast," said sister
Helen, with a laugh; "you'll be hungry enough by that time."
However, the boy had no desire for food at
breakfast time, either, as the tablet sufficed for an entire day. So he renewed the anxiety of the f=
amily
by refusing to join them at the table.
"If this goes on," Mr Joslyn said to=
his
son, when breakfast was finished, "I shall be obliged to send you away=
for
your health."
"I think of making a trip this morning,&q=
uot;
said Rob, carelessly.
"Where to?"
"Oh, I may go to Boston, or take a run ov=
er
to Cuba or Jamaica," replied the boy.
"But you can not go so far by yourself,&q=
uot;
declared his father; "and there is no one to go with you, just now.
"Oh, it won't cost anything," replied
Rob, with a smile.
Mr. Joslyn looked upon him gravely and
sighed. Mrs. Joslyn bent over=
her
son with tears in her eyes and said:
"This electrical nonsense has affected yo=
ur
mind, dear. You must promise =
me to
keep away from that horrid workshop for a time."
"I won't enter it for a week," he
answered. "But you needn=
't
worry about me. I haven't been
experimenting with electricity all this time for nothing, I can tell you. As for my health, I'm as well and =
strong
as any boy need be, and there's nothing wrong with my head, either. Common
folks always think great men are crazy, but Edison and Tesla and I don't pay
any attention to that. We've =
got
our discoveries to look after. Now,
as I said, I'm going for a little trip in the interests of science. I may be back to-night, or I may be=
gone
several days. Anyhow, I'll be back in a week, and you mustn't worry about m=
e a
single minute."
"How are you going?" inquired his
father, in the gentle, soothing tone persons use in addressing maniacs.
"Through the air," said Rob.
His father groaned.
"Where's your balloon?" inquired sis=
ter
Mabel, sarcastically.
"I don't need a balloon," returned t=
he
boy. "That's a clumsy wa=
y of traveling,
at best. I shall go by electr=
ic
propulsion."
"Good gracious!" cried Mr. Joslyn, a=
nd
the mother murmured: "My poor boy! my poor boy!"
"As you are my nearest relatives,"
continued Rob, not noticing these exclamations, "I will allow you to c=
ome
into the back yard and see me start.
You will then understand something of my electrical powers."
They followed him at once, although with
unbelieving faces, and on the way Rob clasped the little machine to his left
wrist, so that his coat sleeve nearly hid it.
When they reached the lawn at the back of the
house Rob kissed them all good-by, much to his sisters' amusement, and turn=
ed
the indicator of the little instrument to the word "up."
Immediately he began to rise into the air.
"Don't worry about me!" he called do=
wn
to them. "Good-by!"=
Mrs. Joslyn, with a scream of terror, hid her =
face
in her hands.
"He'll break his neck!" cried the
astounded father, tipping back his head to look after his departing son.
"Come back! Come back!" shouted the girls=
to
the soaring adventurer.
"I will--some day!" was the far-away
answer.
Having risen high enough to pass over the tall=
est
tree or steeple, Rob put the indicator to the east of the compass-dial and =
at
once began moving rapidly in that direction.
The sensation was delightful. He rode as gently as a feather flo=
ats, without
any exertion at all on his own part; yet he moved so swiftly that he easily
distanced a railway train that was speeding in the same direction.
"This is great!" reflected the
youth. "Here I am, trave=
ling
in fine style, without a penny to pay any one! And I've enough food to last me a =
month
in my coat pocket. This elect=
ricity
is the proper stuff, after all! And
the Demon's a trump, and no mistake.
Whee-ee! How small eve=
rything
looks down below there. The p=
eople
are bugs, and the houses are soap-boxes, and the trees are like clumps of
grass. I seem to be passing o=
ver a
town. Guess I'll drop down a =
bit,
and take in the sights."
He pointed the indicator to the word
"down," and at once began dropping through the air. He experienced the sensation one f=
eels
while descending in an elevator.
When he reached a point just above the town he put the indicator to =
the
zero mark and remained stationary, while he examined the place. But there was nothing to interest =
him, particularly;
so after a brief survey he once more ascended and continued his journey tow=
ard
the east.
At about two o'clock in the afternoon he reach=
ed
the city of Boston, and alighting unobserved in a quiet street he walked ar=
ound
for several hours enjoying the sights and wondering what people would think=
of
him if they but knew his remarkable powers. But as he looked just like any oth=
er boy
no one noticed him in any way.
It was nearly evening, and Rob had wandered do=
wn
by the wharves to look at the shipping, when his attention was called to an
ugly looking bull dog, which ran toward him and began barking ferociously. =
"Get out!" said the boy, carelessly,=
and
made a kick at the brute.
The dog uttered a fierce growl and sprang upon=
him
with bared teeth and flashing red eyes.&nb=
sp;
Instantly Rob drew the electric tube from his pocket, pointed it at =
the
dog and pressed the button. A=
lmost
at the same moment the dog gave a yelp, rolled over once or twice and lay s=
till.
"I guess that'll settle him," laughed
the boy; but just then he heard an angry shout, and looking around saw a
policeman running toward him.
"Kill me dog, will ye--eh?" yelled t=
he
officer; "well, I'll just run ye in for that same, an' ye'll spend the
night in the lockup!" And on he came, with drawn club in one hand and a
big revolver in the other.
"You'll have to catch me first," said
Rob, still laughing, and to the amazement of the policeman he began rising
straight into the air.
"Come down here! Come down, or I'll shoot!" sh=
outed
the fellow, flourishing his revolver.
Rob was afraid he would; so, to avoid accident=
s,
he pointed the tube at him and pressed the button. The red-whiskered policeman keeled=
over quite
gracefully and fell across the body of the dog, while Rob continued to mount
upward until he was out of sight of those in the streets.
"That was a narrow escape," he thoug=
ht,
breathing more freely. "=
I hated
to paralyze that policeman, but he might have sent a bullet after me. Anyhow, he'll be all right again i=
n an
hour, so I needn't worry."
It was beginning to grow dark, and he wondered=
what
he should do next. Had he possessed any money he would have descended to the
town and taken a bed at a hotel, but he had left home without a single penn=
y. Fortunately
the nights were warm at this season, so he determined to travel all night, =
that
he might reach by morning some place he had never before visited.
Cuba had always interested him, and he judged =
it
ought to lie in a southeasterly direction from Boston. So he set the indicator to that po=
int
and began gliding swiftly toward the southeast.
He now remembered that it was twenty-four hours
since he had eaten the first electrical tablet. As he rode through the air he cons=
umed another. All hunger at once left him, while=
he
felt the same invigorating sensations as before.
After a time the moon came out, and Rob amused
himself gazing at the countless stars in the sky and wondering if the Demon=
was
right when he said the world was the most important of all the planets.
But presently he grew sleepy, and before he
realized what was happening he had fallen into a sound and peaceful slumber,
while the indicator still pointed to the southeast and he continued to move
rapidly through the cool night air.
Doubtless the adventures of the day had tired = Rob, for he slept throughout the night as comfortably as if he had been within h= is own room, lying upon his own bed. When, at last, he opened his eyes and gazed sleepily about him, he f= ound himself over a great body of water, moving along with considerable speed. <= o:p>
"It's the ocean, of course," he said=
to
himself. "I haven't reac=
hed Cuba
yet."
It is to be regretted that Rob's knowledge of
geography was so superficial; for, as he had intended to reach Cuba, he sho=
uld
have taken a course almost southwest from Boston, instead of southeast. The sad result of his ignorance yo=
u will
presently learn, for during the entire day he continued to travel over a
boundless waste of ocean, without the sight of even an island to cheer him.=
The sun shone so hot that he regretted he had =
not
brought an umbrella. But he wore a wide-brimmed straw hat, which protected =
him
somewhat, and he finally discovered that by rising to a considerable distan=
ce
above the ocean he avoided the reflection of the sun upon the water and als=
o came
with the current of good breeze.
Of course he dared no stop, for there was no p=
lace
to land; so he calmly continued his journey.
"It may be I've missed Cuba," he
thought; "but I can not change my course now, for if I did I might get
lost, and never be able to find land again. If I keep on as I am I shall be su=
re to
reach land of some sort, in time, and when I wish to return home I can set =
the
indicator to the northwest and that will take me directly back to Boston.&q=
uot;
This was good reasoning, but the rash youth ha=
d no
idea he was speeding over the ocean, or that he was destined to arrive shor=
tly
at the barbarous island of Brava, off the coast of Africa. Yet such was the case; just as the=
sun
sank over the edge of the waves he saw, to his great relief, a large island
directly in his path.
He dropped to a lower position in the air, and
when he judged himself to be over the center of the island he turned the
indicator to zero and stopped short.
The country was beautifully wooded, while pret=
ty
brooks sparkled through the rich green foliage of the trees. The island sloped upwards from the
sea-coast in all directions, rising to a hill that was almost a mountain in=
the
center. There were two open s=
paces,
one on each side of the island, and Rob saw that these spaces were occupied=
by queer-looking
huts built from brushwood and branches of trees. This showed that the island was
inhabited, but as Rob had no idea what island it was he wisely determined n=
ot
to meet the natives until he had discovered what they were like and whether
they were disposed to be friendly.
So he moved over the hill, the top of which pr=
oved
to be a flat, grass-covered plateau about fifty feet in diameter. Finding it could not be easily rea=
ched
from below, on account of its steep sides, and contained neither men nor
animals, he alighted on the hill-top and touched his feet to the earth for =
the
first time in twenty-four hours.
The ride through the air had not tired him in =
the
least; in fact, he felt as fresh and vigorous as if he had been resting
throughout the journey. As he
walked upon the soft grass of the plateau he felt elated, and compared hims=
elf
to the explorers of ancient days; for it was evident that civilization had =
not
yet reached this delightful spot.
There was scarcely any twilight in this tropic=
al
climate and it grew dark quickly.
Within a few minutes the entire island, save where he stood, became =
dim
and indistinct. He ate his da=
ily
tablet, and after watching the red glow fade in the western sky and the gray
shadows of night settle around him he stretched himself comfortably upon the
grass and went to sleep.
The events of the day must have deepened his
slumber, for when he awoke the sun was shining almost directly over him,
showing that the day was well advanced.&nb=
sp;
He stood up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and decided he would lik=
e a
drink of water. From where he=
stood
he could see several little brooks following winding paths through the fore=
st,
so he settled upon one that seemed farthest from the brushwood villages, an=
d turning
his indicator in that direction soon floated through the air to a sheltered
spot upon the bank.
Kneeling down, he enjoyed a long, refreshing d=
rink
of the clear water, but as he started to regain his feet a coil of rope was
suddenly thrown about him, pinning his arms to his sides and rendering him
absolutely helpless.
At the same time his ears were saluted with a =
wild
chattering in an unknown tongue, and he found himself surrounded by a group=
of
natives of hideous appearance. They
were nearly naked, and bore spears and heavy clubs as their only weapons. Their hair was long, curly, and th=
ick as
bushes, and through their noses and ears were stuck the teeth of sharks and
curious metal ornaments.
These creatures had stolen upon Rob so quietly
that he had not heard a sound, but now they jabbered loudly, as if much
excited.
Finally one fat and somewhat aged native, who
seemed to be a chief, came close to Rob and said, in broken English:
"How get here?"
"I flew," said the boy, with a grin.=
The chief shook his head, saying:
"No boat come. How white man come?"
"Through the air," replied Rob, who =
was
rather flattered at being called a "man."
The chief looked into the air with a puzzled
expression and shook his head again.
"White man lie," he said calmly.
Then he held further conversation with his
fellows, after which he turned to Rob and announced:
"Me see white man many times. Come in big boats. White man all bad. Make kill with
bang-sticks. We kill white ma=
n with
club. Then we eat white man.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Dead white man good. Live white man bad!"
This did not please Rob at all. The idea of being eaten by savages=
had never
occurred to him as a sequel to his adventures. So he said rather anxiously to the
chief.
"Look here, old fellow; do you want to
die?"
"Me no die. You die," was the reply.
"You'll die, too, if you eat me," sa=
id
Rob. "I'm full of
poison."
"Poison?=
Don't know poison," returned the chief, much perplexed to under=
stand
him.
"Well, poison will make you sick--awful
sick. Then you'll die. I'm full of it; eat it every day f=
or
breakfast. It don't hurt whit=
e men,
you see, but it kills black men quicker than the bang-stick."
The chief listened to this statement carefully,
but only understood it in part.
After a moment's reflection he declared:
"White man lie. Lie all time. Me eat plenty white man. Never get sick; never die." Then he added, with renewed
cheerfulness: "Me eat you, too!"
Before Rob could think of a further protest, h=
is
captors caught up the end of the rope and led him away through the forest. =
He was tightly bound, and one stran=
d of
rope ran across the machine on his wrist and pressed it into his flesh until
the pain was severe. But he
resolved to be brave, whatever happened, so he stumbled along after the sav=
ages
without a word.
After a brief journey they came to a village,
where Rob was thrust into a brushwood hut and thrown upon the ground, still
tightly bound.
"We light fire," said the chief. "Then kill little white man.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Then eat him."
With this comforting promise he went away and =
left
Rob alone to think the matter over.
"This is tough," reflected the boy, =
with
a groan. "I never expect=
ed to feed
cannibals. Wish I was at home=
with
mother and dad and the girls. Wish I'd never seen the Demon of Electricity =
and
his wonderful inventions. I w=
as
happy enough before I struck that awful Master Key. And now I'll be eaten--=
with
salt and pepper, probably. Wo=
nder
if there'll be any gravy. Per=
haps
they'll boil me, with biscuits, as mother does chickens. Oh-h-h-h-h! It's just awful!"
In the midst of these depressing thoughts he
became aware that something was hurting his back. After rolling over he found that h=
e had
been lying upon a sharp stone that stuck out of the earth. This gave him an idea. He rolled upon the stone again and=
began
rubbing the rope that bound him against the sharp edge.
Outside he could hear the crackling of fagots =
and
the roar of a newly-kindled fire, so he knew he had no time to spare. He wriggled and pushed his body ri=
ght
and left, right and left, sawing away at the rope, until the strain and
exertion started the perspiration from every pore.
At length the rope parted, and hastily uncoili=
ng
it from his body Rob stood up and rubbed his benumbed muscles and tried to
regain his lost breath. He ha=
d not
freed himself a moment too soon, he found, for hearing a grunt of surprise
behind him he turned around and saw a native standing in the door of the hu=
t.
Rob laughed, for he was not a bit afraid of the
blacks now. As the native mad=
e a
rush toward him the boy drew the electric tube from his pocket, pointed it =
at
the foe, and pressed the button.
The fellow sank to the earth without even a groan, and lay still.
Then another black entered, followed by the fat
chief. When they saw Rob at
liberty, and their comrade lying apparently dead, the chief cried out in
surprise, using some expressive words in his own language.
"If it's just the same to you, old
chap," said Rob, coolly, "I won't be eaten to-day. You can make a pie of that fellow =
on the
ground."
"No!&nbs=
p;
We eat you," cried the chief, angrily. "You cut rope, but no get awa=
y; no
boat!"
"I don't need a boat, thank you," sa=
id
the boy; and then, as the other native sprang forward, he pointed the tube =
and
laid him out beside his first victim.
At this act the chief stood an instant in amaz=
ed
uncertainty. Then he turned a=
nd
rushed from the hut.
Laughing with amusement at the waddling, fat
figure, Rob followed the chief and found himself standing almost in the cen=
ter
of the native village. A big =
fire
was blazing merrily and the blacks were busy making preparations for a grand
feast.
Rob was quickly surrounded by a crowd of the
villagers, who chattered fiercely and made threatening motions in his
direction; but as the chief cried out to them a warning in the native tongue
they kept a respectful distance and contented themselves with brandishing t=
heir
spears and clubs.
"If any of your fellows come nearer,"
Rob said to the fat chief, "I'll knock 'em over."
"What you make do?" asked the chief,
nervously.
"Watch sharp, and you'll see," answe= red Rob. Then he made a mocking b= ow to the circle and continued: "I'm pleased to have met you fellows, and pr= oud to think you like me well enough to want to eat me; but I'm in a bit of a h= urry to-day, so I can't stop to be digested." After which, as the crowd broke in= to a hum of surprise, he added: "Good-day, black folks!" and quickly turned the indicator of his traveling machine to the word "up." <= o:p>
Slowly he rose into the air, until his heels w=
ere
just above the gaping blacks; but there he stopped short. With a thrill of fear he glanced a=
t the
indicator. It was pointed pro=
perly,
and he knew at once that something was wrong with the delicate mechanism th=
at
controlled it. Probably the pressure of the rope across its face, when he w=
as
bound, had put it out of order.
There he was, seven feet in the air, but without the power to rise an
inch farther.
This short flight, however, had greatly astoni=
shed
the blacks, who, seeing his body suspended in mid-air, immediately hailed h=
im
as a god, and prostrated themselves upon the ground before him.
The fat chief had seen something of white men =
in
his youth, and had learned to mistrust them. So, while he remained as prostrate=
as
the rest, he peeped at Rob with one of his little black eyes and saw that t=
he
boy was ill at ease, and seemed both annoyed and frightened.
So he muttered some orders to the man next him,
who wriggled along the ground until he had reached a position behind Rob, w=
hen
he rose and pricked the suspended "god" with the point of his spe=
ar.
"Ouch!" yelled the boy; "stop
that!"
He twisted his head around, and seeing the bla=
ck
again make a movement with the spear, Rob turned his electric tube upon him=
and
keeled him over like a ten-pin.
The natives, who had looked up at his cry of p=
ain,
again prostrated themselves, kicking their toes against the ground in a
terrified tattoo at this new evidence of the god's powers.
The situation was growing somewhat strained by
this time, and Rob did not know what the savages would decide to do next; s=
o he
thought it best to move away from them, since he was unable to rise to a
greater height. He turned the
indicator towards the south, where a level space appeared between the trees;
but instead of taking that direction he moved towards the northeast, a proof
that his machine had now become absolutely unreliable. Moreover, he was slowly approachin=
g the
fire, which, although it had ceased blazing, was a mass of glowing red embe=
rs.
In his excitement he turned the indicator this=
way
and that, trying to change the direction of his flight, but the only result=
of
his endeavor was to carry him directly over the fire, where he came to a fu=
ll
stop.
"Murder!=
Help! Fire and blazes!=
"
he cried, as he felt the glow of the coals beneath him. "I'll be roasted, after all!<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Here; help, Fatty, help!"
The fat chief sprang to his feet and came to t=
he
rescue. He reached up, caught=
Rob
by the heels, and pulled him down to the ground, away from the fire. But the next moment, as he clung t=
o the
boy's feet, they both soared into the air again, and, although now far enou=
gh
from the fire to escape its heat, the savage, finding himself lifted from t=
he
earth, uttered a scream of horror and let go of Rob, to fall head over heels
upon the ground.
The other blacks had by this time regained the=
ir
feet, and now they crowded around their chief and set him upright again.
Rob continued to float in the air, just above
their heads, and now abandoned all thoughts of escaping by means of his wre=
cked
traveling machine. But he res=
olved
to regain a foothold upon the earth and take his chances of escape by runni=
ng
rather than flying. So he tur=
ned
the indicator to the word "down," and very slowly it obeyed, allo=
wing
him, to his great relief, to sink gently to the ground.
Once more the blacks formed a circle around our
adventurer, who coolly drew his tube and said to the chief:
"Tell your people I'm going to walk away
through those trees, and if any one dares to interfere with me I'll paralyze
him."
The chief understood enough English to catch h=
is
meaning, and repeated the message to his men. Having seen the terrible effect of=
the electric
tube they wisely fell back and allowed the boy to pass.
He marched through their lines with a fine air=
of
dignity, although he was fearful lest some of the blacks should stick a spe=
ar
into him or bump his head with a war-club.=
But they were awed by the wonders they had seen and were still incli=
ned
to believe him a god, so he was not molested.
When he found himself outside the village he m=
ade
for the high plateau in the center of the island, where he could be safe fr=
om
the cannibals while he collected his thoughts. But when he reached the place he f=
ound
the sides so steep he could not climb them, so he adjusted the indicator to=
the
word "up" and found it had still had enough power to support his =
body
while he clambered up the rocks to the level, grass-covered space at the to=
p.
Then, reclining upon his back, he gave himself=
up
to thoughts of how he might escape from his unpleasant predicament.
"Here I am, on a cannibal island, hundred=
s of
miles from civilization, with no way to get back," he reflected. "The family will look for me =
every
day, and finally decide I've broken my neck. The Demon will call upon me when t=
he
week is up and won't find me at home; so I'll miss the next three gifts.
These and similar thoughts occupied him for so=
me
time, yet in spite of much planning and thinking he could find no practical
means of escape.
At the end of an hour he looked over the edge =
of
the plateau and found it surrounded by a ring of the black cannibals, who h=
ad calmly
seated themselves to watch his movements.
"Perhaps they intend to starve me into
surrender," he thought; "but they won't succeed so long as my tab=
lets
hold out. And if, in time, th=
ey
should starve me, I'll be too thin and tough to make good eating; so I'll g=
et
the best of them, anyhow."
Then he again lay down and began to examine his
electrical traveling machine. He
did not dare take it apart, fearing he might not be able to get it together
again, for he knew nothing at all about its construction. But he discovered two little dents=
on
the edge, one on each side, which had evidently been caused by the pressure=
of
the rope.
"If I could get those dents out," he
thought, "the machine might work."
He first tried to pry out the edges with his
pocket knife, but the attempt resulted in failure, Then, as the sides seemed a little
bulged outward by the dents, he placed the machine between two flat stones =
and pressed
them together until the little instrument was nearly round again. The dents remained, to be sure, bu=
t he
hoped he had removed the pressure upon the works.
There was just one way to discover how well he=
had
succeeded, so he fastened the machine to his wrist and turned the indicator=
to
the word "up."
Slowly he ascended, this time to a height of
nearly twenty feet. Then his
progress became slower and finally ceased altogether.
"That's a little better," he
thought. "Now let's see =
if it
will go sidewise."
He put the indicator to
"north-west,"--the direction of home--and very slowly the machine
obeyed and carried him away from the plateau and across the island.
The natives saw him go, and springing to their
feet began uttering excited shouts and throwing their spears at him. But he was already so high and so =
far
away that they failed to reach him, and the boy continued his journey unhar=
med.
Once the branches of a tall tree caught him and
nearly tipped him over; but he managed to escape others by drawing up his
feet. At last he was free of =
the
island and traveling over the ocean again.=
He was not at all sorry to bid good-by to the cannibal island, but he
was worried about the machine, which clearly was not in good working
order. The vast ocean was ben=
eath
him, and he moved no faster than an ordinary walk.
"At this rate I'll get home some time next
year," he grumbled. &quo=
t;However,
I suppose I ought to be glad the machine works at all." And he really was glad.
All the afternoon and all the long summer nigh=
t he
moved slowly over the water. =
It was
annoying to go at "a reg'lar jog-trot," as Rob called it, after h=
is
former swift flight; but there was no help for it.
Just as dawn was breaking he saw in the distan=
ce a
small vessel, sailing in the direction he was following, yet scarcely moving
for lack of wind. He soon cau=
ght up
with it, but saw no one on deck, and the craft had a dingy and uncared-for
appearance that was not reassuring. But after hovering over it for some time
Rob decided to board the ship and rest for a while. He alighted near the bow, where th=
e deck
was highest, and was about to explore the place when a man came out of the =
low
cabin and espied him.
This person had a most villainous countenance,=
and
was dark-skinned, black-bearded and dressed in an outlandish, piratical
costume. On seeing the boy he=
gave
a loud shout and was immediately joined by four companions, each as
disagreeable in appearance as the first.
Rob knew there would be trouble the moment he
looked at this evil crew, and when they drew their daggers and pistols and
began fiercely shouting in an unknown tongue, the boy sighed and took the
electric tube from his coat pocket.
The buccaneers did not notice the movement, but
rushed upon him so quickly that he had to press the button at a lively
rate. The tube made no noise =
at
all, so it was a strange and remarkable sight to see the pirates suddenly d=
rop
to the deck and lie motionless.
Indeed, one was so nearly upon him when the electric current struck =
him
that his head, in falling, bumped into Rob's stomach and sent him reeling a=
gainst
the side of the vessel.
He quickly recovered himself, and seeing his
enemies were rendered harmless, the boy entered the cabin and examined it
curiously. It was dirty and
ill-smelling enough, but the corners and spare berths were heaped with
merchandise of all kinds which had been taken from those so unlucky as to h=
ave
met these cruel and desperate men.
After a short inspection of the place he retur=
ned
to the deck and again seated himself in the bow.
The crippled condition of his traveling machine
was now his chief trouble, and although a good breeze had sprung up to fill=
the
sails and the little bark was making fair headway, Rob knew he could never
expect to reach home unless he could discover a better mode of conveyance t=
han this.
He unstrapped the machine from his wrist to
examine it better, and while holding it carelessly in his hand it slipped a=
nd
fell with a bang to the deck, striking upon its round edge and rolling quic=
kly
past the cabin and out of sight.
With a cry of alarm he ran after it, and after much search found it =
lying
against the bulwark near the edge of a scupper hole, where the least jar of=
the
ship would have sent it to the bottom of the ocean. Rob hastily seized his treasure an=
d upon
examining it found the fall had bulged the rim so that the old dents scarce=
ly
showed at all. But its origin=
al
shape was more distorted than ever, and Rob feared he had utterly ruined its
delicate mechanism. Should this prove to be true, he might now consider him=
self
a prisoner of this piratical band, the members of which, although temporari=
ly disabled,
would soon regain consciousness.
He sat in the bow, sadly thinking of his
misfortunes, until he noticed that one of the men began to stir. The effect of the electric shock c=
onveyed
by the tube was beginning to wear away, and now the buccaneer sat up, rubbed
his head in a bewildered fashion and looked around him. When he saw Rob he =
gave
a shout of rage and drew his knife, but one motion of the electric tube made
him cringe and slip away to the cabin, where he remained out of danger.
And now the other four sat up, groaning and
muttering in their outlandish speech;
But they had no notion of facing Rob's tube a second time, so one by=
one
they joined their leader in the cabin, leaving the boy undisturbed.
By this time the ship had begun to pitch and t= oss in an uncomfortable fashion, and Rob noticed that the breeze had increased = to a gale. There being no one to look after the sails, the vessel was in grave d= anger of capsizing or breaking her masts. The waves were now running high, too, and Rob began to be worried. <= o:p>
Presently the captain of the pirates stuck his
head out of the cabin door, jabbered some unintelligible words and pointed =
to
the sails. The boy nodded, fo=
r he
understood they wanted to attend to the rigging. So the crew trooped forth, rather
fearfully, and began to reef the sails and put the ship into condition to
weather the storm.
Rob paid no further attention to them. He looked at his traveling machine
rather doubtfully and wondered if he dared risk its power to carry him thro=
ugh
the air. Whether he remained =
in the
ship or trusted to the machine, he stood a good chance of dropping into the=
sea
at any moment. So, while he
hesitated, he attached the machine to his wrist and leaned over the bulwark=
s to
watch the progress of the storm. He
might stay in the ship until it foundered, he thought, and then take his
chances with the machine. He
decided to wait until a climax arrived.
The climax came the next moment, for while he
leaned over the bulwarks the buccaneers stole up behind him and suddenly se=
ized
him in their grasp. While two=
of
them held his arms the others searched his pockets, taking from him the
electric tube and the silver box containing his tablets. These they carried to the cabin and
threw upon the heap of other valuables they had stolen. They did not notice his traveling
machine, however, but seeing him now unarmed they began jeering and laughin=
g at
him, while the brutal captain relieved his anger by giving the prisoner sev=
eral
malicious kicks.
Rob bore his misfortune meekly, although he was
almost ready to cry with grief and disappointment. But when one of the pirates, to in=
flict further
punishment on the boy, came towards him with a heavy strap, he resolved not=
to
await the blow.
Turning the indicator to the word "up&quo=
t;
he found, to his joy and relief, that it would yet obey the influence of the
power of repulsion. Seeing hi=
m rise
into the air the fellow made a grab for his foot and held it firmly, while =
his
companions ran to help him. W=
eight
seemed to make no difference in the machine; it lifted the pirate as well as
Rob; it lifted another who clung to the first man's leg, and another who cl=
ung to
him. The other two also caught
hold, hoping their united strength would pull him down, and the next minute=
Rob
was soaring through the air with the entire string of five buccaneers dangl=
ing
from his left leg.
At first the villains were too astounded to sp=
eak,
but as they realized that they were being carried through the air and away =
from
their ship they broke into loud shouts of dismay, and finally the one who
grasped Rob's leg lost his hold and the five plunged downward and splashed =
into
the sea.
Finding the machine disposed to work accuratel=
y,
Rob left the buccaneers to swim to the ship in the best way they could, whi=
le
he dropped down to the deck again and recovered from the cabin his box of t=
ablets
and the electric tube. The fe=
llows
were just scrambling on board when he again escaped, shooting into the air =
with
considerable speed.
Indeed, the instrument now worked better than =
at
any time since he had reached the cannibal island, and the boy was greatly
delighted.
The wind at first sent him spinning away to the
south, but he continued to rise until he was above the air currents, and the
storm raged far beneath him. =
Then
he set the indicator to the northwest and breathlessly waited to see if it
would obey. Hurrah! away he s=
ped at
a fair rate of speed, while all his anxiety changed to a feeling of sweet c=
ontentment.
His success had greatly surprised him, but he
concluded that the jar caused by dropping the instrument had relieved the
pressure upon the works, and so helped rather than harmed the free action of
the electric currents.
While he moved through the air with an easy,
gliding motion he watched with much interest the storm raging below. Above his head the sun was peacefu=
lly
shining and the contrast was strange and impressive. After an hour or so the storm abat=
ed, or
else he passed away from it, for the deep blue of the ocean again greeted h=
is
eyes. He dropped downward unt=
il he
was about a hundred feet above the water, when he continued his northwester=
ly
course.
But now he regretted having interfered for a
moment with the action of the machine, for his progress, instead of being s=
wift
as a bird's flight, became slow and jerky, nor was he sure that the damaged
machine might not break down altogether at any moment. Yet so far his progress was in the=
right
direction, and he resolved to experiment no further with the instrument, bu=
t to
let it go as it would, so long as it supported him above the water. However irregular the motion might=
be, it
was sure, if continued, to bring him to land in time, and that was all he c=
ared
about just then.
When night fell his slumber was broken and une=
asy,
for he wakened more than once with a start of fear that the machine had bro=
ken
and he was falling into the sea.
Sometimes he was carried along at a swift pace, and again the machine
scarcely worked at all; so his anxiety was excusable.
The following day was one of continued uneasin=
ess
for the boy, who began to be harrassed by doubts as to whether, after all, =
he
was moving in the right direction.
The machine had failed at one time in this respect and it might
again. He had lost all confid=
ence
in its accuracy.
In spite of these perplexities Rob passed the
second night of his uneven flight in profound slumber, being exhausted by t=
he
strain and excitement he had undergone.&nb=
sp;
When he awoke at daybreak, he saw, to his profound delight, that he =
was
approaching land.
The rising sun found him passing over a big ci=
ty,
which he knew to be Boston.
He did not stop. The machine was so little to be de= pended upon that he dared make no halt. But he was obliged to alter the direction from northwest to west, and the result of this slight change was so great a reduction in speed that it = was mid-day before he saw beneath him the familiar village in which he lived. <= o:p>
Carefully marking the location of his father's
house, he came to a stop directly over it, and a few moments later he manag=
ed to
land upon the exact spot in the back yard whence he had taken his first
successful flight.
When Rob had been hugged and kissed by his mot=
her
and sisters, and even Mr. Joslyn had embraced him warmly, he gave them a br=
ief account
of his adventures. The story =
was
received with many doubtful looks and much grave shaking of heads, as was q=
uite
natural under the circumstances.
"I hope, my dear son," said the fath=
er,
"that you have now passed through enough dangers to last you a lifetim=
e,
so that hereafter you will be contented to remain at home."
"Oh, Robert!" cried his mother, with
tears in her loving eyes, "you don't know how we've all worried about =
you
for the past week!"
"A week?" asked Rob, with surprise. =
"Yes; it's a week to-morrow morning since=
you
flew into the air and disappeared."
"Then," said the boy, thoughtfully,
"I've reached home just in time."
"In time for what?" she asked.
But he did not answer that question. He was thinking of the Demon, and =
that
on the afternoon of this very day he might expect the wise and splendid gen=
ius
to visit him a second time.
At luncheon, although he did not feel hungry, =
he
joined the family at the table and pleased his mother by eating as heartily=
as
of old. He was surprised to f=
ind
how good the food tasted, and to realize what a pleasure it is to gratify o=
ne's
sense of taste. The tablets w=
ere
all right for a journey, he thought, but if he always ate them he would be =
sure
to miss a great deal of enjoyment, since there was no taste to them at all.=
At four o'clock he went to his workshop and
unlocked the door. Everything was exactly as he had left it, and he looked =
at
his simple electrical devices with some amusement. They seemed tame beside the wonder=
s now
in his possession; yet he recollected that his numerous wires had enabled h=
im
to strike the Master Key, and therefore should not be despised.
Before long he noticed a quickening in the air=
, as
if it were suddenly surcharged with electric fluid, and the next instant, i=
n a
dazzling flash of light, appeared the Demon.
"I am here!" he announced.
"So am I," answered Rob. "But at one time I really tho=
ught I
should never see you again. I=
've
been--"
"Spare me your history," said the De=
mon,
coldly. "I am aware of y=
our adventures."
"Oh, you are!" said Rob, amazed. "Then you know--"
"I know all about your foolish
experiences," interrupted the Demon, "for I have been with you
constantly, although I remained invisible."
"Then you know what a jolly time I've
had," returned the boy.
"But why do you call them foolish experiences?"
"Because they were, abominably foolish!&q=
uot;
retorted the Demon, bitterly. "I entrusted to you gifts of rare scient=
ific
interest--electrical devices of such utility that their general adoption by
mankind would create a new era in earth life. I hoped your use of these devices =
would
convey such hints to electrical engineers that they would quickly comprehend
their mechanism and be able to reproduce them in sufficient quantities to
supply the world. And how do =
you
treat these marvelous gifts? =
Why,
you carry them to a cannibal island, where even your crude civilization has=
not
yet penetrated!"
"I wanted to astonish the natives," =
said
Rob, grinning.
The Demon uttered an exclamation of anger, and
stamped his foot so fiercely that thousands of electric sparks filled the a=
ir,
to disappear quickly with a hissing, crinkling sound.
"You might have astonished those ignorant
natives as easily by showing them an ordinary electric light," he crie=
d,
mockingly. "The power of=
your
gifts would have startled the most advanced electricians of the world. Why did you waste them upon
barbarians?"
"Really," faltered Rob, who was
frightened and awed by the Demon's vehement anger, "I never intended to
visit a cannibal island. I me=
ant to
go to Cuba."
"Cuba!&n=
bsp;
Is that a center of advanced scientific thought? Why did you not take your marvels =
to New
York or Chicago; or, if you wished to cross the ocean, to Paris or
Vienna?"
"I never thought of those places,"
acknowledged Rob, meekly.
"Then you were foolish, as I said,"
declared the Demon, in a calmer tone.
"Can you not realize that it is better to be considered great b=
y the
intelligent thinkers of the earth, than to be taken for a god by stupid
cannibals?"
"Oh, yes, of course," said Rob. "I wish now that I had gone to
Europe. But you're not the only one who has a kick coming," he continu=
ed. "Your
flimsy traveling machine was nearly the death of me."
"Ah, it is true," acknowledged the
Demon, frankly. "The cas=
e was
made of too light material. W=
hen
the rim was bent it pressed against the works and impeded the proper action=
of
the currents. Had you gone to=
a civilized
country such an accident could not have happened; but to avoid possible tro=
uble
in the future I have prepared a new instrument, having a stronger case, whi=
ch I
will exchange for the one you now have."
"That's very kind of you," said Rob,
eagerly handing his battered machine to the Demon and receiving the new one=
in
return. "Are you sure th=
is
will work?"
"It is impossible for you to injure it,&q=
uot;
answered the other.
"And how about the next three gifts?"
inquired the boy, anxiously.
"Before I grant them," replied the Demon, "you must give me a promise to keep away from uncivilized places and to exhibit your acquirements only among people of intelligence." <= o:p>
"All right," agreed the boy; "I=
'm
not anxious to visit that island again, or any other uncivilized country.&q=
uot;
"Then I will add to your possessions three
gifts, each more precious and important than the three you have already
received."
At this announcement Rob began to quiver with
excitement, and sat staring eagerly at the Demon, while the latter increase=
d in
stature and sparkled and glowed more brilliantly than ever.
"I have seen the folly of sending you into
the world with an offensive instrument, yet with no method of defense,"
resumed the Demon, presently.
"You have knocked over a good many people with that tube during=
the
past week."
"I know," said Rob; "but I coul=
dn't
help it. It was the only way =
I had to
protect myself."
"Therefore my next gift shall be this Gar=
ment
of Protection. You must wear =
it
underneath your clothing. It =
has
power to accumulate and exercise electrical repellent force. Perhaps you do not know what that =
means,
so I will explain more fully. When
any missile, such as a bullet, sword or lance, approaches your person, its =
rush
through the air will arouse the repellent force of which I speak, and this
force, being more powerful than the projective force, will arrest the fligh=
t of
the missile and throw it back again.
Therefore nothing can touch your person that comes with any degree of
force or swiftness, and you will be safe from all ordinary weapons. When wearing this Garment you will=
find
it unnecessary to use the electric tube except on rare occasions. Never allow revenge or animosity to
influence your conduct. Men may threaten, but they can not injure you, so y=
ou
must remember that they do not possess your mighty advantages, and that,
because of your strength, you should bear with them patiently."
Rob examined the garment with much curiosity.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> It glittered like silver, yet was =
soft
and pliable as lamb's wool.
Evidently the Demon had prepared it especially for his use, for it w=
as
just Rob's size.
"Now," continued the Demon, more
gravely, "we approach the subject of an electrical device so truly
marvelous that even I am awed when I contemplate the accuracy and perfectio=
n of
the natural laws which guide it and permit it to exercise its functions.
The Being paused, and drew from an inner pocket
something resembling a flat metal box.&nbs=
p;
In size it was about four inches by six, and nearly an inch in
thickness.
"What is it?" asked Rob, wonderingly=
.
"It is an automatic Record of Events,&quo=
t;
answered the Demon.
"I don't understand," said Rob, with
hesitation.
"I will explain to you its use,"
returned the Demon, "although the electrical forces which operate it a=
nd
the vibratory currents which are the true records must remain unknown to you
until your brain has mastered the higher knowledge of electricity. At present the practical side of t=
his
invention will be more interesting to you than a review of its scientific
construction.
"Suppose you wish to know the principal
events that are occurring in Germany at the present moment. You first turn this little wheel a=
t the side
until the word 'Germany' appears in the slot at the small end. Then open the
top cover, which is hinged, and those passing events in which you are
interested will appear before your eyes."
The Demon, as he spoke, opened the cover, and,
looking within, the boy saw, as in a mirror, a moving picture before him. A regiment of soldiers was marching
through the streets of Berlin, and at its head rode a body of horsemen, in =
the
midst of which was the Emperor himself. The people who thronged the sidewal=
ks
cheered and waved their hats and handkerchiefs with enthusiasm, while a ban=
d of
musicians played a German air, which Rob could distinctly hear.
While he gazed, spell-bound, the scene changed,
and he looked upon a great warship entering a harbor with flying pennants.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> The rails were lined with officers=
and
men straining their eyes for the first sight of their beloved
"VATERLAND" after a long foreign cruise, and a ringing cheer, as =
from
a thousand throats, came faintly to Rob's ear.
Again the scene changed, and within a dingy,
underground room, hemmed in by walls of stone, and dimly lighted by a
flickering lamp, a body of wild-eyed, desperate men were plighting an oath =
to
murder the Emperor and overthrow his government.
"Anarchists?" asked Rob, trembling w=
ith
excitement.
"Anarchists!" answered the Demon, wi=
th a
faint sneer, and he shut the cover of the Record with a sudden snap.
"It's wonderful!" cried the boy, wit=
h a
sigh that was followed by a slight shiver.
"The Record is, indeed, proof within itse=
lf
of the marvelous possibilities of electricity. Men are now obliged to depend upon=
newspapers
for information; but these can only relate events long after they have
occurred. And newspaper state=
ments
are often unreliable and sometimes wholly false, while many events of real
importance are never printed in their columns. You may guess what an improvement =
is
this automatic Record of Events, which is as reliable as Truth itself. Noth=
ing
can be altered or falsified, for the vibratory currents convey the actual
events to your vision, even as they happen."
"But suppose," said Rob, "that
something important should happen while I'm asleep, or not looking at the
box?"
"I have called this a Record," repli=
ed
the Demon, "and such it really is, although I have shown you only such
events as are in process of being recorded. By pressing this spring you may op=
en the
opposite cover of the box, where all events of importance that have occurre=
d throughout
the world during the previous twenty-four hours will appear before you in
succession. You may thus stud=
y them
at your leisure. The various scenes constitute a register of the world's
history, and may be recalled to view as often as you desire."
"It's--it's like knowing everything,"
murmured Rob, deeply impressed for perhaps the first time in his life.
"It IS knowing everything," returning
the Demon; "and this mighty gift I have decided to entrust to your
care. Be very careful as to w=
hom
you permit to gaze upon these pictures of passing events, for knowledge may=
often
cause great misery to the human race."
"I'll be careful," promised the boy,=
as
he took the box reverently within his own hands.
"The third and last gift of the present
series," resumed the Demon, "is one no less curious than the Reco=
rd
of Events, although it has an entirely different value. It is a Character Marker."
"What's that?" inquired Rob.
"I will explain. Perhaps you know that your
fellow-creatures are more or less hypocritical. That is, they try to appear good w=
hen
they are not, and wise when in reality they are foolish. They tell you they are friendly wh=
en
they positively hate you, and try to make you believe they are kind when th=
eir
natures are cruel. This hypoc=
risy
seems to be a human failing. =
One of
your writers has said, with truth, that among civilized people things are
seldom what they seem."
"I've heard that," remarked Rob.
"On the other hand," continued the
Demon, "some people with fierce countenances are kindly by nature, and
many who appear to be evil are in reality honorable and trustworthy. Therefore, that you may judge all =
your
fellow-creatures truly, and know upon whom to depend, I give you the Charac=
ter
Marker. It consists of this p=
air of
spectacles. While you wear them every one you meet will be marked upon the
forehead with a letter indicating his or her character. The good will bear the letter 'G,'=
the
evil the letter 'E.' The wise=
will
be marked with a 'W' and the foolish with an 'F.' The kind will show a 'K' upon thei=
r foreheads
and the cruel a letter 'C.' T=
hus
you may determine by a single look the true natures of all those you encoun=
ter."
"And are these, also, electrical in their
construction?" asked the boy, as he took the spectacles.
"Certainly. Goodness, wisdom and kindness are
natural forces, creating character.
For this reason men are not always to blame for bad character, as th=
ey
acquire it unconsciously. All
character sends out certain electrical vibrations, which these spectacles
concentrate in their lenses and exhibit to the gaze of their wearer, as I h=
ave explained."
"It's a fine idea," said the boy;
"who discovered it?"
"It is a fact that has always existed, bu=
t is
now utilized for the first time."
"Oh!" said Rob.
"With these gifts, and the ones you acqui=
red
a week ago, you are now equipped to astound the world and awaken mankind to=
a
realization of the wonders that may be accomplished by natural forces. See that you employ these powers w=
isely,
in the interests of science, and do not forget your promise to exhibit your
electrical marvels only to those who are most capable of comprehending
them."
"I'll remember," said Rob.
"Then adieu until a week from to-day, whe=
n I
will meet you here at this hour and bestow upon you the last three gifts wh=
ich
you are entitled to receive.
Good-by!"
"Good-by!" repeated Rob, and in a
gorgeous flash of color the Demon disappeared, leaving the boy alone in the
room with his new and wonderful possessions.
By this time you will have gained a fair idea =
of
Rob's character. He is, in tr=
uth, a
typical American boy, possessing an average intelligence not yet regulated =
by
the balance-wheel of experience.
The mysteries of electricity were so attractive to his eager nature =
that
he had devoted considerable time and some study to electrical experiment; b=
ut
his study was the superficial kind that seeks to master only such details as
may be required at the moment.
Moreover, he was full of boyish recklessness and irresponsibility and
therefore difficult to impress with the dignity of science and the gravity =
of
human existence. Life, to him, was a great theater wherein he saw himself t=
he
most interesting if not the most important actor, and so enjoyed the play w=
ith
unbounded enthusiasm.
Aside from the extraordinary accident which had
forced the Electrical Demon into this life, Rob may be considered one of th=
ose
youngsters who might possibly develop into a brilliant manhood or enter upo=
n an
ordinary, humdrum existence, as Fate should determine. Just at present he had no thought =
beyond
the passing hour, nor would he bother himself by attempting to look ahead or
plan for the future.
Yet the importance of his electrical possessio=
ns
and the stern injunction of the Demon to use them wisely had rendered the b=
oy
more thoughtful than at any previous time during his brief life, and he bec=
ame
so preoccupied at the dinner table that his father and mother cast many anx=
ious
looks in his direction.
Of course Rob was anxious to test his
newly-acquired powers, and decided to lose no time in starting upon another
journey. But he said nothing =
to any
of the family about it, fearing to meet with opposition.
He passed the evening in the sitting-room, in
company with his father and mother and sisters, and even controlled his
impatience to the extent of playing a game of carom with Nell; but he grew =
so
nervous and impatient at last that his sister gave up the game in disgust a=
nd
left him to his own amusement.
At one time he thought of putting on the elect=
ric
spectacles and seeing what the real character of each member of his family
might be; but a sudden fear took possession of him that he might regret the=
act
forever afterward. They were =
his
nearest and dearest friends on earth, and in his boyish heart he loved them=
all
and believed in their goodness and sincerity. The possibility of finding a bad
character mark on any of their familiar faces made him shudder, and he
determined then and there never to use the spectacles to view the face of a
friend or relative. Had any one, at that moment, been gazing at Rob through=
the
lenses of the wonderful Character Marker, I am sure a big "W" wou=
ld
have been found upon the boy's forehead.
When the family circle broke up, and all retir=
ed
for the night, Rob kissed his parents and sisters with real affection before
going to his own room. But, on
reaching his cozy little chamber, instead of preparing for bed Rob clothed
himself in the Garment of Repulsion. Then he covered the glittering Garment
with his best summer suit of clothes, which effectually concealed it.
He now looked around to see what else he should
take, and thought of an umbrella, a rain-coat, a book or two to read during=
the
journey, and several things besides; but he ended by leaving them all behin=
d.
"I can't be loaded down with so much
truck," he decided; "and I'm going into civilized countries, this
time, where I can get anything I need."
However, to prevent a recurrence of the mistak=
e he
had previously made, he tore a map of the world and a map of Europe from his
geography, and, folding them up, placed them in his pocket. He also took a small compass that =
had
once been a watch-charm, and, finally, the contents of a small iron bank th=
at
opened with a combination lock.
This represented all his savings, amounting to two dollars and seven=
teen
cents in dimes, nickles and pennies.
"It isn't a fortune," he thought, as=
he
counted it up, "but I didn't need any money the last trip, so perhaps =
I'll
get along somehow. I don't li=
ke to
tackle Dad for more, for he might ask questions and try to keep me at
home."
By the time he had finished his preparations a=
nd
stowed all his electrical belongings in his various pockets, it was nearly
midnight and the house was quiet.
So Rob stole down stairs in his stocking feet and noiselessly opened=
the
back door.
It was a beautiful July night and, in addition=
to
the light of the full moon, the sky was filled with the radiance of countle=
ss
thousands of brilliant stars.
After Rob had put on his shoes he unfolded the
map, which was plainly visible by the starlight, and marked the direction he
must take to cross the Atlantic and reach London, his first stopping place.=
Then he consulted his compass, put=
the
indicator of his traveling machine to the word "up," and shot swi=
ftly
into the air. When he had rea=
ched a
sufficient height he placed the indicator to a point north of east and, wit=
h a
steady and remarkably swift flight, began his journey.
"Here goes," he remarked, with a sen=
se
of exaltation, "for another week of adventure! I wonder what'll happen between no=
w and
next Saturday."
The new traveling machine was a distinct impro=
vement
over the old one, for it carried Rob with wonderful speed across the broad
Atlantic.
He fell asleep soon after starting, and only
wakened when the sun was high in the heavens. But he found himself whirling alon=
g at a
good rate, with the greenish shimmer of the peaceful ocean waves spread ben=
eath
him far beyond his range of vision.
Being in the track of the ocean steamers it was
not long before he found himself overtaking a magnificent vessel whose decks
were crowded with passengers. He
dropped down some distance, to enable him to see these people more plainly,=
and
while he hovered near he could hear the excited exclamations of the passeng=
ers,
who focused dozens of marine glasses upon his floating form. This inspection somewhat embarrass=
ed him,
and having no mind to be stared at he put on additional speed and soon left=
the
steamer far behind him.
About noon the sky clouded over, and Rob feare=
d a
rainstorm was approaching. So=
he
rose to a point considerably beyond the clouds, where the air was thin but
remarkably pleasant to inhale and the rays of the sun were not so hot as wh=
en
reflected by the surface of the water.
He could see the dark clouds rolling beneath h=
im
like volumes of smoke from a factory chimney, and knew the earth was catchi=
ng a
severe shower of rain; yet he congratulated himself on his foresight in not
being burdened with umbrella or raincoat, since his elevated position rende=
red
him secure from rain-clouds.
But, having cut himself off from the earth, th=
ere
remained nothing to see except the clear sky overhead and the tumbling clou=
ds
beneath; so he took from his pocket the Automatic Record of Events, and wat=
ched
with breathless interest the incidents occurring in different parts of the
world. A big battle was being
fought in the Philippines, and so fiercely was it contested that Rob watched
its progress for hours, with rapt attention. Finally a brave rally by the Ameri=
cans
sent their foes to the cover of the woods, where they scattered in every
direction, only to form again in a deep valley hidden by high hills.
"If only I was there," thought Rob,
"I could show that captain where to find the rebels and capture them.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> But I guess the Philippines are ra=
ther
out of my way, so our soldiers will never know how near they are to a compl=
ete
victory."
The boy also found considerable amusement in
watching the course of an insurrection in Venezuela, where opposing armies =
of
well-armed men preferred to bluster and threaten rather than come to blows.=
During the evening he found that an "impo=
rtant
event" was Madame Bernhardt's production of a new play, and Rob follow=
ed
it from beginning to end with great enjoyment, although he felt a bit guilt=
y at
not having purchased a ticket.
"But it's a crowded house, anyway," =
he
reflected, "and I'm not taking up a reserved seat or keeping any one e=
lse
from seeing the show. So wher=
e's
the harm? Yet it seems to me =
if
these Records get to be common, as the Demon wishes, people will all stay at
home and see the shows, and the poor actors 'll starve to death."
The thought made him uneasy, and he began, for=
the
first time, to entertain a doubt of the Demon's wisdom in forcing such devi=
ces
upon humanity.
The clouds had now passed away and the moon se=
nt
her rays to turn the edges of the waves into glistening showers of jewels. =
Rob closed the lid of the wonderful Record of
Events and soon fell into a deep sleep that held him unconscious for many
hours.
When he awoke he gave a start of surprise, for
beneath him was land. How long it was since he had left the ocean behind hi=
m he
could not guess, but his first thought was to set the indicator of the
traveling machine to zero and to hover over the country until he could
determine where he was.
This was no easy matter. He saw green fields, lakes, groves=
and villages;
but these might exist in any country.
Being still at a great elevation he descended gradually until he was
about twenty feet from the surface of the earth, where he paused near the e=
dge
of a small village.
At once a crowd of excited people assembled,
shouting to one another and pointing towards him in wonder. In order to be prepared for emerge=
ncies
Rob had taken the electric tube from his pocket, and now, as he examined the
dress and features of the people below, the tube suddenly slipped from his =
grasp
and fell to the ground, where one end stuck slantingly into the soft earth.=
A man rushed eagerly towards it, but the next
moment he threw up his hands and fell upon his back, unconscious. Others who ran to assist their fal=
len
comrade quickly tumbled into a heap beside him.
It was evident to Rob that the tube had fallen=
in
such a position that the button was being pressed continually and a current=
of
electric fluid issued to shock whoever came near. Not wishing to injure these people=
he
dropped to the ground and drew the tube from the earth, thus releasing the
pressure upon the button.
But the villagers had now decided that the boy=
was
their enemy, and no sooner had he touched the ground than a shower of stones
and sticks rained about him. =
Not
one reached his body, however, for the Garment of Repulsion stopped their
flight and returned them to rattle with more or less force against those who
had thrown them--"like regular boomerangs," thought Rob.
To receive their own blows in this fashion see=
med
so like magic to the simple folk that with roars of fear and pain they ran =
away
in all directions.
"It's no use stopping here," remarked
Rob, regretfully, "for I've spoiled my welcome by this accident. I think these people are Irish, by=
their
looks and speech, so I must be somewhere in the Emerald Isle."
He consulted his map and decided upon the gene=
ral
direction he should take to reach England, after which he again rose into t=
he
air and before long was passing over the channel towards the shores of Engl=
and.
Either his map or compass or his calculations
proved wrong, for it was high noon before, having changed his direction a h=
alf
dozen times, he came to the great city of London. He saw at a glance that it would n=
ever
do to drop into the crowded streets, unless he wanted to become an object of
public curiosity; so he looked around for a suitable place to alight.
Near by was a monstrous church that sent a sha=
rp
steeple far into the air. Rob
examined this spire and saw a narrow opening in the masonry that led to a s=
mall
room where a chime of bells hung.
He crept through the opening and, finding a ladder that connected the
belfry with a platform below, began to descend.
There were three ladders, and then a winding
flight of narrow, rickety stairs to be passed before Rob finally reached a
small room in the body of the church.
This room proved to have two doors, one connecting with the auditori=
um
and the other letting into a side street.&=
nbsp;
Both were locked, but Rob pointed the electric tube at the outside d=
oor
and broke the lock in an instant.
Then he walked into the street as composedly as if he had lived all =
his
life in London.
There were plenty of sights to see, you may be
sure, and Rob walked around until he was so tired that he was glad to rest =
upon
one of the benches in a beautiful park.&nb=
sp;
Here, half hidden by the trees, he amused himself by looking at the
Record of Events.
"London's a great town, and no mistake,&q=
uot;
he said to himself; "but let's see what the British are doing in South
Africa to-day."
He turned the cylinder to "South
Africa," and, opening the lid, at once became interested. An English column, commanded by a =
brave
but stubborn officer, was surrounded by the Boer forces and fighting desper=
ately
to avoid capture or annihilation.
"This would be interesting to King
Edward," thought the boy.
"Guess I'll hunt him up and tell him about it."
A few steps away stood a policeman. Rob approached him and asked:
"Where's the king to-day?"
The officer looked at him with mingled surprise
and suspicion.
"'Is Majesty is sojournin' at Marlb'ro 'O=
use,
just now," was the reply. "Per'aps you wants to make 'im a
wissit," he continued, with lofty sarcasm.
"That's it, exactly," said Rob. "I'm an American, and thought=
while
I was in London I'd drop in on His Royal Highness and say 'hello' to him.&q=
uot;
The officer chuckled, as if much amused.
"Hamericans is bloomin' green," he
remarked, "so youse can stand for Hamerican, right enough. No other wissitors is such blarsted
fools. But yon's the palace, an' I s'pose 'is Majesty'll give ye a 'ot rece=
ption."
"Thanks; I'll look him up," said the
boy, and left the officer convulsed with laughter.
He soon knew why. The palace was surrounded by a cor=
don of
the king's own life guards, who admitted no one save those who presented pr=
oper
credentials.
"There's only one thing to do;" thou=
ght
Rob, "and that's to walk straight in, as I haven't any friends to give=
me
a regular introduction."
So he boldly advanced to the gate, where he fo=
und
himself stopped by crossed carbines and a cry of "Halt!"
"Excuse me," said Rob; "I'm in a
hurry."
He pushed the carbines aside and marched on. The soldiers made thrusts at him w=
ith
their weapons, and an officer jabbed at his breast with a glittering sword,=
but
the Garment of Repulsion protected him from these dangers as well as from a
hail of bullets that followed his advancing figure.
He reached the entrance of the palace only to =
face
another group of guardsmen and a second order to halt, and as these soldiers
were over six feet tall and stood shoulder to shoulder Rob saw that he could
not hope to pass them without using his electric tube.
"Stand aside, you fellows!" he order=
ed.
There was no response. He extended the tube and, as he pr=
essed
the button, described a semi-circle with the instrument. Immediately the tall guardsmen top=
pled
over like so many tenpins, and Rob stepped across their bodies and penetrat=
ed
to the reception room, where a brilliant assemblage awaited, in hushed and
anxious groups, for opportunity to obtain audience with the king.
"I hope his Majesty isn't busy," said
Rob to a solemn-visaged official who confronted him. "I want to have a little talk=
with
him."
"I--I--ah--beg pardon!" exclaimed the
astounded master of ceremonies. "What name, please?"
"Oh, never mind my name," replied Ro=
b,
and pushing the gentleman aside he entered the audience chamber of the great
king.
King Edward was engaged in earnest consultation
with one of his ministers, and after a look of surprise in Rob's direction =
and
a grave bow he bestowed no further attention upon the intruder.
But Rob was not to be baffled now.
"Your Majesty," he interrupted,
"I've important news for you.
A big fight is taking place in South Africa and your soldiers will
probably be cut into mince meat."
The minister strode towards the boy angrily. <= o:p>
"Explain this intrusion!" he cried. =
"I have explained. The Boers are having a regular
killing-bee. Here! take a loo=
k at
it yourselves."
He drew the Record from his pocket, and at the
movement the minister shrank back as if he suspected it was an infernal mac=
hine
and might blow his head off; but the king stepped quietly to the boy's side=
and
looked into the box when Rob threw open the lid.
As he comprehended the full wonder of the
phenomenon he was observing Edward uttered a low cry of amazement, but
thereafter he silently gazed upon the fierce battle that still raged far aw=
ay
upon the African VELD. Before long his keen eye recognized the troops engag=
ed
and realized their imminent danger.
"They'll be utterly annihilated!" he
gasped. "What shall we
do?"
"Oh, we can't do anything just now,"
answered Rob. "But it's
curious to watch how bravely the poor fellows fight for their lives." =
The minister, who by this time was also peering
into the box, groaned aloud, and then all three forgot their surroundings in
the tragedy they were beholding.
Hemmed in by vastly superior numbers, the Engl=
ish
were calmly and stubbornly resisting every inch of advance and selling their
lives as dearly as possible. =
Their
leader fell pierced by a hundred bullets, and the king, who had known him f=
rom
boyhood, passed his hand across his eyes as if to shut out the awful
sight. But the fascination of=
the battle
forced him to look again, and the next moment he cried aloud:
"Look there! Look there!"
Over the edge of a line of hills appeared the
helmets of a file of English soldiers.&nbs=
p;
They reached the summit, followed by rank after rank, until the hill=
side
was alive with them. And then=
, with
a ringing cheer that came like a faint echo to the ears of the three watche=
rs, they
broke into a run and dashed forward to the rescue of their brave comrades.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> The Boers faltered, gave back, and=
the
next moment fled precipitately, while the exhausted survivors of the courag=
eous
band fell sobbing into the arms of their rescuers.
Rob closed the lid of the Record with a sudden
snap that betrayed his deep feeling, and the king pretended to cough behind=
his
handkerchief and stealthily wiped his eyes.
"'Twasn't so bad, after all," remark=
ed
the boy, with assumed cheerfulness; "but it looked mighty ticklish for
your men at one time."
King Edward regarded the boy curiously,
remembering his abrupt entrance and the marvelous device he had exhibited. =
"What do you call that?" he asked,
pointing at the Record with a finger that trembled slightly from excitement=
.
"It is a new electrical invention,"
replied Rob, replacing it in his pocket, "and so constructed that even=
ts
are reproduced at the exact moment they occur."
"Where can I purchase one?" demanded=
the
king, eagerly.
"They're not for sale," said Rob.
"Oh!"
"I really think," continued the boy,
nodding sagely, "that it wouldn't be well to have these Records scatte=
red
around. Their use would give =
some
folks unfair advantage over others, you know."
"Certainly."
"I only showed you this battle because I
happened to be in London at the time and thought you'd be interested."=
"It was very kind of you," said Edwa=
rd;
"but how did you gain admittance?"
"Well, to tell the truth, I was obliged to
knock over a few of your tall life-guards.=
They seem to think you're a good thing and need looking after, like =
jam
in a cupboard."
The king smiled.
"I hope you haven't killed my guards,&quo=
t;
said he.
"Oh, no; they'll come around all right.&q=
uot;
"It is necessary," continued Edward,
"that public men be protected from intrusion, no matter how democratic
they may be personally. You w=
ould probably
find it as difficult to approach the President of the United States as the =
King
of England."
"Oh, I'm not complaining," said
Rob. "It wasn't much tro=
uble
to break through."
"You seem quite young to have mastered su=
ch
wonderful secrets of Nature," continued the king.
"So I am," replied Rob, modestly;
"but these natural forces have really existed since the beginning of t=
he
world, and some one was sure to discover them in time." He was quoting the Demon, although=
unconsciously.
"You are an American, I suppose," sa=
id
the minister, coming close to Rob and staring him in the face.
"Guessed right the first time," answ=
ered
the boy, and drawing his Character Marking spectacles from his pocket, he p=
ut
them on and stared at the minister in turn.
Upon the man's forehead appeared the letter
"E."
"Your Majesty," said Rob, "I ha=
ve
here another queer invention. Will you
please wear these spectacles for a few moments?"
The king at once put them on.
"They are called Character Markers,"
continued the boy, "because the lenses catch and concentrate the chara=
cter
vibrations radiating from every human individual and reflect the true chara=
cter
of the person upon his forehead. If
a letter 'G' appears, you may be sure his disposition is good; if his foreh=
ead
is marked with an 'E' his character is evil, and you must beware of
treachery."
The king saw the "E" plainly marked =
upon
his minister's forehead, but he said nothing except "Thank you," =
and
returned the spectacles to Rob.
But the minister, who from the first had been =
ill
at ease, now became positively angry.
"Do not believe him, your Majesty!" =
he
cried. "It is a trick, a=
nd meant
to deceive you."
"I did not accuse you," answered the
king, sternly. Then he added:
"I wish to be alone with this young gentleman."
The minister left the room with an anxious face
and hanging head.
"Now," said Rob, "let's look ov=
er
the record of the past day and see if that fellow has been up to any
mischief."
He turned the cylinder of the Record to
"England," and slowly the events of the last twenty-four hours we=
re
reproduced, one after the other, upon the polished plate.
Before long the king uttered an exclamation. The Record pictured a small room in
which were seated three gentlemen engaged in earnest conversation. One of them was the accused minist=
er.
"Those men," said the king in a low
voice, while he pointed out the other two, "are my avowed enemies. This is proof that your wonderful =
spectacles
indicated my minister's character with perfect truth. I am grateful to you for thus putt=
ing me
upon my guard, for I have trusted the man fully."
"Oh, don't mention it," replied the =
boy,
lightly; "I'm glad to have been of service to you. But it's time for me to go." =
"I hope you will favor me with another
interview," said the king, "for I am much interested in your
electrical inventions. I will
instruct my guards to admit you at any time, so you will not be obliged to
fight your way in."
"All right. But it really doesn't matter,"
answered Rob. "It's no t=
rouble
at all to knock 'em over."
Then he remembered his manners and bowed low
before the king, who seemed to him "a fine fellow and not a bit stuck
up." And then he walked =
calmly
from the palace.
The people in the outer room stared at him
wonderingly and the officer of the guard saluted the boy respectfully. But Rob only smiled in an amused w=
ay as
he marched past them with his hands thrust deep into his trousers' pockets =
and
his straw hat tipped jauntily upon the back of his head.
Rob passed the remainder of the day wandering
about London and amusing himself by watching the peculiar ways of the
people. When it became so dar=
k that
there was no danger of his being observed, he rose through the air to the
narrow slit in the church tower and lay upon the floor of the little room, =
with
the bells hanging all around him, to pass the night.
He was just falling asleep when a tremendous d=
in
and clatter nearly deafened him, and set the whole tower trembling. It was the midnight chime.
Rob clutched his ears tightly, and when the
vibrations had died away descended by the ladder to a lower platform. But even here the next hourly chim=
e made
his ears ring, and he kept descending from platform to platform until the l=
ast
half of a restless night was passed in the little room at the bottom of the
tower.
When, at daylight, the boy sat up and rubbed h=
is
eyes, he said, wearily: "Churches are all right as churches; but as ho=
tels
they are rank failures. I oug=
ht to
have bunked in with my friend, King Edward."
He climbed up the stairs and the ladders again=
and
looked out the little window in the belfry. Then he examined his map of Europe=
.
"I believe I'll take a run over to
Paris," he thought. &quo=
t;I
must be home again by Saturday, to meet the Demon, so I'll have to make eve=
ry
day count."
Without waiting for breakfast, since he had ea=
ten
a tablet the evening before, he crept through the window and mounted into t=
he
fresh morning air until the great city with its broad waterway lay spread o=
ut
beneath him. Then he sped awa=
y to
the southeast and, crossing the channel, passed between Amiens and Rouen and
reached Paris before ten o'clock.
Near the outskirts of the city appeared a high
tower, upon the flat roof of which a man was engaged in adjusting a
telescope. Upon seeing Rob, w=
ho was
passing at no great distance from this tower, the man cried out:
"APPROCHEZ!--VENEZ ICI!"
Then he waved his hands frantically in the air,
and fairly danced with excitement.
So the boy laughed and dropped down to the roof where, standing besi=
de
the Frenchman, whose eyes were actually protruding from their sockets, he
asked, coolly:
"Well, what do you want?"
The other was for a moment speechless. He was a tall, lean man, having a =
bald
head but a thick, iron-gray beard, and his black eyes sparkled brightly from
behind a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles.&n=
bsp;
After attentively regarding the boy for a time he said, in broken
English:
"But, M'sieur, how can you fly wizout ze-=
-ze
machine? I have experiment my=
self
wiz some air-ship; but you--zere is nossing to make go!"
Rob guessed that here was his opportunity to do
the Demon a favor by explaining his electrical devices to this new
acquaintance, who was evidently a man of science.
"Here is the secret, Professor," he
said, and holding out his wrist displayed the traveling machine and explain=
ed,
as well as he could, the forces that operated it.
The Frenchman, as you may suppose, was greatly
astonished, and to show how perfectly the machine worked Rob turned the
indicator and rose a short distance above the tower, circling around it bef=
ore
he rejoined the professor on the roof.&nbs=
p;
Then he showed his food tablets, explaining how each was stored with
sufficient nourishment for an entire day.
The scientist positively gasped for breath, so
powerful was the excitement he experienced at witnessing these marvels.
"Eet is wonderful--grand--magnifique!&quo=
t;
he exclaimed.
"But here is something of still greater
interest," continued Rob, and taking the Automatic Record of Events fr=
om
his pocket he allowed the professor to view the remarkable scenes that were
being enacted throughout the civilized world.
The Frenchman was now trembling violently, and=
he
implored Rob to tell him where he might obtain similar electrical machines.=
"I can't do that," replied the boy,
decidedly; "but, having seen these, you may be able to discover their
construction for yourself. No=
w that
you know such things to be possible and practical, the hint should be suffi=
cient
to enable a shrewd electrician to prepare duplicates of them."
The scientist glared at him with evident
disappointment, and Rob continued:
"These are not all the wonders I can
exhibit. Here is another elec=
trical
device that is, perhaps, the most remarkable of any I possess."
He took the Character Marking spectacles from =
his
pocket and fitted them to his eyes.
Then he gave a whistle of surprise and turned his back upon his new
friend. He had seen upon the
Frenchman's forehead the letters "E" and "C."
"Guess I've struck the wrong sort of
scientist, after all!" he muttered, in a disgusted tone.
His companion was quick to prove the accuracy =
of
the Character Marker. Seeing the boy's back turned, he seized a long iron b=
ar
that was used to operate the telescope, and struck at Rob so fiercely that =
had
he not worn the Garment of Protection his skull would have been crushed by =
the blow. At it was, the bar rebounded with a
force that sent the murderous Frenchman sprawling upon the roof, and Rob tu=
rned
around and laughed at him.
"It won't work, Professor," he
said. "I'm proof against
assassins. Perhaps you had an idea that when you had killed me you could ro=
b me
of my valuable possessions; but they wouldn't be a particle of use to a sco=
undrel
like you, I assure you! Good
morning."
Before the surprised and baffled scientist cou=
ld
collect himself sufficiently to reply, the boy was soaring far above his he=
ad
and searching for a convenient place to alight, that he might investigate t=
he
charms of this famed city of Paris.
It was indeed a beautiful place, with many sta=
tely
buildings lining the shady boulevards.&nbs=
p;
So thronged were the streets that Rob well knew he would soon be the=
center
of a curious crowd should he alight upon them. Already a few sky-gazers had
noted the boy moving high in the air, above their heads, and one or two gro=
ups
stood pointing their fingers at him.
Pausing at length above the imposing structure=
of
the Hotel Anglais, Rob noticed at one of the upper floors an open window,
before which was a small iron balcony.&nbs=
p;
Alighting upon this he proceeded to enter, without hesitation, the o=
pen
window. He heard a shriek and=
a cry
of "AU VOLEUR!" and caught sight of a woman's figure as she dashed
into an adjoining room, slamming and locking the door behind her.
"I don't know as I blame her," obser=
ved
Rob, with a smile at the panic he had created. "I s'pose she takes me for a
burglar, and thinks I've climbed up the lightning rod."
He soon found the door leading into the hallway
and walked down several flights of stairs until he reached the office of the
hotel.
"How much do you charge a day?" he inquired, addressing a fat and pompous-looking gentlemen behind the desk. <= o:p>
The man looked at him in a surprised way, for =
he
had not heard the boy enter the room.
But he said something in French to a waiter who was passing, and the
latter came to Rob and made a low bow.
"I speak ze Eengliss ver' fine," he
said. "What desire have =
you?"
"What are your rates by the day?" as=
ked
the boy.
"Ten francs, M'sieur."
"How many dollars is that?"
"Dollar Americaine?"
"Yes; United States money."
"Ah, OUI! Eet is ze two dollar,
M'sieur."
"All right; I can stay about a day before=
I
go bankrupt. Give me a room.&=
quot;
"CERTAINEMENT, M'sieur. Have you ze luggage?"
"No; but I'll pay in advance," said =
Rob,
and began counting out his dimes and nickles and pennies, to the unbounded
amazement of the waiter, who looked as if he had never seen such coins befo=
re.
He carried the money to the fat gentleman, who
examined the pieces curiously, and there was a long conference between them
before it was decided to accept them in payment for a room for a day. But at this season the hotel was a=
lmost
empty, and when Rob protested that he had no other money the fat gentleman =
put
the coins into his cash box with a resigned sigh and the waiter showed the =
boy
to a little room at the very top of the building.
Rob washed and brushed the dust from his cloth=
es,
after which he sat down and amused himself by viewing the pictures that
constantly formed upon the polished plate of the Record of Events.
While following the shifting scenes of the
fascinating Record Rob noted an occurrence that caused him to give a low
whistle of astonishment and devote several moments to serious thought.
"I believe it's about time I interfered w=
ith
the politics of this Republic," he said, at last, as he closed the lid=
of
the metal box and restored it to his pocket. "If I don't take a hand there
probably won't be a Republic of France very long and, as a good American, I=
prefer
a republic to a monarchy."
Then he walked down-stairs and found his
English-speaking waiter.
"Where's President Loubet?" he asked=
.
"Ze President! Ah, he is wiz his mansion. To be at his residence, M'sieur.&q=
uot;
"Where is his residence?"
The waiter began a series of voluble and expli=
cit
directions which so confused the boy that he exclaimed:
"Oh, much obliged!" and walked away =
in
disgust.
Gaining the street he approached a gendarme and
repeated his question, with no better result than before, for the fellow wa=
ved
his arms wildly in all directions and roared a volley of incomprehensible
French phrases that conveyed no meaning whatever.
"If ever I travel in foreign countries
again," said Rob, "I'll learn their lingo in advance. Why doesn't the Demon get up a
conversation machine that will speak all languages?"
By dint of much inquiry, however, and after
walking several miles following ambiguous directions, he managed to reach t=
he
residence of President Loubet. But
there he was politely informed that the President was busily engaged in his
garden, and would see no one.
"That's all right," said the boy,
calmly. "If he's in the =
garden
I'll have no trouble finding him."
Then, to the amazement of the Frenchmen, Rob s=
hot
into the air fifty feet or so, from which elevation he overlooked a pretty
garden in the rear of the President's mansion. The place was protected from ordin=
ary intrusion
by high walls, but Rob descended within the enclosure and walked up to a man
who was writing at a small table placed under the spreading branches of a l=
arge
tree.
"Is this President Loubet?" he inqui=
red,
with a bow.
The gentleman looked up.
"My servants were instructed to allow no =
one
to disturb me," he said, speaking in excellent English.
"It isn't their fault; I flew over the
wall," returned Rob. &qu=
ot;The
fact is," he added, hastily, as he noted the President's frown, "I
have come to save the Republic; and I haven't much time to waste over a bun=
dle
of Frenchmen, either."
The President seemed surprised.
"Your name!" he demanded, sharply. <= o:p>
"Robert Billings Joslyn, United States of
America!"
"Your business, Monsieur Joslyn!"
Rob drew the Record from his pocket and placed=
it
upon the table.
"This, sir," said he, "is an
electrical device that records all important events. I wish to call your attention to a=
scene
enacted in Paris last evening which may have an effect upon the future hist=
ory
of your country."
He opened the lid, placed the Record so that t=
he
President could see clearly, and then watched the changing expressions upon=
the
great man's face; first indifference, then interest, the next moment eagern=
ess
and amazement.
"MON DIEU!" he gasped; "the Orl=
eanists!"
Rob nodded.
"Yes; they've worked up a rather pretty p=
lot,
haven't they?"
The President did not reply. He was anxiously watching the Reco=
rd and
scribbling notes on a paper beside him.&nb=
sp;
His face was pale and his lips tightly compressed.
Finally he leaned back in his chair and asked:=
"Can you reproduce this scene again?"=
;
"Certainly, sir," answered the boy;
"as often as you like."
"Will you remain here while I send for my
minister of police? It will r=
equire
but a short time."
"Call him up, then. I'm in something of a hurry myself=
, but
now I've mixed up with this thing I'll see it through."
The President touched a bell and gave an order=
to
his servant. Then he turned t=
o Rob
and said, wonderingly:
"You are a boy!"
"That's true, Mr. President," was the
answer; "but an American boy, you must remember. That makes a big difference, I ass=
ure
you."
The President bowed gravely.
"This is your invention?" he asked. =
"No; I'm hardly equal to that. But the inventor has made me a pre=
sent of
the Record, and it's the only one in the world."
"It is a marvel," remarked the
President, thoughtfully.
"More! It is a re=
al
miracle. We are living in an =
age of
wonders, my young friend."
"No one knows that better than myself,
sir," replied Rob. "=
;But,
tell me, can you trust your chief of police?"
"I think so," said the President,
slowly; "yet since your invention has shown me that many men I have
considered honest are criminally implicated in this royalist plot, I hardly
know whom to depend upon."
"Then please wear these spectacles during
your interview with the minister of police," said the boy. "You must say nothing, while =
he is with
us, about certain marks that will appear upon his forehead; but when he has
gone I will explain those marks so you will understand them."
The President covered his eyes with the
spectacles.
"Why," he exclaimed, "I see upon
your own brow the letters--"
"Stop, sir!" interrupted Rob, with a
blush; "I don't care to know what the letters are, if it's just the sa=
me
to you."
The President seemed puzzled by this speech, b=
ut
fortunately the minister of police arrived just then and, under Rob's guida=
nce,
the pictured record of the Orleanist plot was reproduced before the startled
eyes of the official.
"And now," said the boy, "let us
see if any of this foolishness is going on just at present."
He turned to the opposite side of the Record a=
nd
allowed the President and his minister of police to witness the quick
succession of events even as they occurred.
Suddenly the minister cried, "Ha!" a=
nd,
pointing to the figure of a man disembarking from an English boat at Calais=
, he
said, excitedly:
"That, your Excellency, is the Duke of
Orleans, in disguise! I must =
leave
you for a time, that I may issue some necessary orders to my men; but this
evening I shall call to confer with you regarding the best mode of suppress=
ing
this terrible plot."
When the official had departed, the President
removed the spectacles from his eyes and handed them to Rob.
"What did you see?" asked the boy. <= o:p>
"The letters 'G' and 'W'."
"Then you may trust him fully," decl=
ared
Rob, and explained the construction of the Character Marker to the interest=
ed
and amazed statesman.
"And now I must go," he continued,
"for my stay in your city will be a short one and I want to see all I
can."
The President scrawled something on a sheet of
paper and signed his name to it, afterward presenting it, with a courteous =
bow,
to his visitor.
"This will enable you to go wherever you
please, while in Paris," he said.&nbs=
p;
"I regret my inability to reward you properly for the great ser=
vice
you have rendered my country; but you have my sincerest gratitude, and may
command me in any way."
"Oh, that's all right," answered
Rob. "I thought it was m=
y duty
to warn you, and if you look sharp you'll be able to break up this conspira=
cy. But I don't want any reward. Good day, sir."
He turned the indicator of his traveling machi=
ne
and immediately rose into the air, followed by a startled exclamation from =
the
President of France.
Moving leisurely over the city, he selected a
deserted thoroughfare to alight in, from whence he wandered unobserved into=
the
beautiful boulevards. These w=
ere
now brilliantly lighted, and crowds of pleasure seekers thronged them
everywhere. Rob experienced a
decided sense of relief as he mixed with the gay populace and enjoyed the
sights of the splendid city, for it enabled him to forget, for a time, the =
responsibilities
thrust upon him by the possession of the Demon's marvelous electrical devic=
es.
Our young adventurer had intended to pass the
night in the little bed at his hotel, but the atmosphere of Paris proved so=
hot
and disagreeable that he decided it would be more enjoyable to sleep while =
journeying
through the cooler air that lay far above the earth's surface. So just as the clocks were strikin=
g the
midnight hour Rob mounted skyward and turned the indicator of the traveling
machine to the east, intending to make the city of Vienna his next stop.
He had risen to a considerable distance, where=
the
air was remarkably fresh and exhilarating, and the relief he experienced fr=
om
the close and muggy streets of Paris was of such a soothing nature that he =
presently
fell fast asleep. His day in =
the
metropolis had been a busy one, for, like all boys, he had forgotten himsel=
f in
the delight of sight-seeing and had tired his muscles and exhausted his
strength to an unusual degree.
It was about three o'clock in the morning when
Rob, moving restlessly in his sleep, accidently touched with his right hand=
the
indicator of the machine which was fastened to his left wrist, setting it a
couple of points to the south of east.&nbs=
p;
He was, of course, unaware of the slight alteration in his course, w=
hich
was destined to prove of serious importance in the near future. For the boy's fatigue induced him =
to sleep
far beyond daybreak, and during this period of unconsciousness he was passi=
ng
over the face of European countries and approaching the lawless and dangero=
us
dominions of the Orient.
When, at last, he opened his eyes, he was puzz=
led
to determine where he was. Be=
neath
him stretched a vast, sandy plain, and speeding across this he came to a la=
nd
abounding in luxuriant vegetation.
The centrifugal force which propelled him was
evidently, for some reason, greatly accelerated, for the scenery of the cou=
ntry
he was crossing glided by him at so rapid a rate of speed that it nearly to=
ok his
breath away.
"I wonder if I've passed Vienna in the
night," he thought. &quo=
t;It
ought not to have taken me more than a few hours to reach there from
Paris."
Vienna was at that moment fifteen hundred miles
behind him; but Rob's geography had always been his stumbling block at scho=
ol,
and he had not learned to gage the speed of the traveling machine; so he wa=
s completely
mystified as to his whereabouts.
Presently a village having many queer spires a=
nd
minarets whisked by him like a flash.
Rob became worried, and resolved to slow up at the next sign of
habitation.
This was a good resolution, but Turkestan is so
thinly settled that before the boy could plan out a course of action he had
passed the barren mountain range of Thian-Shan as nimbly as an acrobat leap=
s a jumping-bar.
"This won't do at all!" he exclaimed,
earnestly. "The travelin=
g machine
seems to be running away with me, and I'm missing no end of sights by scoot=
ing
along up here in the clouds."
He turned the indicator to zero, and was relie=
ved
to find it obey with customary quickness.&=
nbsp;
In a few moments he had slowed up and stopped, when he found himself
suspended above another stretch of sandy plain. Being too high to see the
surface of the plain distinctly he dropped down a few hundred feet to a low=
er
level, where he discovered he was surrounded by billows of sand as far as h=
is
eye could reach.
"It's a desert, all right," was his
comment; "perhaps old Sahara herself."
He started the machine again towards the east,=
and
at a more moderate rate of speed skimmed over the surface of the desert.
"Those fellows seem to be looking for
trouble," remarked the boy, as he glided over them, "and it would=
n't
be exactly healthy for an enemy to get in their way. But I haven't time to stop, so I'm=
not
likely to get mixed up in any rumpus with them."
However, the armed caravan was scarcely out of
sight before Rob discovered he was approaching a rich, wooded oasis of the =
desert,
in the midst of which was built the walled city of Yarkand. Not that he had ever heard of the =
place,
or knew its name; for few Europeans and only one American traveler had ever
visited it. But he guessed it=
was a
city of some importance from its size and beauty, and resolved to make a st=
op
there.
Above the high walls projected many slender, w=
hite
minarets, indicating that the inhabitants were either Turks or some race of
Mohammedans; so Rob decided to make investigations before trusting himself =
to their
company.
A cluster of tall trees with leafy tops stood a
short distance outside the walls, and here the boy landed and sat down to r=
est
in the refreshing shade.
The city seemed as hushed and still as if it w=
ere
deserted, and before him stretched the vast plain of white, heated sands. He strained his eyes to catch a gl=
impse
of the band of warriors he had passed, but they were moving slowly and had =
not
yet appeared.
The trees that sheltered Rob were the only ones
without the city, although many low bushes or shrubs grew scattering over t=
he
space between him and the walls. An
arched gateway broke the enclosure at his left, but the gates were tightly
shut.
Something in the stillness and the intense hea=
t of
the mid-day sun made the boy drowsy.
He stretched himself upon the ground beneath the dense foliage of the
biggest tree and abandoned himself to the languor that was creeping over hi=
m.
"I'll wait until that army of the desert
arrives," he thought, sleepily.
"They either belong in this city or have come to capture it, so=
I
can tell better what to dance when I find out what the band plays."
The next moment he was sound asleep, sprawling
upon his back in the shade and slumbering as peacefully as an infant.
And while he lay motionless three men dropped =
in
quick succession from the top of the city wall and hid among the low bushes,
crawling noiselessly from one to another and so approaching, by degrees, th=
e little
group of trees.
They were Turks, and had been sent by those in
authority within the city to climb the tallest tree of the group and discov=
er
if the enemy was near. For Ro=
b's
conjecture had been correct, and the city of Yarkand awaited, with more or =
less
anxiety, a threatened assault from its hereditary enemies, the Tatars.
The three spies were not less forbidding in
appearance than the horde of warriors Rob had passed upon the desert. Their features were coarse and swa=
rthy,
and their eyes had a most villainous glare. Old fashioned pistols and double-e=
dged
daggers were stuck in their belts and their clothing, though of gorgeous
colors, was soiled and neglected.
With all the caution of the American savage th=
ese
Turks approached the tree, where, to their unbounded amazement, they saw the
boy lying asleep. His dress a=
nd
fairness of skin at once proclaimed him, in their shrewd eyes, a European, =
and
their first thought was to glance around in search of his horse or
dromedary. Seeing nothing of =
the
kind near they were much puzzled to account for his presence, and stood loo=
king
down at him with evident curiosity.
The sun struck the polished surface of the
traveling machine which was attached to Rob's wrist and made the metal glit=
ter
like silver. This attracted t=
he
eyes of the tallest Turk, who stooped down and stealthily unclasped the ban=
d of
the machine from the boy's outstretched arm. Then, after a hurried but puzz=
led
examination of the little instrument, he slipped it into the pocket of his
jacket.
Rob stirred uneasily in his sleep, and one of =
the
Turks drew a slight but stout rope from his breast and with gentle but deft
movement passed it around the boy's wrists and drew them together behind
him. The action was not swift
enough to arouse the power of repulsion in the Garment of Protection, but it
awakened Rob effectually, so that he sat up and stared hard at his captors.=
"What are you trying to do, anyhow?"=
he
demanded.
The Turks laughed and said something in their =
own
language. They had no knowled=
ge of
English.
"You're only making fools of
yourselves," continued the boy, wrathfully. "It's impossible for you to i=
njure
me."
The three paid no attention to his words. One of them thrust his hand into R=
ob's
pocket and drew out the electric tube.&nbs=
p;
His ignorance of modern appliances was so great that he did not know
enough to push the button. Ro=
b saw
him looking down the hollow end of the tube and murmured:
"I wish it would blow your ugly head
off!"
But the fellow, thinking the shining metal mig=
ht
be of some value to him, put the tube in his own pocket and then took from =
the
prisoner the silver box of tablets.
Rob writhed and groaned at losing his possessi=
ons
in this way, and while his hands were fastened behind him tried to feel for=
and
touch the indicator of the traveling machine. When he found that the machine als=
o had
been taken, his anger gave way to fear, for he realized he was in a dangero=
usly
helpless condition.
The third Turk now drew the Record of Events f=
rom
the boy's inner pocket. He kn=
ew
nothing of the springs that opened the lids, so, after a curious glance at =
it,
he secreted the box in the folds of his sash and continued the search of the
captive. The Character Markin=
g Spectacles
were next abstracted, but the Turk, seeing in them nothing but spectacles,
scornfully thrust them back into Rob's pocket, while his comrades laughed at
him. The boy was now rifled of
seventeen cents in pennies, a broken pocket knife and a lead-pencil, the la=
st
article seeming to be highly prized.
After they had secured all the booty they could
find, the tall Turk, who seemed the leader of the three, violently kicked at
the prisoner with his heavy boot.
His surprise was great when the Garment of Repulsion arrested the bl=
ow
and nearly overthrew the aggressor in turn. Snatching a dagger from his sas=
h,
he bounded upon the boy so fiercely that the next instant the enraged Turk
found himself lying upon his back three yards away, while his dagger flew
through the air and landed deep in the desert sands.
"Keep it up!" cried Rob, bitterly. "I hope you'll enjoy
yourself."
The other Turks raised their comrade to his fe=
et,
and the three stared at one another in surprise, being unable to understand=
how
a bound prisoner could so effectually defend himself. But at a whispered word from the l=
eader,
they drew their long pistols and fired point blank into Rob's face. The volley echoed sharply from the=
city
walls, but as the smoke drifted slowly away the Turks were horrified to see
their intended victim laughing at them.
Uttering cries of terror and dismay, the three took to their heels and bounded towards the wall, where a gate quickly open= ed to receive them, the populace feeling sure the Tatar horde was upon them. <= o:p>
Nor was this guess so very far wrong; for as R=
ob,
sitting disconsolate upon the sand, raised his eyes, he saw across the dese=
rt a
dark line that marked the approach of the invaders.
Nearer and nearer they came, while Rob watched
them and bemoaned the foolish impulse that had led him to fall asleep in an
unknown land where he could so easily be overpowered and robbed of his
treasures.
"I always suspected these electrical
inventions would be my ruin some day," he reflected, sadly; "and =
now
I'm side-tracked and left helpless in this outlandish country, without a si=
ngle
hope of ever getting home again.
They probably won't be able to kill me, unless they find my Garment =
of
Repulsion and strip that off; but I never could cross this terrible desert =
on
foot and, having lost my food tablets, I'd soon starve if I attempted it.&q=
uot;
Fortunately, he had eaten one of the tablets j=
ust
before going to sleep, so there was no danger of immediate starvation. But he was miserable and unhappy, =
and
remained brooding over his cruel fate until a sudden shout caused him to lo=
ok
up.
The Tatars had arrived, swiftly and noiselessl=
y,
and a dozen of the warriors, still mounted, were surrounding him.
His helpless condition aroused their curiosity,
and while some of them hastily cut away his bonds and raised him to his fee=
t,
other plied him with questions in their own language. Rob shook his head to indicate tha=
t he
could not understand; so they led him to the chief--an immense, bearded
representative of the tribe of Kara-Khitai, the terrible and relentless Bla=
ck
Tatars of Thibet. The huge fr=
ame of
this fellow was clothed in flowing robes of cloth-of-gold, braided with jew=
els,
and he sat majestically upon the back of a jet-black camel.
Under ordinary circumstances the stern features
and flashing black eyes of this redoubtable warrior would have struck a chi=
ll
of fear to the boy's heart; but now under the influence of the crushing
misfortunes he had experienced, he was able to gaze with indifference upon =
the terrible
visage of the desert chief.
The Tatar seemed not to consider Rob an
enemy. Instead, he looked upo=
n him
as an ally, since the Turks had bound and robbed him.
Finding it impossible to converse with the chi=
ef,
Rob took refuge in the sign language.
He turned his pockets wrong side out, showed the red welts left upon=
his
wrists by the tight cord, and then shook his fists angrily in the direction=
of
the town.
In return the Tatar nodded gravely and issued =
an
order to his men.
By this time the warriors were busily pitching
tents before the walls of Yarkand and making preparations for a formal
siege. In obedience to the
chieftain's orders, Rob was given a place within one of the tents nearest t=
he
wall and supplied with a brace of brass-mounted pistols and a dagger with a
sharp, zigzag edge. These were
evidently to assist the boy in fighting the Turks, and he was well pleased =
to
have them. His spirits rose
considerably when he found he had fallen among friends, although most of his
new comrades had such evil faces that it was unnecessary to put on the
Character Markers to judge their natures with a fair degree of accuracy.
"I can't be very particular about the com=
pany
I keep," he thought, "and this gang hasn't tried to murder me, as=
the
rascally Turks did. So for the
present I'll stand in with the scowling chief and try to get a shot at the
thieves who robbed me. If our=
side
wins I may get a chance to recover some of my property. It's a slim chance, of course, but=
it's the
only hope I have left."
That very evening an opportunity occurred for =
Rob
to win glory in the eyes of his new friends. Just before sundown the gates of t=
he
city flew open and a swarm of Turks, mounted upon fleet horses and camels, =
issued
forth and fell upon their enemies.
The Tatars, who did not expect the sally, were scarcely able to form=
an
opposing rank when they found themselves engaged in a hand-to-hand conflict,
fighting desperately for their lives.
In such a battle, however, the Turks were at a disadvantage, for the
active Tatars slipped beneath their horses and disabled them, bringing both=
the
animals and their riders to the earth.
At the first onslaught Rob shot his pistol at a
Turk and wounded him so severely that he fell from his horse. Instantly the boy seized the bridl=
e and
sprang upon the steed's back, and the next moment he had dashed into the
thickest part of the fray. Bu=
llets
and blows rained upon him from all sides, but the Garment of Repulsion saved
him from a single scratch.
When his pistols had been discharged he caught=
up
the broken handle of a spear, and used it as a club, galloping into the ran=
ks
of the Turks and belaboring them as hard as he could. The Tatars cheered and followed hi=
m, and
the Turks were so amazed at his miraculous escape from their bullets that t=
hey
became terrified, thinking he bore a charmed life and was protected by unse=
en
powers.
This terror helped turn the tide of battle, and
before long the enemy was pressed back to the walls and retreated through t=
he
gates, which were hastily fastened behind them.
In order to prevent a repetition of this sally=
the
Tatars at once invested the gates, so that if the Turks should open them th=
ey
were as likely to let their foes in as to oppose them.
While the tents were being moved up Rob had an
opportunity to search the battlefield for the bodies of the three Turks who=
had
robbed him, but they were not among the fallen.
"Those fellows were too cowardly to take =
part
in a fair fight," declared the boy; but he was much disappointed,
nevertheless, as he felt very helpless without the electric tube or the
traveling machine.
The Tatar chief now called Rob to his tent and
presented him with a beautiful ring set with a glowing pigeon's-blood ruby,=
in acknowledgment
of his services. This gift ma=
de the
boy feel very proud, and he said to the chief:
"You're all right, old man, even if you do
look like a pirate. If you can
manage to capture that city, so I can get my electrical devices back, I'll
consider you a trump as long as I live."
The chief thought this speech was intended to
express Rob's gratitude, so he bowed solemnly in return.
During the night that followed upon the first
engagement of the Turks and Tatars, the boy lay awake trying to devise some
plan to capture the city. The=
walls
seemed too high and thick to be either scaled or broken by the Tatars, who =
had
no artillery whatever; and within the walls lay all the fertile part of the
oasis, giving the besieged a good supply of water and provisions, while the
besiegers were obliged to subsist on what water and food they had brought w=
ith
them.
Just before dawn Rob left his tent and went ou=
t to
look at the great wall. The s=
tars
gave plenty of light, but the boy was worried to find that, according to
Eastern custom, no sentries or guards whatever had been posted and all the
Tatars were slumbering soundly.
The city was likewise wrapped in profound sile=
nce,
but just as Rob was turning away he saw a head project stealthily over the =
edge
of the wall before him, and recognized in the features one of the Turks who=
had
robbed him.
Finding no one awake except the boy the fellow=
sat
upon the edge of the wall, with his feet dangling downward, and grinned wic=
kedly
at his former victim. Rob wat=
ched
him with almost breathless eagerness.
After making many motions that conveyed no mea=
ning
whatever, the Turk drew the electric tube from his pocket and pointed his
finger first at the boy and then at the instrument, as if inquiring what it=
was
used for. Rob shook his head.=
The Turk turned the tube over seve=
ral
times and examined it carefully, after which he also shook his head, seemin=
g greatly
puzzled.
By this time the boy was fairly trembling with
excitement. He longed to reco=
ver
this valuable weapon, and feared that at any moment the curious Turk would
discover its use. He held out=
his
hand toward the tube, and tried to say, by motions, that he would show the
fellow how to use it. The man
seemed to understand, by he would not let the glittering instrument out of =
his
possession.
Rob was almost in despair, when he happened to
notice upon his hand the ruby ring given him by the chief. Drawing the jewel from his finger =
he made
offer, by signs, that he would exchange it for the tube.
The Turk was much pleased with the idea, and
nodded his head repeatedly, holding out his hand for the ring. Rob had little confidence in the m=
an's
honor, but he was so eager to regain the tube that he decided to trust
him. So he threw the ring to =
the
top of the wall, where the Turk caught it skilfully; but when Rob held out =
his hand
for the tube the scoundrel only laughed at him and began to scramble to his
feet in order to beat a retreat.
Chance, however, foiled this disgraceful treachery, for in his hurry=
the
Turk allowed the tube to slip from his grasp, and it rolled off the wall and
fell upon the sand at Rob's very feet.
The robber turned to watch its fall and, filled
with sudden anger, the boy grabbed the weapon, pointed it at his enemy, and
pressed the button. Down tumb=
led
the Turk, without a cry, and lay motionless at the foot of the wall.
Rob's first thought was to search the pockets =
of
his captive, and to his delight he found and recovered his box of food
tablets. The Record of Events=
and
the traveling machine were doubtless in the possession of the other robbers,
but Rob did not despair of recovering them, now that he had the tube to aid
him.
Day was now breaking, and several of the Tatars
appeared and examined the body of the Turk with grunts of surprise, for the=
re
was no mark upon him to show how he had been slain. Supposing him to be dead, they tos=
sed
him aside and forgot all about him.
Rob had secured his ruby ring again, and going=
to
the chief's tent he showed the jewel to the guard and was at once
admitted. The black-bearded
chieftain was still reclining upon his pillows, but Rob bowed before him, a=
nd
by means of signs managed to ask for a band of warriors to assist him in
assaulting the town. The chie=
ftain
appeared to doubt the wisdom of the enterprise, not being able to understand
how the boy could expect to succeed; but he graciously issued the required =
order,
and by the time Rob reached the city gate he found a large group of Tatars
gathered to support him, while the entire camp, roused to interest in the
proceedings, stood looking on.
Rob cared little for the quarrel between the T=
urks
and Tatars, and under ordinary circumstances would have refused to side with
one or the other; but he knew he could not hope to recover his electrical
machines unless the city was taken by the band of warriors who had befriend=
ed him,
so he determined to force an entrance for them.
Without hesitation he walked close to the great
gate and shattered its fastenings with the force of the electric current
directed upon them from the tube.
Then, shouting to his friends the Tatars for assistance, they rushed=
in
a body upon the gate and dashed it open.
The Turks had expected trouble when they heard=
the
fastenings of the huge gate splinter and fall apart, so they had assembled =
in
force before the opening. As =
the
Tatars poured through the gateway in a compact mass they were met by a hail=
of
bullets, spears and arrows, which did fearful execution among them. Many were killed outright, while o=
thers
fell wounded to be trampled upon by those who pressed on from the rear.
Rob maintained his position in the front rank,=
but
escaped all injury through the possession of the Garment of Repulsion. But he took an active part in the =
fight
and pressed the button of the electric tube again and again, tumbling the e=
nemy
into heaps on every side, even the horses and camels falling helplessly bef=
ore
the resistless current of electricity.
The Tatars shouted joyfully as they witnessed =
this
marvelous feat and rushed forward to assist in the slaughter; but the boy
motioned them all back. He di=
d not
wish any more bloodshed than was necessary, and knew that the heaps of
unconscious Turks around him would soon recover.
So he stood alone and faced the enemy, calmly
knocking them over as fast as they came near. Two of the Turks managed to creep =
up
behind the boy, and one of them, who wielded an immense simitar with a two-=
edged
blade as sharp as a razor, swung the weapon fiercely to cut off Rob's
head. But the repulsive force
aroused in the Garment was so terrific that it sent the weapon flying backw=
ards
with redoubled swiftness, so that it caught the second Turk at the waist and
cut him fairly in two.
Thereafter they all avoided coming near the bo=
y,
and in a surprisingly short time the Turkish forces were entirely conquered,
all having been reduced to unconsciousness except a few cowards who had run
away and hidden in the cellars or garrets of the houses.
The Tatars entered the city with shouts of
triumph, and the chief was so delighted that he threw his arms around Rob's
neck and embraced him warmly.
Then began the sack of Yarkand, the fierce Tat=
ars
plundering the bazaars and houses, stripping them of everything of value th=
ey
could find.
Rob searched anxiously among the bodies of the
unconscious Turks for the two men who had robbed him, but neither could be
found. He was more successful
later, for in running through the streets he came upon a band of Tatars lea=
ding
a man with a rope around his neck, whom Rob quickly recognized as one of the
thieves he was hunting for. T=
he Tatars
willingly allowed him to search the fellow, and in one of his pockets Rob f=
ound
the Record of Events.
He had now recovered all his property, except =
the
traveling machine, the one thing that was absolutely necessary to enable hi=
m to
escape from this barbarous country.
He continued his search persistently, and an h=
our
later found the dead body of the third robber lying in the square in the ce=
nter
of the city. But the traveling machine was not on his person, and for the f=
irst
time the boy began to give way to despair.
In the distance he heard loud shouts and sound=
of
renewed strife, warning him that the Turks were recovering consciousness and
engaging the Tatars with great fierceness.=
The latter had scattered throughout the town, thinking themselves
perfectly secure, so that not only were they unprepared to fight, but they
became panic-stricken at seeing their foes return, as it seemed, from death=
to
life. Their usual courage for=
sook
them, and they ran, terrified, in every direction, only to be cut down by t=
he
revengeful Turkish simitars.
Rob was sitting upon the edge of a marble foun=
tain
in the center of the square when a crowd of victorious Turks appeared and
quickly surrounded him. The b=
oy
paid no attention to their gestures and the Turks feared to approach him
nearly, so they stood a short distance away and fired volleys at him from t=
heir
rifles and pistols.
Rob glared at them scornfully, and seeing they
could not injure him the Turks desisted; but they still surrounded him, and=
the
crowd grew thicker every moment.
Women now came creeping from their hiding plac=
es
and mingled with the ranks of the men, and Rob guessed, from their joyous
chattering, that the Turks had regained the city and driven out or killed t=
he
Tatar warriors. He reflected,
gloomily, that this did not affect his own position in any way, since he co=
uld
not escape from the oasis.
Suddenly, on glancing at the crowd, Rob saw
something that arrested his attention.&nbs=
p;
A young girl was fastening some article to the wrist of a burly,
villainous-looking Turk. The =
boy
saw a glitter that reminded him of the traveling machine, but immediately
afterward the man and the girl bent their heads over the fellow's wrist in =
such
a way that Rob could see nothing more.
While the couple were apparently examining the
strange device, Rob started to his feet and walked toward them. The crowd fell back at his approac=
h, but
the man and the girl were so interested that they did not notice him. He was still several paces away wh=
en the
girl put out her finger and touched the indicator on the dial.
To Rob's horror and consternation the big Turk
began to rise slowly into the air, while a howl of fear burst from the
crowd. But the boy made a mig=
hty
spring and caught the Turk by his foot, clinging to it with desperate tenac=
ity,
while they both mounted steadily upward until they were far above the city =
of
the desert.
The big Turk screamed pitifully at first, and =
then
actually fainted away from fright.
Rob was much frightened, on his part, for he knew if his hands slipp=
ed
from their hold he would fall to his death. Indeed, one hand was slipping alre=
ady,
so he made a frantic clutch and caught firmly hold of the Turk's baggy
trousers. Then, slowly and
carefully, he drew himself up and seized the leather belt that encircled the
man's waist. This firm grip g=
ave
him new confidence, and he began to breathe more freely.
He now clung to the body of the Turk with both
legs entwined, in the way he was accustomed to cling to a tree-trunk when he
climbed after cherries at home. He
had conquered his fear of falling, and took time to recover his wits and his
strength.
They had now reached such a tremendous height =
that
the city looked like a speck on the desert beneath them. Knowing he must act quickly, Rob s=
eized
the dangling left arm of the unconscious Turk and raised it until he could
reach the dial of the traveling machine.&n=
bsp;
He feared to unclasp the machine just then, for two reasons: if it
slipped from his grasp they would both plunge downward to their death; and =
he
was not sure the machine would work at all if in any other position than fa=
stened
to the left wrist.
Rob determined to take no chances, so he left =
the
machine attached to the Turk and turned the indicator to zero and then to
"East," for he did not wish to rejoin either his enemies the Turk=
s or
his equally undesirable friends the Tatars.
After traveling eastward a few minutes he lost
sight of the city altogether; so, still clinging to the body of the Turk, he
again turned the indicator and began to descend. When, at last, they landed gently =
upon a
rocky eminence of the Kuen-Lun mountains, the boy's strength was almost
exhausted, and his limbs ached with the strain of clinging to the Turk's bo=
dy.
His first act was to transfer the traveling
machine to his own wrist and to see that his other electrical devices were
safely bestowed in his pockets.
Then he sat upon the rock to rest until the Turk recovered
consciousness.
Presently the fellow moved uneasily, rolled ov=
er,
and then sat up and stared at his surroundings. Perhaps he thought he had been dre=
aming,
for he rubbed his eyes and looked again with mingled surprise and alarm.
Rob smiled and pointed the electric tube at the
man, who doubtless recognized its power, for he fell back scowling and
trembling.
"This place seems like a good jog from
civilization," remarked the boy, as coolly as if his companion could
understand what he said; "but as your legs are long and strong you may=
be
able to find your way. It's t=
rue
you're liable to starve to death, but if you do it will be your own misfort=
une
and not my fault."
The Turk glared at him sullenly, but did not
attempt to reply.
Rob took out his box of tablets, ate one of th=
em
and offered another to his enemy.
The fellow accepted it ungraciously enough, but seeing Rob eat one he
decided to follow his example, and consumed the tablet with a queer express=
ion
of distrust upon his face.
"Brave man!" cried Rob, laughingly;
"you've avoided the pangs of starvation for a time, anyhow, so I can l=
eave
you with a clear conscience."
Without more ado, he turned the indicator of t=
he
traveling machine and mounted into the air, leaving the Turk sitting upon t=
he
rocks and staring after him in comical bewilderment.
Our young adventurer never experienced a more
grateful feeling of relief and security than when he found himself once more
high in the air, alone, and in undisputed possession of the electrical devi=
ces bestowed
upon him by the Demon.
The dangers he had passed through since landin=
g at
the city of the desert and the desperate chance that alone had permitted hi=
m to
regain the traveling machine made him shudder at the bare recollection and =
rendered
him more sober and thoughtful than usual.
We who stick closely to the earth's surface can
scarcely realize how Rob could travel through the air at such dizzy heights
without any fear or concern whatsoever.&nb=
sp;
But he had come to consider the air a veritable refuge. Experience had given him implicit
confidence in the powers of the electrical instrument whose unseen forces
carried him so swiftly and surely, and while the tiny, watch-like machine w=
as
clasped to his wrist he felt himself to be absolutely safe.
Having slipped away from the Turk and attained=
a
fair altitude, he set the indicator at zero and paused long enough to consu=
lt
his map and decide what direction it was best for him to take. The mischance that had swept him
unwittingly over the countries of Europe had also carried him more than half
way around the world from his home.
Therefore the nearest way to reach America would be to continue
traveling to the eastward.
So much time had been consumed at the desert o=
asis
that he felt he must now hasten if he wished to reach home by Saturday
afternoon; so, having quickly come to a decision, he turned the indicator a=
nd
began a swift flight into the east.
For several hours he traveled above the great
desert of Gobi, but by noon signs of a more fertile country began to appear,
and, dropping to a point nearer the earth, he was able to observe closely t=
he
country of the Chinese, with its crowded population and ancient but crude c=
ivilization.
Then he came to the Great Wall of China and to
mighty Peking, above which he hovered some time, examining it curiously.
Resuming his flight he presently came to the g=
ulf
of Laou Tong, whose fair face was freckled with many ships of many nations,=
and
so on to Korea, which seemed to him a land fully a century behind the times=
.
Night overtook him while speeding across the S=
ea
of Japan, and having a great desire to view the Mikado's famous islands, he=
put
the indicator at zero, and, coming to a full stop, composed himself to sleep
until morning, that he might run no chances of being carried beyond his kno=
wledge
during the night.
You might suppose it no easy task to sleep
suspended in mid-air, yet the magnetic currents controlled by the traveling
machine were so evenly balanced that Rob was fully as comfortable as if
reposing upon a bed of down. =
He had
become somewhat accustomed to passing the night in the air and now slept
remarkably well, having no fear of burglars or fire or other interruptions =
that
dwellers in cities are subject to.
One thing, however, he should have remembered:
that he was in an ancient and little known part of the world and reposing a=
bove
a sea famous in fable as the home of many fierce and terrible creatures; wh=
ile
not far away lay the land of the dragon, the simurg and other ferocious
monsters.
Rob may have read of these things in fairy tal=
es
and books of travel, but if so they had entirely slipped his mind; so he
slumbered peacefully and actually snored a little, I believe, towards morni=
ng.
But even as the red sun peeped curiously over =
the
horizon he was awakened by a most unusual disturbance--a succession of hoar=
se
screams and a pounding of the air as from the quickly revolving blades of s=
ome huge
windmill.
He rubbed his eyes and looked around.
Coming towards him at his right hand was an
immense bird, whose body seemed almost as big as that of a horse. Its wide-open, curving beak was se=
t with
rows of pointed teeth, and the talons held against its breast and turned
threateningly outward were more powerful and dreadful than a tiger's claws.=
While, fascinated and horrified, he watched the
approach of this feathered monster, a scream sounded just behind him and the
next instant the stroke of a mighty wing sent him whirling over and over th=
rough
the air.
He soon came to a stop, however, and saw that
another of the monsters had come upon him from the rear and was now, with i=
ts
mate, circling closely around him, while both uttered continuously their
hoarse, savage cries.
Rob wondered why the Garment of Repulsion had =
not
protected him from the blow of the bird's wing; but, as a matter of fact, it
had protected him. For it was=
not
the wing itself but the force of the eddying currents of air that had sent =
him
whirling away from the monster.
With the indicator at zero the magnetic currents and the opposing po=
wers
of attraction and repulsion were so evenly balanced that any violent atmosp=
heric
disturbance affected him in the same way that thistledown is affected by a
summer breeze. He had noticed
something of this before, but whenever a strong wind was blowing he was
accustomed to rise to a position above the air currents. This was the first time he had sle=
pt
with the indicator at zero.
The huge birds at once renewed their attack, b=
ut
Rob had now recovered his wits sufficiently to draw the electric tube from =
his
pocket. The first one to dart
towards him received the powerful electric current direct from the tube, and
fell stunned and fluttering to the surface of the sea, where it floated
motionless. Its mate, perhaps
warned by this sudden disaster, renewed its circling flight, moving so swif=
tly
that Rob could scarcely follow it, and drawing nearer and nearer every mome=
nt
to its intended victim. The b=
oy
could not turn in the air very quickly, and he feared an attack in the back,
mistrusting the saving power of the Garment of Repulsion under such
circumstances; so in desperation he pressed his finger upon the button of t=
he
tube and whirled the instrument around his head in the opposite direction t=
o that
in which the monster was circling.
Presently the current and the bird met, and with one last scream the
creature tumbled downwards to join its fellow upon the waves, where they lay
like two floating islands.
Their presence had left a rank, sickening sten=
ch
in the surrounding atmosphere, so Rob made haste to resume his journey and =
was
soon moving rapidly eastward.
He could not control a shudder at the recollec=
tion
of his recent combat, and realized the horror of a meeting with such creatu=
res
by one who had no protection from their sharp beaks and talons.
"It's no wonder the Japs draw ugly pictur=
es
of those monsters," he thought.
"People who live in these parts must pass most of their lives i=
n a
tremble."
The sun was now shining brilliantly, and when =
the
beautiful islands of Japan came in sight Rob found that he had recovered his
wonted cheerfulness. He moved=
along
slowly, hovering with curious interest over the quaint and picturesque vill=
ages
and watching the industrious Japanese patiently toiling at their tasks. Just before he reached Tokio he ca=
me to
a military fort, and for nearly an hour watched the skilful maneuvers of a
regiment of soldiers at their morning drill. They were not very big people,
compared with other nations, but they seemed alert and well trained, and the
boy decided it would require a brave enemy to face them on a field of battl=
e.
Having at length satisfied his curiosity as to
Japanese life and customs Rob prepared for his long flight across the Pacif=
ic
Ocean.
By consulting his map he discovered that shoul=
d he
maintain his course due east, as before, he would arrive at a point in Amer=
ica
very near to San Francisco, which suited his plans excellently.
Having found that he moved more swiftly when
farthest from the earth's surface, because the air was more rarefied and
offered less resistance, Rob mounted upwards until the islands of Japan wer=
e mere
specks visible through the clear, sunny atmosphere.
Then he began his eastward flight, the broad
surface of the Pacific seeming like a blue cloud far beneath him.
Ample proof of Rob's careless and restless nat=
ure
having been frankly placed before the reader in these pages, you will doubt=
less
be surprised when I relate that during the next few hours our young gentlem=
an
suffered from a severe attack of homesickness, becoming as gloomy and unhap=
py
in its duration as ever a homesick boy could be.
It may have been because he was just then cut =
off
from all his fellow-creatures and even from the world itself; it may have b=
een because
he was satiated with marvels and with the almost absolute control over the
powers which the Demon had conferred upon him; or it may have been because =
he
was born and reared a hearty, healthy American boy, with a disposition to
battle openly with the world and take his chances equally with his fellows,
rather than be placed in such an exclusive position that no one could hope
successfully to oppose him.
Perhaps he himself did not know what gave him =
this
horrible attack of "the blues," but the truth is he took out his
handkerchief and cried like a baby from very loneliness and misery.
There was no one to see him, thank goodness! a=
nd
the tears gave him considerable relief.&nb=
sp;
He dried his eyes, made an honest struggle to regain his cheerfulnes=
s,
and then muttered to himself:
"If I stay up here, like an air-bubble in=
the
sky, I shall certainly go crazy. I
suppose there's nothing but water to look at down below, but if I could only
sight a ship, or even see a fish jump, it would do me no end of good."=
Thereupon he descended until, as the ocean's
surface same nearer and nearer, he discovered a tiny island lying almost
directly underneath him. It w=
as
hardly big enough to make a dot on the biggest map, but a clump of trees gr=
ew
in the central portion, while around the edges were jagged rocks protecting=
a
sandy beach and a stretch of flower-strewn upland leading to the trees.
It looked beautiful from Rob's elevated positi=
on,
and his spirits brightened at once.
"I'll drop down and pick a bouquet,"=
he
exclaimed, and a few moments later his feet touched the firm earth of the
island.
But before he could gather a dozen of the
brilliant flowers a glad shout reached his ears, and, looking up, he saw two
men running towards him from the trees.
They were dressed in sailor fashion, but their
clothing was reduced to rags and scarcely clung to their brown, skinny bodi=
es. As they advanced they waved their =
arms
wildly in the air and cried in joyful tones:
"A boat! a boat!"
Rob stared at them wonderingly, and had much a=
do
to prevent the poor fellows from hugging him outright, so great was their j=
oy
at his appearance. One of them
rolled upon the ground, laughing and crying by turns, while the other danced
and cut capers until he became so exhausted that he sank down breathless be=
side
his comrade.
"How came you here?" then inquired t=
he
boy, in pitying tones.
"We're shipwrecked American sailors from =
the
bark 'Cynthia Jane,' which went down near here over a month ago," answ=
ered
the smallest and thinnest of the two.
"We escaped by clinging to a bit of wreckage and floated to this
island, where we have nearly starved to death. Indeed, we now have eaten everythi=
ng on
the island that was eatable, and had your boat arrived a few days later you=
'd
have found us lying dead upon the beach!"
Rob listened to this sad tale with real sympat=
hy.
"But I didn't come here in a boat," =
said
he.
The men sprang to their feet with white, scared
faces.
"No boat!" they cried; "are you,
too, shipwrecked?"
"No;" he answered. "I flew here through the
air." And then he explai=
ned to
them the wonderful electric traveling machine.
But the sailors had no interest whatever in the
relation. Their disappointmen=
t was
something awful to witness, and one of them laid his head upon his comrade's
shoulder and wept with unrestrained grief, so weak and discouraged had they
become through suffering.
Suddenly Rob remembered that he could assist t=
hem,
and took the box of concentrated food tablets from his pocket.
"Eat these," he said, offering one of
each to the sailors.
At first they could not understand that these
small tablets would be able to allay the pangs of hunger; but when Rob
explained their virtues the men ate them greedily. Within a few moments they were so
greatly restored to strength and courage that their eyes brightened, their =
sunken
cheeks flushed, and they were able to converse with their benefactor with
calmness and intelligence.
Then the boy sat beside them upon the grass and
told them the story of his acquaintance with the Demon and of all his
adventures since he had come into possession of the wonderful electric
contrivances. In his present =
mood
he felt it would be a relief to confide in some one, and so these poor, lon=
ely
men were the first to hear his story.
When he related the manner in which he had clu=
ng
to the Turk while both ascended into the air, the elder of the two sailors =
listened
with rapt attention, and then, after some thought, asked:
"Why couldn't you carry one or both of us=
to
America?"
Rob took time seriously to consider this idea,
while the sailors eyed him with eager interest. Finally he said:
"I'm afraid I couldn't support your weight
long enough to reach any other land.
It's a long journey, and you'd pull my arms out of joint before we'd
been up an hour."
Their faces fell at this, but one of them said=
:
"Why couldn't we swing ourselves over your
shoulders with a rope? Our two
bodies would balance each other and we are so thin and emaciated that we do=
not
weigh very much."
While considering this suggestion Rob remember=
ed
how at one time five pirates had clung to his left leg and been carried some
distance through the air.
"Have you a rope?" he asked.
"No," was the answer; "but there
are plenty of long, tough vines growing on the island that are just as stro=
ng
and pliable as ropes."
"Then, if you are willing to run the
chances," decided the boy, "I will make the attempt to save you.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> But I must warn you that in case I=
find I
can not support the weight of your bodies I shall drop one or both of you i=
nto
the sea."
They looked grave at this prospect, but the
biggest one said:
"We would soon meet death from starvation=
if
you left us here on the island; so, as there is at least a chance of our be=
ing
able to escape in your company I, for one, am willing to risk being
drowned. It is easier and qui=
cker
than being starved. And, as I=
'm the
heavier, I suppose you'll drop me first."
"Certainly," declared Rob, promptly.=
This announcement seemed to be an encouragemen=
t to
the little sailor, but he said, nervously:
"I hope you'll keep near the water, for I
haven't a good head for heights--they always make me dizzy."
"Oh, if you don't want to go," began
Rob, "I can easily--"
"But I do! I do! I do!" cried the li=
ttle
man, interrupting him. "=
I shall
die if you leave me behind!"
"Well, then, get your ropes, and we'll do=
the
best we can," said the boy.
They ran to the trees, around the trunks of wh=
ich
were clinging many tendrils of greenish-brown vine which possessed remarkab=
le
strength. With their knives they cut a long section of this vine, the ends =
of which
were then tied into loops large enough to permit the sailors to sit in them
comfortably. The connecting p=
iece
Rob padded with seaweed gathered from the shore, to prevent its cutting into
his shoulders.
"Now, then," he said, when all was
ready, "take your places."
The sailors squatted in the loops, and Rob swu=
ng
the vine over his shoulders and turned the indicator of the traveling machi=
ne
to "up."
As they slowly mounted into the sky the little sailor gave a squeal of terror and clung to the boy's arm; but the other, although seemingly anxious, sat quietly in his place and made no trouble. <= o:p>
"D--d--don't g--g--go so high!"
stammered the little one, tremblingly; "suppose we should
f--f--fall!"
"Well, s'pose we should?" answered R=
ob,
gruffly. "You couldn't d=
rown until
you struck the water, so the higher we are the longer you'll live in case of
accident."
This phase of the question seemed to comfort t= he frightened fellow somewhat; but, as he said, he had not a good head for heights, and so continued to tremble in spite of his resolve to be brave. <= o:p>
The weight on Rob's shoulders was not so great=
as
he had feared, the traveling machine seeming to give a certain lightness and
buoyancy to everything that came into contact with its wearer.
As soon as he had reached a sufficient elevati=
on
to admit of good speed he turned the indicator once more to the east and be=
gan
moving rapidly through the air, the shipwrecked sailors dangling at either
side.
"This is aw--aw--awful!" gasped the
little one.
"Say, you shut up!" commanded the bo=
y,
angrily. "If your friend=
was
as big a coward as you are I'd drop you both this minute. Let go my arm and keep quiet, if y=
ou
want to reach land alive."
The fellow whimpered a little, but managed to
remain silent for several minutes.
Then he gave a sudden twitch and grabbed Rob's arm again.
"S'pose--s'pose the vine should break!&qu=
ot;
he moaned, a horrified look upon his face.
"I've had about enough of this," said
Rob, savagely. "If you h=
aven't
any sense you don't deserve to live."=
He turned the indicator on the dial of the machine and they began to=
descend
rapidly.
The little fellow screamed with fear, but Rob = paid no attention to him until the feet of the two suspended sailors were actual= ly dipping into the waves, when he brought their progress to an abrupt halt. <= o:p>
"Wh--wh--what are you g--g--going to do?&=
quot;
gurgled the cowardly sailor.
"I'm going to feed you to the sharks--unl=
ess
you promise to keep your mouth shut," retorted the boy. "Now, then; decide at once! Which will it be--sharks or
silence?"
"I won't say a word--'pon my honor, I
won't!" said the sailor shudderingly.
"All right; remember your promise and we'=
ll
have no further trouble," remarked Rob, who had hard work to keep from
laughing at the man's abject terror.
Once more he ascended and continued the journe=
y,
and for several hours they rode along swiftly and silently. Rob's shoulders were beginning to =
ache
with the continued tugging of the vine upon them, but the thought that he w=
as
saving the lives of two unfortunate fellow-creatures gave him strength and
courage to persevere.
Night was falling when they first sighted land=
; a
wild and seemingly uninhabited stretch of the American coast. Rob made no effort to select a lan=
ding
place, for he was nearly worn out with a strain and anxiety of the
journey. He dropped his burde=
n upon
the brow of a high bluff overlooking the sea and, casting the vine from his
shoulders, fell to the earth exhausted and half fainting.
When he had somewhat recovered, Rob sat up and
looked around him. The elder =
sailor
was kneeling in earnest prayer, offering grateful thanks for his escape from
suffering and death. The youn=
ger
one lay upon the ground sobbing and still violently agitated by recollectio=
ns
of the frightful experiences he had undergone. Although he did not show his feeli=
ngs as
plainly as the men, the boy was none the less gratified at having been
instrumental in saving the lives of two fellow-beings.
The darkness was by this time rapidly envelopi=
ng
them, so Rob asked his companions to gather some brushwood and light a fire,
which they quickly did. The e=
vening
was cool for the time of year, and the heat from the fire was cheering and
grateful; so they all lay near the glowing embers and fell fast asleep.
The sound of voices aroused Rob next morning, =
and
on opening his eyes and gazing around he saw several rudely dressed men
approaching. The two shipwrec=
ked
sailors were still sound asleep.
Rob stood up and waited for the strangers to d=
raw
near. They seemed to be fishe=
rmen,
and were much surprised at finding three people asleep upon the bluff.
"Whar 'n thunder 'd ye come from?" a=
sked
the foremost fisherman, in a surprised voice.
"From the sea," replied the boy. "My friends here are shipwrec=
ked sailors
from the 'Cynthia Jane.'"
"But how'd ye make out to climb the bluff=
?"
inquired a second fisherman; "no one ever did it afore, as we knows
on."
"Oh, that is a long story," replied =
the
boy, evasively.
The two sailors had awakened and now saluted t=
he
new-comers. Soon they were
exchanging a running fire of questions and answers.
"Where are we?" Rob heard the little
sailor ask.
"Coast of Oregon," was the reply.
"Do you live at Port Orford?" inquir=
ed
the sailor.
"That's what we do, friend; an' if your p=
arty
wants to join us we'll do our best to make you comf'table, bein' as you're
shipwrecked an' need help."
Just then a loud laugh came from another group,
where the elder sailor had been trying to explain Rob's method of flying
through the air.
"Laugh all you want to," said the
sailor, sullenly; "it's true--ev'ry word of it!"
"Mebbe you think it, friend," answer=
ed a
big, good-natured fisherman; "but it's well known that shipwrecked fol=
ks
go crazy sometimes, an' imagine strange things. Your mind seems clear enough in ot=
her
ways, so I advise you to try and forget your dreams about flyin'."
Rob now stepped forward and shook hands with t=
he
sailors.
"I see you have found friends," he s=
aid
to them, "so I will leave you and continue my journey, as I'm in somet=
hing
of a hurry."
Both sailors began to thank him profusely for
their rescue, but he cut them short.
"That's all right. Of course I couldn't leave you on =
that
island to starve to death, and I'm glad I was able to bring you away with
me."
"But you threatened to drop me into the
sea," remarked the little sailor, in a grieved voice.
"So I did," said Rob, laughing;
"but I wouldn't have done it for the world--not even to have saved my =
own
life. Good-by!"
He turned the indicator and mounted skyward, to
the unbounded amazement of the fishermen, who stared after him with round e=
yes
and wide open mouths.
"This sight will prove to them that the
sailors are not crazy," he thought, as he turned to the south and sped
away from the bluff. "I =
suppose
those simple fishermen will never forget this wonderful occurrence, and the=
y'll
probably make reg'lar heroes of the two men who have crossed the Pacific
through the air."
He followed the coast line, keeping but a short
distance above the earth, and after an hour's swift flight reached the city=
of
San Francisco.
His shoulders were sore and stiff from the hea=
vy
strain upon them of the previous day, and he wished more than once that he =
had
some of his mother's household liniment to rub them with. Yet so great was his delight at re=
aching
once more his native land that all discomforts were speedily forgotten.
Much as he would have enjoyed a day in the gre=
at
metropolis of the Pacific slope, Rob dared not delay longer than to take a
general view of the place, to note its handsome edifices and to wonder at t=
he
throng of Chinese inhabiting one section of the town.
These things were much more plainly and quickly
viewed by Rob from above than by threading a way through the streets on foo=
t;
for he looked down upon the city as a bird does, and covered miles with a s=
ingle
glance.
Having satisfied his curiosity without attempt=
ing
to alight, he turned to the southeast and followed the peninsula as far as =
Palo
Alto, where he viewed the magnificent buildings of the university. Changing his course to the east, h=
e soon
reached Mount Hamilton, and, being attracted by the great tower of the Lick
Observatory, he hovered over it until he found he had attracted the excited
gaze of the inhabitants, who doubtless observed him very plainly through the
big telescope.
But so unreal and seemingly impossible was the
sight witnessed by the learned astronomers that they have never ventured to
make the incident public, although long after the boy had darted away into =
the
east they argued together concerning the marvelous and incomprehensible vis=
ion.
Afterward they secretly engrossed the circumstance upon their records, but
resolved never to mention it in public, lest their wisdom and veracity shou=
ld
be assailed by the skeptical.
Meantime Rob rose to a higher altitude, and sp=
ed
swiftly across the great continent.
By noon he sighted Chicago, and after a brief inspection of the place
from the air determined to devote at least an hour to forming the acquainta=
nce
of this most wonderful and cosmopolitan city.
The Auditorium Tower, where "the weather
man" sits to flash his reports throughout the country, offered an invi=
ting
place for the boy to alight. =
He
dropped quietly upon the roof of the great building and walked down the
staircase until he reached the elevators, by means of which he descended to=
the
ground floor without exciting special attention.
The eager rush and hurry of the people crowding
the sidewalks impressed Rob with the idea that they were all behind time and
were trying hard to catch up. He
found it impossible to walk along comfortably without being elbowed and pus=
hed
from side to side; so a half hour's sight-seeing under such difficulties ti=
red
him greatly. It was a beautif=
ul
afternoon, and finding himself upon the Lake Front, Rob hunted up a vacant
bench and sat down to rest.
Presently an elderly gentleman with a reserved=
and
dignified appearance and dressed in black took a seat next to the boy and d=
rew
a magazine from his pocket. R=
ob saw
that he opened it to an article on "The Progress of Modern Science,&qu=
ot;
in which he seemed greatly interested.
After a time the boy remembered that he was
hungry, not having eaten a tablet in more than twenty-four hours. So he took out the silver box and =
ate
one of the small, round disks it contained.
"What are those?" inquired the old
gentleman in a soft voice.
"You are too young to be taking patent medicines."
"There are not medicines, exactly,"
answered the boy, with a smile. "They are Concentrated Food Tablets, s=
orted
with nourishment by means of electricity.&=
nbsp;
One of them furnishes a person with food for an entire day."
The old gentleman stared at Rob a moment and t=
hen
laid down his magazine and took the box in his hands, examining the tablets
curiously.
"Are these patented?" he asked.
"No," said Rob; "they are unkno=
wn
to any one but myself."
"I will give you a half million dollars f=
or
the recipe to make them," said the gentleman.
"I fear I must refuse your offer,"
returned Rob, with a laugh.
"I'll make it a million," said the
gentleman, coolly.
Rob shook his head.
"Money can't buy the recipe," he sai=
d;
"for I don't know it myself."
"Couldn't the tablets be chemically analy=
zed,
and the secret discovered?" inquired the other.
"I don't know; but I'm not going to give =
any
one the chance to try," declared the boy, firmly.
The old gentleman picked up his magazine witho=
ut
another word, and resumed his reading.
For amusement Rob took the Record of Events fr=
om
his pocket and began looking at the scenes reflected from its polished plat=
e.
Presently he became aware that the old gentlem=
an
was peering over his shoulder with intense interest. General Funston was just then enga=
ged in
capturing the rebel chief, Aguinaldo, and for a few moments both man and boy
observed the occurrence with rapt attention. As the scene was replaced by one s=
howing
a secret tunnel of the Russian Nihilists, with the conspirators carrying
dynamite to a recess underneath the palace of the Czar, the gentleman utter=
ed a
long sigh and asked:
"Will you sell that box?"
"No," answered Rob, shortly, and put=
it
back into his pocket.
"I'll give you a million dollars to contr=
ol
the sale in Chicago alone," continued the gentleman, with an eager
inflection in his smooth voice.
"You seem quite anxious to get rid of
money," remarked Rob, carelessly. "How much are you worth?" =
"Personally?"
"Yes."
"Nothing at all, young man. I am not offering you my own money=
. But with such inventions as you ha=
ve
exhibited I could easily secure millions of capital. Suppose we form a trust, and place=
them
upon the market. We'll capita=
lize
it for a hundred millions, and you can have a quarter of the stock--twenty-=
five
millions. That would keep you=
from worrying
about grocery bills."
"But I wouldn't need groceries if I had t=
he
tablets," said Rob, laughing.
"True enough! But you could take life easily and=
read
your newspaper in comfort, without being in any hurry to get down town to
business. Twenty-five millions would bring you a cozy little income, if
properly invested."
"I don't see why one should read newspape=
rs
when the Record of Events shows all that is going on in the world,"
objected Rob.
"True, true! But what do you say to the
proposition?"
"I must decline, with thanks. These inventions are not for sale.=
"
The gentleman sighed and resumed his magazine,=
in
which he became much absorbed.
Rob put on the Character Marking Spectacles and
looked at him. The letters
"E," "W" and "C" were plainly visible upon the
composed, respectable looking brow of his companion.
"Evil, wise and cruel," reflected Ro=
b,
as he restored the spectacles to his pocket. "How easily such a man could =
impose
upon people. To look at him o=
ne
would think that butter wouldn't melt in his mouth!"
He decided to part company with this chance
acquaintance and, rising from his seat, strolled leisurely up the walk. A moment later, on looking back, he
discovered that the old gentleman had disappeared.
He walked down State Street to the river and b=
ack
again, amused by the activity displayed in this busy section of the city. But the time he had allowed himsel=
f in
Chicago had now expired, so he began looking around for some high building =
from
the roof of which he could depart unnoticed.
This was not at all difficult, and selecting o=
ne
of many stores he ascended by an elevator to the top floor and from there
mounted an iron stairway leading to the flat roof. As he climbed this stairway he fou=
nd
himself followed by a pleasant looking young man, who also seemed desirous =
of
viewing the city from the roof.
Annoyed at the inopportune intrusion, Rob's fi=
rst
thought was to go back to the street and try another building; but, upon
reflecting that the young man was not likely to remain long and he would so=
on
be alone, he decided to wait. So he
walked to the edge of the roof and appeared to be interested in the scenery
spread out below him.
"Fine view from here, ain't it?" said
the young man, coming up to him and placing his hand carelessly upon the bo=
y's
shoulder.
"It is, indeed," replied Rob, leanin=
g over
the edge to look into the street.
As he spoke he felt himself gently but firmly
pushed from behind and, losing his balance, he plunged headforemost from the
roof and whirled through the intervening space toward the sidewalk far belo=
w.
Terrified though he was by the sudden disaster,
the boy had still wit enough remaining to reach out his right hand and move=
the
indicator of the machine upon his left wrist to the zero mark. Immediately he paused in his fearf=
ul
flight and presently came to a stop at a distance of less than fifteen feet
from the flagstones which had threatened to crush out his life.
As he stared downward, trying to recover his
self-possession, he saw the old gentleman he had met on the Lake Front stan=
ding
just below and looking at him with a half frightened, half curious expressi=
on
in his eyes.
At once Rob saw through the whole plot to kill=
him
and thus secure possession of his electrical devices. The young man upon the roof who had
attempted to push him to his death was a confederate of the innocent appear=
ing
old gentleman, it seemed, and the latter had calmly awaited his fall to the
pavement to seize the coveted treasures from his dead body. It was an awful idea, and Rob was =
more
frightened than he had ever been before in his life--or ever has been since=
.
But now the shouts of a vast concourse of amaz=
ed
spectators reached the boy's ears.
He remembered that he was suspended in mid-air over the crowded stre=
et
of a great city, while thousands of wondering eyes were fixed upon him.
So he quickly set the indicator to the word
"up," and mounted sky-ward until the watchers below could scarcely
see him. Then he fled away in=
to the
east, even yet shuddering with the horror of his recent escape from death a=
nd
filled with disgust at the knowledge that there were people who held human =
life
so lightly that they were willing to destroy it to further their own selfish
ends.
"And the Demon wants such people as these=
to
possess his electrical devices, which are as powerful to accomplish evil wh=
en
in wrong hands as they are good!" thought the boy, resentfully. "This would be a fine world if
Electric Tubes and Records of Events and Traveling Machines could be acquir=
ed
by selfish and unprincipled persons!"
So unnerved was Rob by his recent experiences =
that
he determined to make no more stops.
However, he alighted at nightfall in the country, and slept upon the
sweet hay in a farmer's barn.
But, early the next morning, before any one el=
se
was astir, he resumed his journey, and at precisely ten o'clock of this day,
which was Saturday, he completed his flying trip around the world by alight=
ing unobserved
upon the well-trimmed lawn of his own home.
When Rob opened the front door he came face to
face with Nell, who gave an exclamation of joy and threw herself into his a=
rms.
"Oh, Rob!" she cried, "I'm so g=
lad
you've come. We have all been=
dreadfully
worried about you, and mother--"
"Well, what about mother?" inquired =
the
boy, anxiously, as she paused.
"She's been very ill, Rob; and the doctor
said to-day that unless we heard from you soon he would not be able to save=
her
life. The uncertainty about y=
ou is
killing her."
Rob stood stock still, all the eager joy of his
return frozen into horror at the thought that he had caused his dear mother=
so
much suffering.
"Where is she, Nell?" he asked,
brokenly.
"In her room. Come; I'll take you to her." =
Rob followed with beating heart, and soon was
clasped close to his mother's breast.
"Oh, my boy--my dear boy!" she murmu=
red,
and then for very joy and love she was unable to say more, but held him tig=
ht
and stroked his hair gently and kissed him again and again.
Rob said little, except to promise that he wou=
ld
never again leave home without her full consent and knowledge. But in his mind he contrasted the =
love
and comfort that now surrounded him with the lonely and unnatural life he h=
ad
been leading and, boy though he was in years, a mighty resolution that would
have been creditable to an experienced man took firm root in his heart.
He was obliged to recount all his adventures to
his mother and, although he made light of the dangers he had passed through,
the story drew many sighs and shudders from her.
When luncheon time arrived he met his father, =
and
Mr. Joslyn took occasion to reprove his son in strong language for running =
away
from home and leaving them filled with anxiety as to his fate. However, when he saw how happy and
improved in health his dear wife was at her boy's return, and when he had
listened to Rob's manly confession of error and expressions of repentance, =
he
speedily forgave the culprit and treated him as genially as ever.
Of course the whole story had to be repeated, =
his
sisters listening this time with open eyes and ears and admiring their
adventurous brother immensely. Even
Mr. Joslyn could not help becoming profoundly interested, but he took care =
not
to show any pride he might feel in his son's achievements.
When his father returned to his office Rob wen=
t to
his own bed-chamber and sat for a long time by the window in deep thought.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> When at last he aroused himself, he
found it was nearly four o'clock.
"The Demon will be here presently," =
he
said, with a thrill of aversion, "and I must be in the workshop to rec=
eive
him."
Silently he stole to the foot of the attic sta=
irs
and then paused to listen. The
house seemed very quiet, but he could hear his mother's voice softly hummin=
g a
cradle-song that she had sung to him when he was a baby.
He had been nervous and unsettled and a little
fearful until then, but perhaps the sound of his mother's voice gave him
courage, for he boldly ascended the stairs and entered the workshop, closing
and locking the door behind him.
Again the atmosphere quickened and pulsed with
accumulating vibrations. Again the boy found himself aroused to eager
expectancy. There was a whirl=
in
the air; a crackling like distant musketry; a flash of dazzling light--and =
the
Demon stood before him for the third time.
"I give you greetings!" said he, in a
voice not unkindly.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Demon," answered
the boy, bowing gravely.
"I see you have returned safely from your trip," continued the Apparition, cheerfully, "although at one tim= e I thought you would be unable to escape.&nbs= p; Indeed, unless I had knocked that tube from the rascally Turk's hand= as he clambered to the top of the wall, I believe you would have been at the Yarkand oasis yet--either dead or alive, as chance might determine." <= o:p>
"Were you there?" asked Rob.
"To be sure. And I recovered the tube for you,
without which you would have been helpless. But that is the only time I saw fi=
t to
interfere in any way."
"I'm afraid I did not get a chance to give
many hints to inventors or scientists," said Rob.
"True, and I have deeply regretted it,&qu=
ot; replied
the Demon. "But your unu=
sual
powers caused more astonishment and consternation than you, perhaps, imagin=
ed;
for many saw you whom you were too busy to notice. As a result several able
electricians are now thinking new thoughts along new lines, and some of them
may soon give these or similar inventions to the world."
"You are satisfied, then?" asked Rob=
.
"As to that," returned the Demon,
composedly, "I am not. B=
ut I
have hopes that with the addition of the three marvelous devices I shall pr=
esent
you with to-day you will succeed in arousing so much popular interest in
electrical inventions as to render me wholly satisfied with the result of t=
his
experiment."
Rob regarded the brilliant apparition with a
solemn face, but made no answer.
"No living person," continued the De=
mon,
"has ever before been favored with such comforting devices for the
preservation and extension of human life as yourself. You seem quite unappreciative, it =
is
true; but since our connection I have come to realize that you are but an o=
rdinary
boy, with many boyish limitations; so I do not condemn your foolish actions=
too
harshly."
"That is kind of you," said Rob.
"To prove my friendliness," pursued =
the
Demon, "I have brought, as the first of to-day's offerings this
Electro-Magnetic Restorer. Yo=
u see
it is shaped like a thin metal band, and is to be worn upon the brow, clasp=
ing
at the back of the head. Its
virtues surpass those of either the fabulous 'Fountain of Youth,' or the
'Elixir of Life,' so vainly sought for in past ages. For its wearer will instantly beco=
me
free from any bodily disease or pain and will enjoy perfect health and vigo=
r. In truth, so great are its powers =
that
even the dead may be restored to life, provided the blood has not yet
chilled. In presenting you wi=
th
this appliance, I feel I am bestowing upon you the greatest blessing and mo=
st
longed-for boon ever bequeathed of suffering humanity."
Here he held the slender, dull-colored metallic
band toward the boy.
"Keep it," said Rob.
The Demon started, and gave him an odd look. <= o:p>
"What did you say?" he asked.
"I told you to keep it," answered
Rob. "I don't want it.&q=
uot;
The Demon staggered back as if he had been str=
uck.
"Don't want it!" he gasped.
"No; I've had enough of your infernal
inventions!" cried the boy, with sudden anger.
He unclasped the traveling machine from his wr=
ist
and laid it on the table beside the Demon.
"There's the thing that's responsible for
most of my troubles," said he, bitterly. "What right has one person to=
fly
through the air while all his fellow-creatures crawl over the earth's
surface? And why should I be =
cut
off from all the rest of the world because you have given me this confounded
traveling machine? I didn't a=
sk for
it, and I won't keep it a moment longer.&n=
bsp;
Give it to some one you hate more than you do me!"
The Demon stared aghast and turned his glitter=
ing
eyes wonderingly from Rob to the traveling machine and back again, as if to=
be
sure he had heard and seen aright.
"And here are your food tablets,"
continued the boy, placing the box upon the table. "I've only enjoyed one square=
meal
since you gave them to me. Th=
ey're
all right to preserve life, of course, and answer the purpose for which they
were made; but I don't believe nature ever intended us to exist upon such t=
hings,
or we wouldn't have the sense of taste, which enables us to enjoy natural
food. As long as I'm a human =
being
I'm going to eat like a human being, so I've consumed my last Electrical
Concentrated Food Tablet--and don't you forget it!"
The Demon sank into a chair, nerveless and lim=
p,
but still staring fearfully at the boy.
"And there's another of your unnatural
devices," said Rob, putting the Automatic Record of Events upon the ta=
ble
beside the other things. "What right have you to capture vibrations th=
at
radiate from private and secret actions and discover them to others who hav=
e no
business to know them? This w=
ould
be a fine world if every body could peep into every one else's affairs,
wouldn't it? And here is your
Character Marker. Nice thing =
for a
decent person to own, isn't it? Any
one who would take advantage of such a sneaking invention as that would be =
worse
than a thief! Oh, I've used t=
hem,
of course, and I ought to be spanked for having been so mean and underhande=
d;
but I'll never be guilty of looking through them again."
The Demon's face was frowning and indignant. He made a motion to rise, but thou=
ght
better of it and sank back in his chair.
"As for the Garment of Protection,"
resumed the boy, after a pause, "I've worn it for the last time, and h=
ere
it is, at your service. I'll =
put
the Electric Tube with it. No=
t that
these are such very bad things in themselves, but I'll have none of your
magical contrivances. I'll say
this, however: if all armies were equipped with Electrical Tubes instead of
guns and swords the world would be spared a lot of misery and unnecessary
bloodshed. Perhaps in time; b=
ut
that time hasn't arrived yet."
"You might have hastened it," said t=
he
Demon, sternly, "if you had been wise enough to use your powers proper=
ly."
"That's just it," answered Rob. "I'm NOT wise enough. Nor is the majority of mankind wise
enough to use such inventions as yours unselfishly and for the good of the
world. If people were better,=
and every
one had an equal show, it would be different."
For some moments the Demon sat quietly
thinking. Finally the frown l=
eft
his face and he said, with animation:
"I have other inventions, which you may u=
se
without any such qualms of conscience.&nbs=
p;
The Electro-Magnetic Restorer I offered you would be a great boon to
your race, and could not possibly do harm.=
And, besides this, I have brought you what I call the Illimitable
Communicator. It is a simple
electric device which will enable you, wherever you may be, to converse with
people in any part of the world, without the use of such crude connections =
as
wires. In fact, you may--&quo=
t;
"Stop!" cried Rob. "It is useless for you to des=
cribe
it, because I'll have nothing more to do with you or your inventions. I have given them a fair trial, and
they've got me into all sorts of trouble and made all my friends
miserable. If I was some high=
-up
scientist it would be different; but I'm just a common boy, and I don't wan=
t to
be anything else."
"But, your duty--" began the Demon. =
"My duty I owe to myself and to my
family," interrupted Rob.
"I have never cultivated science, more than to fool with some
simple electrical experiments, so I owe nothing to either science or the De=
mon
of Electricity, so far as I can see."
"But consider," remonstrated the Dem=
on,
rising to his feet and speaking in a pleading voice, "consider the yea=
rs
that must elapse before any one else is likely to strike the Master Key!
"If my fellow-creatures would have as much
trouble with your electrical inventions as I had, I am doing them a service=
by
depriving them of your devices," said the boy. "As for yourself, I've no fau=
lt to
find with you, personally. Yo=
u're a
very decent sort of Demon, and I've no doubt you mean well; but there's
something wrong about our present combination, I'm sure. It isn't natural."
The Demon made a gesture of despair.
"Why, oh why did not some intelligent per=
son
strike the Master Key!" he moaned.
"That's it!" exclaimed Rob. "I believe that's the root of=
the
whole evil."
"What is?" inquired the Demon, stupi=
dly.
"The fact that an intelligent person did =
not
strike the Master Key. You don't seem to understand. Well, I'll explain. You're the Demon of Electricity, a=
ren't
you?"
"I am," said the other, drawing hims=
elf
up proudly.
"Your mission is to obey the commands of
whoever is able to strike the Master Key of Electricity."
"That is true."
"I once read in a book that all things are
regulated by exact laws of nature.
If that is so you probably owe your existence to those laws." T=
he
Demon nodded. "Doubtless=
it
was intended that when mankind became intelligent enough and advanced enoug=
h to
strike the Master Key, you and all your devices would not only be necessary=
and
acceptable to them, but the world would be prepared for their general use.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> That seems reasonable, doesn't it?=
"
"Perhaps so. Yes; it seems reasonable," an=
swered
the Demon, thoughtfully.
"Accidents are always liable to happen,&q=
uot;
continued the boy. "By a=
ccident
the Master Key was struck long before the world of science was ready for it=
--or
for you. Instead of consideri=
ng it
an accident and paying no attention to it you immediately appeared to me--a
mere boy--and offered your services."
"I was very anxious to do something,"
returned the Demon, evasively. "You've no idea how stupid it is for me=
to
live invisible and unknown, while all the time I have in my possession secr=
ets
of untold benefit to the world."
"Well, you'll have to keep cool and bide =
your
time," said Rob. "T=
he world
wasn't made in a minute, and while civilization is going on at a pretty good
pace, we're not up to the Demon of Electricity yet."
"What shall I do!" groaned the
Apparition, wringing his hands miserably; "oh, what shall I do!" =
"Go home and lie down," replied Rob,
sympathetically. "Take i=
t easy
and don't get rattled. Nothin=
g was
every created without a use, they say; so your turn will come some day,
sure! I'm sorry for you, old =
fellow,
but it's all your own fault."
"You are right!" exclaimed the Demon,
striding up and down the room, and causing thereby such a crackling of
electricity in the air that Rob's hair became rigid enough to stand on
end. "You are right, and=
I must
wait--wait--wait--patiently and silently--until my bonds are loosed by
intelligence rather than chance! It
is a dreary fate. But I must
wait--I must wait--I must wait!"
"I'm glad you've come to your senses,&quo=
t;
remarked Rob, drily. "So=
, if you've
nothing more to say--"
"No! I have nothing more to say. There IS nothing more to say. You and I are two. We should never had met!" ret=
orted
the Demon, showing great excitement.
"Oh, I didn't seek your acquaintance,&quo=
t;
said Rob. "But I've trie=
d to treat
you decently, and I've no fault to find with you except that you forgot you
were a slave and tried to be a master."
The Demon did not reply. He was busily forcing the various
electrical devices that Rob had relinquished into the pockets of his fiery
jacket.
Finally he turned with an abrupt movement.
"Good-by!" he cried. "When mortal eyes next behold=
me
they will be those of one fit to command my services! As for you, your days will be pass=
ed in
obscurity and your name be unknown to fame. Good-by,--forever!"
The room filled with a flash of white light so
like a sheet of lightning that the boy went reeling backwards, half stunned=
and
blinded by its dazzling intensity.
When he recovered himself the Demon of Electri=
city
had disappeared.
=
Rob's
heart was very light as he left the workshop and made his way down the attic
stairs.
"Some people might think I was a fool to =
give
up those electrical inventions," he reflected; "but I'm one of th=
ose
persons who know when they've had enough.&=
nbsp;
It strikes me the fool is the fellow who can't learn a lesson. I've learned mine, all right. It's no fun being a century ahead =
of the
times!"