tom swift and his wizard camera(汤姆·史威夫特和他的女巫相机)-第11节
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ahead of uswell； it will just about ruin our company；and about ruin me
too； I guess。〃
〃I shall do my very best；〃 answered our hero。
〃Is Mr。 Damon going along？〃
〃Well； I have just written to ask him。 I sent the letter yesterday。
〃Doesn't he know what you contemplate？〃
〃Not exactly。 You see when he came； that time I was overcome by the
fumes from the acids； everything was so upset that I didn't get a chance to
tell him。 He's been away on business ever since； but returned yesterday。 I
certainly hope that he goes with us。 Ned Newton is coming； and with you；
and Koku and myself； it will be a nicer party。〃
〃Then you are going to take Koku？〃
〃I think I will。 I'm a little worried about what these rival moving
picture men might do； and if I get into trouble with them； my giant helper
would come in very useful； to pick one up and throw him over a tree top；
for instance。〃
〃Indeed； yes；〃 agreed Mr。 Nestor； with a laugh。 〃But I hope nothing
like that happens。〃
〃Nothing like that happens？〃 suddenly asked a voice。 〃Bless my
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bookcase！ but there always seems to be something going on here。 What's
up now； Tom Swift？〃
〃Nothing much； Mr。 Damon；〃 replied our hero； as he recognized his
odd friend。 〃We were just talking about moving pictures； Mr。 Damon； and
about you。 Did you get my letter？〃
〃I did； Tom。〃
〃And are you going with us？〃
〃Tom； did you ever know me to refuse an invitation from you？ I guess
not！ Of course I'm going。 But； for mercy sakes； don't tell my wife！ She
mustn't know about it until the last minute； and then she'll be so surprised；
when I tell her； that she won't think of objecting。 Don't let her know。〃
Tom laughed； and promised； and then the three began talking of the
prospective trip。 After a bit Ned Newton joined the party。
Tom showed the two men how his new camera worked。 He had made
several improvements on it since the first pictures were taken； and now it
was almost perfect。 Mr。 Period had been out to see it work； and said it was
just the apparatus needed。
〃You can get films with that machine；〃 he said； 〃that will be better than
any pictures ever thrown on a screen。 My fortune will be made； Tom； and
yours too； if you can only get pictures that are out of the ordinary。 There
will be some hair…raising work； I expect； but you can do it。〃
〃I'll try；〃 spoke Tom。 〃I have〃
〃Hold on！ I know what you are going to say；〃 interrupted Mr。 Period。
〃You are going to say that you've gone through some strenuous times
already。 I know you have； but you're going to have more soon。 I think I'll
send you to India first。〃
〃To India！〃 exclaimed Tom； for Mr。 Period had spoken of that as if it
was but a journey downtown。
〃Yes； India。 I want a picture of an elephant drive； and if you can get
pictures of the big beasts in a stampede； so much the better。 Then； too； the
Durbar is on now； and that will make a good film。 How soon can you start
for Calcutta？〃
〃Well； I've got to overhaul the airship；〃 said Tom。 〃That will take about
three weeks。 The camera is practically finished。 I can leave in a month； I
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guess。〃
〃Good。 We'll have fine weather by that time。 Are you going all the way
by your airship？〃
〃No； I think it will be best to take that apart； ship it by steamer； and go
that way ourselves。 I can put the airship together in India； and then use it
to get to any other part of Europe； Asia or Africa you happen to want
pictures from。〃
〃Good！ Well； get to work now； and I'll see you again。〃
In the days that followed； Tom and Ned were kept busy。 There was
considerable to do on the airship； in the way of overhauling it。 This craft
was Tom's largest； and was almost like the one in which he had gone to the
caves of ice； where it was wrecked。 It had been； however； much improved。
The craft was a sort of combined dirigible balloon； and aeroplane； and
could be used as either。 There was a machine on board for generating gas；
to use in the balloon part of it； and the ship； which was named the Flyer；
could carry several persons。
〃Bless my shoe laces！〃 cried Mr。 Damon one day as he looked at Koku。
〃If we take him along in the airship； will we be able to float； Tom？〃
〃Oh； yes。 The airship is plenty big enough。 Besides； we are not going
to take along a very large party； and the camera is not heavy。 Oh； we'll be
all right。 I suppose you'll be on hand to… morrow； Mr。 Damon？〃
〃To…morrow？ What for？〃
〃We're going to take the picture machine up in the airship； and get
some photos from the sky。 I expect to make some films from high in the
air； as well as some in the regular way； on the ground； and I want a little
practice。 Come around about two o'clock； and we'll have a trial flight。〃
〃All right。 I will。 But don't let my wife know I'm going up in an airship
again。 She's read of so many accidents lately； that she's nervous about
having me take a trip。〃
〃Oh； I won't tell；〃 promised Tom with a laugh； and he worked away
harder than ever； for there were many little details to perfect。 The weather
was now getting warm； as there was an early spring； and it was pleasant
out of doors。
The moving picture camera was gotten in readiness。 Extra rolls of
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films were on hand； and the big airship； in which they were to go up； for
their first test of taking pictures from high in the air； had been wheeled out
of the shed。
〃Are you going up very far？〃 asked Mr。 Nestor of Tom； and the young
inventor thought that Mary's father was a trifle nervous。 He had not made
many flights； and then only a little way above the ground； with Tom。
〃Not very high；〃 replied our hero。 〃You see I want to get pictures that
will be large； and if I'm too far away I can't do it。〃
〃Glad to hear it； replied Mr。 Nestor； with a note of relief in his voice。
〃Though I suppose to fall a thousand feet isn't much different from falling
a hundred when you consider the results。〃
〃Not much；〃 admitted Tom frankly。
〃Bless my feather bed！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃Please don't talk of falling；
when we're going up in an airship。 It makes me nervous。〃
〃We'll not fall！〃 declared Tom confidently。
Mr。 Period sent his regrets； that he could not be present at the trial；
stating in his letter that he was the busiest man in the world； and that his
time was worth about a dollar a minute just at present。 He； however；
wished Tom all success。 Tom's first effort was to sail along； with the lens
of the camera pointed straight toward the earth。 He would thus get； if
successful； a picture that； when thrown on the screen； would give the
spectators the idea that they were looking down from a moving balloon。
For that reason Tom was not going to fly very high； as he wanted to get all
the details possible。
〃All aboard！〃 cried the young inventor； when he had seen to it that his
airship was in readiness for a flight。 The camera had been put aboard； and
the lens pointed toward earth through a hole in the main cabin floor。 All
who were expected to make the trip with Tom were on hand； Koku taking
the place of Eradicate this time； as the colored man was too aged and
feeble to go along。
〃All ready？〃 asked Ned； who stood in the steering tower； with his hand
on the starting lever； while Tom was at the camera to see that it worked
properly。
〃All ready；〃 answered the young inventor； and； an instant later； they
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shot upward； as the big propellers whizzed around。
Tom at once started the camera to taking pictures rapidly； as he wanted
the future audience to get a perfect idea of how it looked to go up in a
balloon； leaving the earth behind。 Then as the Flyer moved swiftly over
woods and fields； Tom moved the lens from side to side； to get different
views。
〃Say！ This is great！〃 cried Mr。 Nestor； to whom air…riding was mu
