第 25 节
作者:千顷寒      更新:2021-02-20 15:27      字数:9322
  made a fierce attack; overwhelming their enemies; and compelling them to
  retreat。 Across   the open   plain   the   vanquished   army  fled;   with   the   others
  after them。 Tom; meanwhile; taking pictures as fast as he could。
  〃This   ends   it!〃   he   remarked   to   Ned;   when   the   warriors   were   too   far
  away to make any more good views。 〃Now we can take a rest。〃
  〃The Englishmen gave up some time ago;〃 said his chum; motioning
  to the two men who were taking their machine off the tripod。
  〃Guess their films gave out;〃 spoke Tom。 〃Well;  you see it didn't do
  any harm to come down; and I got some better views here。〃
  〃Here     they   come    back!〃    exclaimed     Ned;    as  a  horde    of  the  black
  fellows emerged f row the jungle; and came on over the plain。
  〃Hear 'em sing!〃 commented Tom; as the sound of a rude chant came
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  to their ears。 〃They must be the winners all right。〃
  〃I guess so;〃 agreed Ned。 〃But what about staying here now? Maybe
  they won't be so friendly to us when they haven't any fighting to occupy
  their minds。〃      〃Don't worry;〃 advised Tom。 〃They won't bother us。〃
  And the blacks did not。 They were caring for their wounded; who had
  not   already  been   taken   from  the   field;   and   they  paid   no   attention to   our
  friends; save to look curiously at the airship。
  〃Bless   my   newspaper!〃   cried   Mr。   Damon;   with   an   air   of   relief。   〃I'm
  glad that's over; and we didn't have to use the electric rifles; after all。〃
  〃Here come the Englishmen to pay us a visit;〃 spoke Ned a little later;
  as they sat about the cabin of the Flyer。 The two rival picture men soon
  climbed on deck。
  〃Beg   pardon;〃   said   the   taller   of   the   two;   addressing   our   hero;   〃but
  could you lend us a roll of film? Ours are all used up; and we want to get
  some more pictures before going back to our main camp。〃
  〃I'm sorry;〃 replied Tom; 〃but I use a special size; and it fits no camera
  but my own。〃
  〃Ah! might we see your camera?〃 asked the other Englishman。 〃That
  is; see how it works?〃
  〃I   don't   like   to   be   disobliging;〃   was Tom's   answer;   〃but   it   is   not   yet
  patented andwell〃 he hesitated。
  〃Oh;   I   see!〃   sneered   the   taller   visitor。   〃You're   afraid   we   might   steal
  some of your ideas。 Hum!〃 Come on Montgomery;〃 and; swinging on his
  heels; with a military air; he hurried away; followed by his companion。
  〃They don't like that; but I can't help it;〃 remarked Tom to his friends a
  little later。 〃I can't afford to take any chances。〃
  〃No; you did just right;〃 said Mr。 Nestor。 〃Those men may be all right;
  but    from   the   fact  that  they   are   in  the  picture   taking    business    I'd  be
  suspicious of them。〃
  〃Well;   what's   next   on   the   programme?〃   asked   Ned   as   Tom   put   his
  camera away。
  〃Oh;  I  think   we'll stay  here  over   night;〃   was   our  hero's   reply。  〃It's   a
  nice location; and the gas machine needs cleaning。 We can do it here; and
  maybe I can get some more pictures。〃
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  They were busy the rest of the day on the gas generator; but the main
  body of natives did not come back; and the Englishmen seemed to have
  disappeared。
  Everyone slept soundly that night。 So soundly; in fact; that the sun was
  very   high   when   Koku   was   the   first   to   awaken;   His   head   felt   strangely
  dizzy; and he wondered at a queer smell in the room he had to himself。
  〃Nobody  up   yet;〃   he   exclaimed   in   surprise;   as   he   staggered   into   the
  main cabin。 There; too; was the strange; sweetish; sickly smell。 〃Mr。 Tom;
  where you be? Time to get up!〃 the giant called to his master; as he went
  in; and gently shook the young inventor by the shoulder。
  〃Eh?     What's    that?  What's    the   matter?〃    began    Tom;    and   then   he
  suddenly  sat   up。   〃Oh;   my  head!〃   he   exclaimed;   putting   his   hands   to   his
  aching temples。
  〃And that queer smell!〃 added Ned; who was also awake now。
  〃Bless    my    talcum   powder!〃     cried   Mr。   Damon。     〃I  have   a  splitting
  headache。〃
  〃Hum!   Chloroform;   if   I'm   any   judge!〃   called   Mr。   Nestor   from   his
  berth。
  〃Chloroform!〃 cried Tom; staggering to his feet。 〃I wonder〃 He did not
  finish his sentence; but made his way to the room where his camera was
  kept。 〃It's gone!〃 he cried。 〃We have been chloroformed in the night; and
  some one has taken my Wizard Camera。〃
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  CHAPTER XX
  AFTER THE ENGLISHMEN
  〃The camera gone!〃 gasped Ned。
  〃Did they chloroform us?〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon。 〃Bless my〃 but for
  one of the few times in his life; he did not know what to bless。
  〃Get   all   the   fresh   air   you   can;〃   hastily   advised   Mr。   Nestor。   〃Koku;
  open all the doors and windows;〃 for; though it was hot during the day in
  the jungle; the nights were cool; and the airship was generally closed up。
  With the inrush of the fresh air every one soon felt better。
  〃Is   anything   else   gone?〃   asked   Ned;   as   he   followed   Tom   into   the
  camera room。
  〃Yes; several rolls of unexposed films。 Oh; if only they haven't got too
  much of a start! I'll get it away from them!〃 declared Tom with energy。
  〃From who? Who took it?〃 asked Ned。
  〃Those Englishmen; of course! Who else? I believe they are in the pay
  of Turbot and Eckert。 Their taking pictures was only a bluff! They got on
  my trail and stuck to it。 The delays we had; gave them a chance to catch up
  to us。 They came over to the airship; to pretend to borrow films; just to get
  a look at the place; and size it up; so they could chloroform us; and get the
  camera。〃
  〃I believe you're right;〃 declared Mr。 Nestor。 〃We must get after those
  scoundrels as quickly as possible!〃
  〃Bless my shoulder braces!〃 cried Mr。 Damon。 〃How do you imagine
  they worked that trick on us?〃
  〃Easily   enough;〃   was   Mr。   Nestor's   opinion。   〃We   were   all   dead   tired
  last night; and slept like tops。 They watched their chance; sneaked up; and
  got in。 After that it was no hard matter to chloroform each one of us in turn;
  and    they   had  the  ship  to  themselves。    They   looked    around;    found   the
  camera; and made off with it。〃
  〃Well;  I'm  going   to   get   right   after   them!〃   cried Tom。  〃Ned;   start   the
  motor。 I'll steer for a while。〃
  〃Hold on! Wait a minute;〃 suggested Mr。 Nestor。 〃I wouldn't go off in
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  the ship just yet;~ Tom。〃
  〃Why not?〃
  〃Because you don't know which way to go。 We must find out which
  trail the Englishmen took。 They have African porters with them; and those
  porters doubtless know some of the blacks around here。 We must inquire
  of the natives   which   way  the  porters   went;  in carrying   the goods   of  our
  rivals; for those Englishmen would not abandon camp without taking their
  baggage with them。〃
  〃That's so;〃 admitted the young inventor。 〃That will be the best plan。
  Once I find which way they have gone I can easily overtake them in the
  airship。 And when I find 'em〃 Tom paused significantly。
  〃Me help you fix 'em!〃 cried Koku; clenching his big fist。
  〃They will probably figure it out that you will take after them;〃 said
  Mr。 Nestor; 〃but they may not count on you doing it in the Flyer; and so
  they may not try to hide。 It isn't going to be an easy matter to pick a small
  party out of the jungle though; Tom。〃
  〃Well; I've done more difficult things in my airships;〃 spoke our hero。
  〃I'll   fly   low;   and   use   the   glass。   I   guess   we   can   pick   out   their   crowd   of
  porters; though they won't have many。 Oh; my camera! I hope they won't
  damage it。〃
  〃They  won't;〃   was   Ned's   opinion。   〃It's   too   valuable。 They  want   it   to
  take pictures with; themselves。〃
  〃Maybe。 I hope they don't open it; and see how it's made。 And I'm glad
  I thought to hide the picture films I've taken so far。 They didn't get those
  away from us; only some of the blank。 ones;〃 and Tom looked again in a
  secret closet。 where he kept the battle…films; and the others; in the dark; to
  prevent them from being light…stru