CHAPTER VII
FIRE ON BOARD
"Your electric rifles!" exclaimed Ned Newton, as he followed hischum to the storeroom, where Tom kept a number of spare guns. "It'sa good thing you thought of them, Tom."
"Yes, I didn't think we'd need them, for I believe peaceable meansare the best to use on natives. But if there's a war, and we have todefend ourselves against the tribes, we'll take along something thatwill do more damage than an ordinary rifle, and yet I can regulateit so that it will only stun, and not kill."
"That's the stuff, Tom. No use in being needlessly cruel. How manywill you take?"
"Two or three. We may need 'em all."
A little later the two lads returned to the library where Mr. Damon,Mr. Swift and the circus man were anxiously awaiting them. Mr.Preston looked curiously at several objects which Tom and Nedcarried. The objects looked like guns but were different from anythe giant-seeker had seen.
"What are they?" he asked Tom.
"Electric rifles. One of my inventions," and Tom showed how theweapon worked. Those of you who have read the volume entitled, "TomSwift and His Electric Rifle" will remember this curious weapon. Itwas worked by a stored charge of magnetism of the wireless kind. Bythis a concentrated globule of electricity was projected from themuzzle, and it could be made strong or weak at the will of themarksman. It could be made so powerful that it would totallyannihilate a whale, as Tom had once proved, or it could be made somild that it would put an enemy, or several of them, to sleep almostas gently as some narcotic, and they would awaken after severalhours, little the worse for their experience.
A charge of electricity as powerful as five thousand volts could beconcentrated into a small wireless globule the size of a bullet, andthis would fly through space, or even through solid objects until,reaching the limit of the range set, would strike the object aimedat. With his wonderful electric rifle Tom had not only killedelephants, and other big game, but fought off the red pygmies ofAfrica.
"And we may have a use for it in South America," he added as heexplained the workings to Mr. Preston.
"Well, I'm glad you didn't back out," commented the circus man, "andthis may come in mighty handy. I'll feel easier about you now, Tom,when I know you have some electric rifles with you."
The circus man was told of what Eradicate had said to Andy, but hewas of the opinion that no harm would result from it.
"As far as I can learn," went on Mr. Preston, "my old rival Waydellhas given up the giant idea. He is looking for a two-headedcrocodile, said to be somewhere along the Nile river, and he'sfitting out an expedition there I understand. I guess we won't bebothered with him. But the giant for mine! If I get that sort of anattraction his two-headed crocodile won't be in it. I hope you haveluck, Tom Swift."
The last details of the expedition were considered. Nothing seemedto have been left undone, and though carrying the electric rifleswould make a little more baggage, no one minded that.
"I kin carry dem," said Eradicate. "I ain't got much baggage of mahown."
So it was arranged, and early the next morning the little band ofintrepid travelers, who were going in search of giant land, startedfor New York. They little knew what was ahead of them, nor what direperils they were to pass through.
Of course Tom had said good-bye to Mary Nestor and half-jokingly, hehad promised to bring back a giant of his own, that she might seeone outside of a circus.
"But, Tom," Mary exclaimed with a laugh, "what will you do with oneof the big creatures if you get one?"
"Have him help me on my newest invention--the noiseless airship,"answered the young inventor. "I need some one to lift heavy weights.It will save putting up a derrick. Yes, I think I'll get a giant ofmy own."
The last good-byes were said, and the parting between Tom and hisfather was affecting.
"I'll soon be back, dad," he said in as cheerful a tone as he couldassume, "and I'll help you finish your gyroscope."
"I hope you will, Tom," and then, with a pressure of his son's hand,Mr. Swift turned away and went into the house, closing the doorafter him.
The first part of the trip to New York was rather a silent one, noone caring to talk much. Eradicate was the only cheerful member ofthe party, which included the circus man, who was going as far asthe steamer with Tom and his friends.
"Say," Ned exclaimed finally, "any one would think we were going toa funeral!"
"That's right," agreed Tom. "I guess something is on all our nerves.Let's do something to take it off. Here comes a boy with some funnypapers. We'll buy some and read all the jokes."
This proved a diversion, and before the train had gone many milesmore the giant-hunters were talking and laughing as though they weremerely starting on a short pleasure trip, instead of an expeditionto the dangerous jungles of South America.
They put up at a good hotel in New York, and as soon as they wereestablished Tom and Mr. Preston went to the steamer Calaban whichwas to land them at Buenos Ayres. They found that there was someconfusion about their luggage and boxes, and it took them the betterpart of a day to get the tangle straightened out, and their stuffstored together in one hold.
"It will be easier to get it out if it's all together," said Tom, atthe conclusion of their labors, and then he and the circus manreturned to the hotel. The ship was to sail two days later, and,several hours before the time set for the departure, Tom and hisfriends were on board.
"You don't see anything of your rival circus friend, do you?" askedTom, of the man who wanted a giant.
"Not a sign," was the answer, as Mr. Preston glanced over the throngof on-coming passengers. "I guess we've either given him the slip,or he's given up the game. You won't have to worry about him. Justtake it easy until you start for the interior, and from then onyou'll have hard work enough."
The last of the cargo was being taken aboard, the late passengershad arrived and were anxiously watching to see that their baggagewas not lost. As Mr. Preston stood talking with Tom near thegangplank, a clerical looking gentleman approached the circus man.
"I beg your pardon," he began in mild accents, "but could you tellme where my stateroom is?" and he showed his ticket. "I'm not usedto traveling," he needlessly added for that fact was very evident.Mr. Preston informed him how to get to his berth, and the gentlemanwent on: "Are you going all the way to Buenos Ayres?"
"No, but my friend is," and the circus man nodded at Tom.
"Oh, I'm so glad!" the stranger exclaimed. "Then I shall havesomeone of whom I can ask questions. I am quite lost when I travel."
"I'll help you all I can," volunteered Tom, "and I'll show you toyour stateroom now."
"Ah, thank you. Your name is--"
"Tom Swift," supplied the young inventor.
"Ah, yes, I believe I have read about your airships. I am theReverend Josiah Blinderpool. I am taking a little vacation. I trustwe shall become good friends."
"Humph, he's a regular infant, to be away from civilization," musedTom, when he had showed the clergyman to the proper stateroom."He'll get into trouble, he's so innocent." If he could have seenthat same "clergyman" double up with mirth when he had closed hisstateroom door after him, Tom would not have felt so sure about thatsame "innocence."
"To think that I was talking face to face with Sam Preston and henever tumbled to who I was!" exclaimed the newcomer softly. "That'srich! Now if I play my cards right I shouldn't be surprised but whatthey'd invite me to come along with them. That would just suit me. Iwouldn't have any trouble then, getting on the track of thosegiants. The information Waydell got from that red-haired Foger chapwasn't any too definite," and once more the man wearing the garb ofa minister chuckled.
"Well, I'll say good-bye," remarked Mr. Preston, a little later,when the warning bell had rung. "I guess you'll get along all right.I haven't seen a sign of Waydell, or any of his slick agents. You'llhave no trouble I guess."
But if the circus man could have seen the "clergyman" at that sametime looking over letters addressed to "H
ank Delby," and signed"Wayland Waydell" he would not have been so confident.
Mr. Preston bade good-bye to his friends, the gangplank was hauledup, and a hoarse blast came from the whistle of the Calaban.
"Bless my pocketbook!" cried Mr. Damon. "We're off!"
"Yep, off t' git dat big, giant orchard plant," chimed in Eradicate.
"Hush!" exclaimed Tom, who did not like the use of the word "giant"even in that connection. "Don't tell everyone our business, Rad."
"Dat's right, Massa Tom. I clean done forgot dat it's a sort ofsecret. I'll keep mighty still 'bout it."
The Calaban swung out into the river and began steaming down thebay.
The first week of the voyage was uneventful. The weather wasexceptionally fine, and hardly any one was seasick. The Reverend Mr.Blinderpool was often on deck, and he made it a point to cultivatethe acquaintance of Tom and his friends. In spite of the fact thathe said he had traveled very little, he seemed to know much abouthidden corners of the world, but always, as on an occasion when hehad accidentally let slip some remark that showed he had been infar-off China or Asia, he would suddenly change the conversationwhen it verged to travel.
"There's something queer about that minister," said Ned after one ofthese occasions, "but I can't decide what it is."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Tom, who rather liked the man.
"No nonsense about it. Why should a minister take a trip like thiswhen he isn't sick, and when he isn't going to establish a missionin South America? There's something queer about it, for, by his ownwords he just took this voyage as a whim."
"Oh, you're too fussy," declared Tom; and for the time the subjectwas dropped.
They ran into a storm when about ten days out, and for a while theyhad a rough time of it, and then the weather cleared again.
It was one evening, after the formal dinner, when Tom and Ned werestrolling about on deck, before turning in, that, the quiet of theship was broken by what is always an alarming cry at sea.
"Fire! Fire!" shouted a man, pointing to a thin wisp of smokecurling up from the deck amidships.
"Keep quiet!" yelled one of the stewards. "It is nothing!"
"It's a fire, I tell you!" insisted the man, and several others tookup the cry.
A panic was imminent, and the captain came running from hisquarters.
"What is it?" he asked.
An officer hurried to his side, and said something but in such a lowvoice that Tom, who was standing close beside the two, scarcelyheard it. But he did hear this:
"There's a fire, sir, in hold number seventeen. We have turned thehose in there, and the pumps are working."
"Very good, Mr. Meld. Now try and quiet the passengers. Tell them itdoesn't amount to much, and if it does we can flood thatcompartment."
Tom started at that.
"Come on, Ned!" he cried, grabbing his chum by the arm.
"Why, what's up? What's the matter?"
"Matter? Matter enough! The fire is in the hold where all our stuffis stored, and if the flames reach that box I packed last--well, Iwouldn't give much for the ship!" and fairly dragging his chumalong, Tom raced for the place where the smoke was now coming up inthicker clouds.