Part 21 (1/2)
”I'm going to take back some slices of peaches with me, anyhow,” Mark said, and he and Jack cut off enough to make several meals, while Bill, Tom and Was.h.i.+ngton took along all they could carry.
As they walked back toward the s.h.i.+p the strange lights seemed to be dying out. At first they hardly noticed this, but as they continued on it became quite gloomy, and an odd sort of gloom it was too, first green, then yellow, then red and then blue.
”I believe whatever serves as a sun down here is setting,” the professor observed. ”We must hurry. I don't want to be caught out here after dark.”
They hurried on, the lights dying out more and more, until, as they came in sight of their s.h.i.+p, it was so black they could hardly see.
Mark who was in the rear turned around, glancing behind him. As he did so he caught sight of a gigantic shadow moving along on top of the nearest hill. The shadow was not unlike that of a man in shape, but of such gigantic stature that Mark knew it could be like no human being he had ever seen. At the same time it bore a curious resemblance to the weird shadow he had seen slip into the Mermaid that night before they sailed.
”I wonder if it can be the same--the same thing--grown larger, just as the peach grows larger than those in our world,” Mark thought, while a s.h.i.+ver of fear seemed to go over him. ”I wonder if that--that thing could have been on the s.h.i.+p----”
Then the last rays of light died away and there was total darkness.
CHAPTER XX
OVERHAULING THE s.h.i.+P
”KEEP together!” shouted the professor. ”It will not do to become lost now. We are close to the s.h.i.+p, and will soon be there. Come after me.”
It was more by following the sound of the scientist's voice, than by any sight which the others could get of him, that they managed to trail along behind. They reached the s.h.i.+p in safety, however, and entered. There was no sound as of beasts or insects within, and, though Mark felt a little apprehensive on account of what he had seen, he and the others as well, were glad to be again in something that seemed like home.
”I wish we had some candles, or some sort of a light to see by,” the professor remarked. ”We can do nothing in the dark, and there is no telling how long this night is going to last once it has set in. If I could have a little illumination, I might be able to fix the dynamo, and then we could turn on the incandescents. That portable light we had is broken.
”By cracky!” exclaimed Andy. ”I believe I have the very thing!”
”You don't mean to say you have a torch or a candle with you, do you?”
asked Mr. Henderson.
”No, but I have my patent pipe lighting apparatus,” the hunter said.
”I always carry it. It gives a little light, but not much, though it may be enough to work by.”
Not until after several hours work, handicapped as they were by lack of light, were the repairs to the s.h.i.+p completed.
”Now we'll start the engine and see how we will come out,” the inventor exclaimed, as he wiped his hands on some waste.
It did not take long to generate enough power to turn the dynamo. Soon the familiar hum and whirr was heard, and, a few seconds later the filaments in the lamps began to glow a dull red, which gradually brightened until they were s.h.i.+ning in all their usual brilliancy.
”Hurrah!” cried the boys. ”Now we can see!”
They all felt in better spirits with the restoration of the lights, and, was.h.i.+ng off the grease and dirt of their labors in the engine room, they prepared to sit down to the meal which Was.h.i.+ngton prepared.
As soon as the dynamo was working well, care had to be taken not to speed it too much on account of a mended belt. The professor turned off part of the lights and switched some of the current into the storage batteries, to provide for emergencies. For there was no telling how long the night might last.
Jack was the first one to finish the meal--they did not know whether to call it dinner, supper or breakfast. He went into the conning tower, and, as soon as he reached it he called out: