Five Thousand Miles Underground | Page 3

the boys, Washington and Bill and Tom
could give, since the two latter accepted an offer of the professor to remain and work for
him. The boys, of course, would not leave their friend.
The professor realized that he had a more difficult task in his new venture than he had set
himself on other occasions. For a ship to be light enough to rise in the air, and, at another
time, and with no change, to be strong enough to navigate the ocean, was indeed
something to tax Mr. Henderson's ingenuity.
However, in the course of a little over a year the larger part of the work was done. Inside
the big shed was the huge affair which, it was hoped, would enable its owner to be master
of both air and water.
"Did the professor say anything special?" asked Mark of Washington.
"Nope. I reckon he were too busy problamatin' the exact altitude projected in an inverse
direction by th' square root of th' new engine when operated at a million times inside of a
few seconds, but he didn't say nothin' t' me. I were busy underneath th' ship, fixin' bolts
when he tole me t' find yo'. I wouldn't be s'prised if he had th' thing goin' soon."
"Do you think he'll be generating the new gas to-day?" asked Jack eagerly. "That's the
most troublesome part; to get that gas right."
"He didn't say nothin' t' me 'bout it," Washington stated, as he walked along beside the
two boys. "He jest seemed anxious like."
"We'd better hurry," advised Mark. "He may be at an important part in his experiments
and probably needs us. I hope it will work. He has spent many days on it, and we all have
worked hard. It ought to be a success."
"Perfesser allers makes things work," declared Washington stoutly.
"That's a good way to feel about it, anyway," observed Mark. "Well, we'll soon know."
The three hurried to the shed which they could see as they rounded a turn of the path

through the wood. They noticed an elderly man approaching with a gun on his shoulder.
On one arm he carried a game bag.
"Guess Andy got something for dinner," remarked Jack.
"I hopes so, honey," put in Washington. "I'se got a sort of gone feelin' in my stomach!"
"Any luck, Andy?" called Mark, when he came within hailing distance.
"Fine," replied Andy Sudds. "Rabbits and quail. We'll have a good dinner to-morrow."
While Andy entered the living part of the big shed to put away his gun and game, the
boys and Washington kept on to the engine room. They found the professor, with Bill and
Tom, busy fitting pipes to the small engine which was set up at one side of the structure.
"Come, boys, I need your aid," remarked Mr. Henderson as they entered. "Take off your
coats and pitch in. Tighten up these bolts, Jack. Mark, you mix up those chemicals the
way I taught you, and see that the dynamo is in working order for Washington to attend
to."
In a little while the shop was a veritable hive of industry, and it resounded to the sound of
hammers, wrenches and machinery. In the background was the big ship, which seemed
like two immense cigars, one above the other, the lower one the larger.
"Where was you calalatin' t' take this here ship when it gits done, Perfesser?" asked
Washington, during a lull in the operations.
"Do you remember that big hole in the island we visited on our trip to the south pole?"
"I suah does," answered the colored man.
"We are going to explore that," went on the scientist. "We are going to make a voyage to
the interior of the earth in our Flying Mermaid."
"Go down into th' earth!" exclaimed Washington, his eyes big with fright.
"Certainly; why not?"
"Not for mine!" cried the colored man, dropping the wrench he was holding. "No sire I'm
not goin' t' project myself int' a grave while I'se alive. Time enough when I kicks th'
bucket. No sir! If yo' an' the boys wants t' risk yo' se'ves goin' down int' th' interior of th'
earth, where th' Bible says there's fiery furnaces, yo' kin go, but Washington White stays
on terra cotta! That's where he stays; He ain't ready t' be buried, not jest yet!" and the
frightened colored man started to leave the shed.

CHAPTER II
THE FLYING MERMAID
"HERE! Stop him!" cried Professor Henderson. "Don't let him get away. We still need
his help to get the ship in shape. He needn't be frightened. We're not going to start at
once."
Mark and Jack ran after Washington, whose progress was somewhat impeded because he
kept looking back as if he feared the