Islands in the Air | Page 6

wild and fantastic as the Professor's scheme itself.
Airplanes began to circle and maneuver above us during every hour of
the day and night. But we spread canvasses over the most important
machinery where the men worked unobserved.
By the fifteenth of November everything was at last complete. I shall
never forget the day, the crazy delight of the Professor as he went about
testing the intricate machines, the air of awe and mystery that kept the
workmen silent, and my own wonder, enthusiasm and yet doubt that
the experiment would succeed. Thus far the project had cost me a mint
of money which I did not begrudge, if the thing only proved a success.
But how could such a thing succeed?
I roamed about over the great artificial island, looking over the
wonderful oscillators, condensers, transformers, and so on. I knew their
office but vaguely, knowing only that they transmitted the power to
operate the gravity deflector. Their number and size were bewildering
surrounded as they were by diverse other machinery whose nature I
could not guess.
At each corner and in its center the island rested on a solid copper pier
ten feet in height and about a foot in diameter, and at the points of
contact on the island itself were magnet-like apparatus. On the ground
near each pier was a dynamo whose current was supplied by a central
power-house. There were also many amplifiers and projectors of
peculiar construction. The whole fabric beneath my feet with its
network of wires and steel and machinery was so heavy that the idea of
projecting it into the sky and holding it there suspended like a great
captive balloon without the aid of gas or lifting wings appalled me.
Only my faith in the Professor's uncanny power made me hope it might
succeed.

Not a plane was to be seen in the sky save Greta's which kept diving
and circling far above us, and it was still too early for the curious
crowds from town. Except the workmen, the Professor and myself there
was not a soul in sight. The Professor confided to me that he was glad
we were alone. I understood. If the thing should fail he would save
himself from the ridicule of the world.
When all was in readiness the Professor, looking very grave and a little
pale, beckoned to me silently, and I followed him up the ladder on
board the island. He had just been over the whole thing thoroughly and
had given last minute instructions to his engineers.
"If anything happens, Bob," he said quietly, "Greta will pick us up with
the plane. But I don't look for anything untoward to happen," he added
confidently.
We paused near the center of the island. The Professor gave a final look
around and over this marvelous child of his brain.
"God, how I wish McCann were here to share the glory with us," he
said sadly. "Poor McCann, some dire tragedy must have overtaken him.
I would give anything now to recall my harsh words."
Then he put a whistle to his lips and blew shrilly. For the fraction of a
second nothing happened, then the fabric beneath us trembled. There
was a hiss, a sputter, an upward flash of fire, a shower of sparks
through the frame-work, a drone of the dynamos, like the hum of a
million bees, and we began to move. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at
first, then we shot upward with sickening suddenness. Up, up we went
on a level keel. I felt but a slight tremor and only the rush of air
proclaimed that we were rushing heavenward with terrible speed.
The Professor grabbed me and hugged me in a frenzy of joy, for the
time being too much overcome to speak. And all I could do was to stare
at him in speechless wonder. Suddenly he drew back and touched a
button on the corner mast. Instantly our motion was arrested. The
island rocked gently a few times, then came to rest without a jar. The
altimeter showed us to be up one thousand feet. Looking down through

the steel work I saw the workmen staring up at us. There we rode in the
air as steady as a duck on a millpond, sustained by the invisible force of
gravitation.
Greta landed her plane, rushed up and embraced her brother.
"Oh, Gustave," she cried, "I did not think you could do it--I am so sorry
that I ever doubted you; that I--" She paused as she looked away a dark
shadow in her eyes.
"Never mind," said the Professor.
"Oh, Bob, isn't this wonderful?" she said turning to me.
"It is more than that. At a time like this, words fail us."
"I am wondering whether I dare try a