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tom swift and his wizard camera(汤姆·史威夫特和他的女巫相机)-第37章

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themselves   most   of   the   time;   though   the   scenery  was   magnificent。 They 

sailed over Quito; that city on the equator; and; a little later; they passed 

above the Cotopaxi and Chimbarazo volcanoes。 But neither of them was in 

action。    The    Andes     Mountains;      as   you   all  know;    has   many     volcanoes 

scattered   along   the   range。   Lima   was   the   next   large   city;   and   there   Tom 

made a descent to inquire about the burning mountain he was shortly to 

photograph。 

     〃It   will   soon   be   in   action;〃   the   United   States   counsel   said。   〃I   had   a 

letter   from   a   correspondent   near   there   only   yesterday;   and   he   said   the 

people   in   the   town   were   getting   anxious。   They   are   fearing   a   shower   of 

burning      ashes;     or   that   the   eruption     may     be    accompanied        by    an 

earthquake。〃 

     〃Good!〃 cried Tom。 〃Oh; I don't mean it exactly that way;〃 he hastened 

to add; as he saw the counsel looking queerly at him。 〃I meant that I could 

get   pictures   of   both   earthquake   and   volcano   then。   I   don't   wish   the   poor 

people any harm。〃 

     〃Well; you're the first one I ever saw who was anxious to get next door 

to   a   volcano;〃   remarked   the   counsel。   〃Hold   on;   though;   that's   not   quite 

right。 I heard yesterday that a couple of young fellows passed through here 

on   their   way  to   the   same   place。   Come   to   think   of   it;   they   were   moving 

picture men; also。〃 

     〃Great Scott!〃 cried Tom。 〃Those must be my rivals; I'll wager。 I must 

get right on the job。 Thanks for the information;〃 and hurrying front the 

office he joined his friends on the airship。 and was soon aloft again。 



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     〃Look; Tom; what's   that?〃 cried Ned;  about noon the  next day  when 

the   Flyer;   according     to  their  calculations    must   be   nearing   the   city  of 

Arequipa。 〃See that black cloud over there。 I hope it isn't a tornado; or a 

cyclone; or whatever they call the big wind storms down here。〃 

     Tom;     and   the  others;   looked    to  where    Ned   pointed。    There    was   a 

column of dense smoke hovering in the air; lazily swirling this way and 

that。 The airship was rapidly approaching it。 

     〃Why  that〃 began Tom;  but   before   he   could   complete   the sentence 

the smoke was blown violently upward。 It became streaked with fire; and; 

a moment later; there was the echo of a tremendous explosion。 

     〃The volcano!〃 cried Tom。 〃The Arequipa volcano! We're here just in 

time; for she's in eruption now! Come on; Ned; help me get out the camera! 

Mr。 Damon; you and Mr。 Nestor manage the airship! Put us as close as you 

dare! I'm going to get some crackerjack pictures!〃 

     Once more came a great report。 

     〃Bless   my   toothpick!〃   gasped   Mr。   Damon。   〃This   is   awful!〃 And   the 

airship   rushed   on   toward   the   volcano   which   could   be   plainly   seen   now; 

belching forth fire; smoke and ashes。 



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                          CHAPTER XXIV 



                                THE MOLTEN RIVER 



       〃Whew!〃   gasped   Ned;   as   he   stood   beside   Tom   in   the   bow   of   the 

airship。 〃What's that choking us; Tom?〃 

     〃Sulphur; I guess; and gases from the volcano。 The wind blew 'em over 

this way。 They're not dangerous; as long as there is no carbonic acid gas 

given off; and I don't smell any of that; yet。 Say; Ned; it's erupting all right; 

isn't it?〃 

     〃I should say so!〃 cried his chum。 

     〃Put us a little to one side; Mr。 Damon;〃 called Tom to his friend; who 

was in the pilot house。 〃I can't get good pictures through so much smoke。 

〃It's clearer off to the left。〃 

     〃Bless my bath robe!〃 cried the odd man。 〃You're as cool about it; Tom; 

as though you were just in an ordinary race; at an aeroplane meet。〃 

     〃And why shouldn't I be?〃 asked our hero with a laugh; as he stopped 

the mechanism of the camera until he should have a clearer view of the 

volcano。 〃There's not much danger up here; but I want to get some views 

from the level; later; and then〃 

     〃You   don't   get   me   down   there!〃   interrupted   Mr。   Nestor;   with   a   grim 

laugh。 

     They were now hovering over the volcano; but high enough up so that 

none of the great stones that were being thrown out could reach them。 The 

column   of   black   smoke;   amid   which   could   be   seen   the   gleams   of   the 

molten   fires   in   the   crater;   rolled   toward   them;   and   the   smell   of   sulphur 

became stronger。 

     But when; in accordance with Tom's suggestion; the airship had been 

sent over to one side; they were clear of the vapor and the noxious gas。 

Then; too; a better view could be had of the volcano below them。 

     〃Hold   her   down!〃   cried   Tom;   as   he   got   in   a   good   position;   and   the 

propellers were slowed down so that they just overcame the influence of a 

slight wind。 Thus the Flyer hovered in the air; while below her the volcano 

belched forth red…hot rocks; some of them immense in size; and quantities 



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of hot ashes and cinders。 Tom had the camera going again now; and there 

was   every   prospect   of   getting   a   startling   and   wonderful;   as   well   as   rare 

series of moving pictures。 

     〃Wow! That was a big one!〃 cried Ned; as an unusually large mass of 

rocks was thrown out; and the column of fire and smoke ascended nearly 

to the hovering craft。 A moment later came an explosion; louder than any 

that had preceded。 〃We'd better be going up; hadn't we Tom?〃 his chum 

asked。 

     〃A little;  yes;  but not   too   far。  I   want to get   as   many  near   views   as   I 

can。〃 

     〃Bless my overshoes!〃 gasped Mr。 Damon; as he heard Tom say that。 

Then he sent some of the vapor from the generating machine into the gas 

bag; and the Flyer arose slightly。 

     Ned   looked   in   the   direction   of   the   town;   but   could   not   see   it;   on 

account of the haze。 Then he directed his attention to the terrifying sight 

below him。 

     〃It's a good thing it isn't very near the city;〃 he said to Tom; who was 

engaged in watching the automatic apparatus of the camera; to see when 

he would have to put in a fresh film。 〃It wouldn't take much of this sort of 

thing   to   destroy  a   big   city。   But   I   don't   see   any  streams   of   burning   lava; 

such as they always say come out of a volcano。〃 

     〃It isn't time for that yet;〃 replied Tom。 〃The
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