Produced by Jim Weiler and Roger Frank
[Illustration: THE FLYING MERMAID SANK LOWER AND LOWER TOWARD THE
MYSTERIOUS HOLE.]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Five Thousand Miles Underground
Or
The Mystery of the Centre of the Earth
BY
ROY ROCKWOOD
Author of "Through the Air to the North Pole," "Under
the Ocean to the South Pole," "The Rival
Ocean Divers," Etc.
ILLUSTRATED
NEW YORK
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GOOD BOOKS FOR BOYS
By Roy Rockwood
THE GREAT MARVEL SERIES
THROUGH THE AIR TO THE NORTH POLE
Or The Wonderful Cruise of the Electric Monarch
UNDER THE OCEAN TO THE SOUTH POLE
Or The Strange Cruise of the Submarine Wonder
FIVE THOUSAND MILES UNDERGROUND
Or The Mystery of the Centre of the Earth
Cloth. Illustrated
Price per volume, 60 cents
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright, 1908, by
Cupples & Leon Company
Five Thousand Miles Underground
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENTS
I WASHINGTON BACKS OUT
II THE FLYING MERMAID
III WASHINGTON DECIDES
IV WHAT DID MARK SEE?
V ATTACKED BY A WHALE
VI THE CYCLONE
VII A QUEER SAIL
VIII THE FLYING MERMAID DISABLED
IX THE MUTINY
X FOOLING THEIR ENEMIES
XI MYSTERIOUS HAPPENINGS
XII THE BIG HOLE
XIII DOWN INTO THE EARTH
XIV MANY MILES BELOW
XV IN THE STRANGE DRAUGHT
XVI THE NEW LAND
XVII A STRANGE COUNTRY
XVIII CAUGHT BY A STRANGE PLANT
XIX THE BIG PEACH
XX OVERHAULING THE SHIP
XXI THE FISH THAT WALKED
XXII THE SNAKE-TREE
XXIII THE DESERTED VILLAGE
XXIV THE GIANTS
XXV HELD BY THE ENEMY
XXVII A FRIEND INDEED
XXVII A GREAT JOURNEY
XXVIII THE TEMPLE OF TREASURE
XXIX BACK HOME--CONCLUSION
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FIVE THOUSAND MILES UNDERGROUND
CHAPTER I
WASHINGTON BACKS OUT
"Washington! I say Washington!"
Throughout a big shed, filled for the most part with huge pieces of
machinery, echoed the voice of Professor Amos Henderson. He did not look
up from a small engine over which he was bending.
"Washington! Where are you? Why don't you answer me?"
From somewhere underneath an immense pile of iron, steel and aluminum
came the voice of a colored man.
"Yas sir, Perfesser, I'se goin' t' saggasiate my bodily presence in yo'
contiguous proximity an' attend t' yo' immediate conglomerated
prescriptions at th' predistined period. Yas, sir!"
"Well, Washington, if you had started when you began that long speech
you would have been at least half way here by this time. Hurry up! Never
mind tightning those bolts now. Find the boys. I need them to help me
with this engine. They must be around somewhere."
"I seen 'em goin' fishin' down by th' brook a little while ago,"
answered the negro, crawling out from under what seemed to be a combined
airship and watercraft. "Jack says as how yo' gived him permission t'
occupy his indisputatious period of levity in endeavorin' t' extract
from th' liquid element some specimens of swimmin' creatures."
"If you mean I said he and Mark could go fishing in the brook, you're
right, Washington," replied the professor with a smile. "But you waste a
lot of time and breath trying to say it. Why don't you give up using big
words?"
"I reckon I was brought up t' it," replied the colored man grinning from
ear to ear. He did not always use big words but when he did they were
generally the wrong ones. Sometimes, he spoke quite correctly.
"Well, I suppose you can't help it," resumed Mr. Henderson. "However,
never mind that. Find the boys and send them to me."
"With th' least appreciatableness amount of postponement," answered the
messenger, and he went out.
Washington White, who in color was just the opposite to his name, a
general helper and companion to Professor Henderson, found Mark Sampson
and Jack Darrow about a quarter of a mile from the big shed, which was
in the center of a wooded island off the coast of Maine. The lads were
seated on the bank of a small brook, fishing.
"Perfesser wants yo' immediate," said Washington.
"But we haven't caught a single fish," objected Mark.
"Them's the orders from headquarters," replied the colored man. "Yo'
both got t' project yo'selves in th' vicinity of th' machine shop. I
reckon th' new fangled contraption that th' perfesser is goin' t'
navigate th' air an' sail th' angry seas in, am about done. He want's t'
try th' engine."
"Come on then," said Jack. "We probably would not catch any fish,
anyhow, Mark."
Accompanied by Washington, the youths, each of whom was about eighteen
years old, started toward the big shed.
While they are on their way opportunity may be taken to tell a little
about them, as well as about Washington and the professor, and the
curious craft on which the scientist was working.
A few years before this story opens Mr. Henderson had invented a
wonderful electric airship. He had it about completed when, one day, he
and the two boys became unexpectedly acquainted, and, as it developed,
friends.
Mark and Jack were orphans. After having rather a hard time knocking
about the world trying to make a living, they chanced to meet, and
resolved to cast their lots together. They boarded a freight train, and,
as told in the first volume of this series, entitled, "Through the Air
to the North Pole; or the Wonderful Cruise of the Electric Monarch," the
cars were wrecked near where Professor Henderson was building his
strange craft.
The boys were cared for by the scientist, and, after their recovery from
hurts received in the collision, they accepted his invitation to make
the trip through the upper regions in the airship, to search for the
north pole. With them went Andy Sudds, an old hunter, and Tom Smith and
Bill Jones, two farmers, but who were hired as helpers on the voyage.
The party had many adventures on the trip, having battles with savage
animals and more savage Esquimaux, and were tossed about in terrible
storms. After making some scientific observations, which the professor
was much interested in, they started back home.
Having found he could successfully sail in the air, Mr. Henderson
resolved to try what it might be like under water.
He moved his machine shop to a lonely spot on the Maine coast, and
there, with the help of the boys, Washington, Andy and two machinists
constructed a submarine boat, called the _Porpoise_.
In this the professor resolved to seek the south pole, he having a
theory that it was surrounded by an open sea. After much hard work the
_Porpoise_ was made ready for the voyage.
What occurred on this great trip is described in the second book of this
series, called "Under the Ocean to the South Pole, or the Strange Cruise
of the Submarine Wonder." In that is told how once more Tom and Bill,
with Andy, the boys and Washington, accompanying Professor Henderson,
had many thrilling experiences.
They were caught in the grip of the grass of the terrible Sargasso Sea.
Monstrous suckers grasped the boat in their powerful arms, and had to be
fought off. They were caught in a sea of boiling water and imprisoned
between big fields of ice.
By means of strong diving suits they were able to leave the ship and
walk about on the bottom of the sea. They visited a graveyard of sunken
ships, saw many strange monsters as well as many beautiful fish in the
great depths to which they sunk. Many times they were in dire peril but
the resources of the professor, the bravery and daring of the boys, no
less than the help Washington and Andy Sudds, the hunter, rendered at
times, brought them through.
Those of you who read of their adventures will recall the strange island
which they came upon in the Atlantic Ocean, far from the coast of South
America.
When they first drew near this island they were almost sucked into the
depths of a great whirlpool, caused by water pouring down a big hole
that seemed to lead far into the earth. They reversed their ship just in
time.
But, on going to another side of the island they were able to approach
safely, as at this point the great hole was farther from the shore. Then
they landed and investigated.
They found the island was almost circular, and the hole was also round,
but not in the center of the land. It was an immense cavity, so wide
they could not see across, and as for the depth they could only guess at
it. Looking down they could only see rolling masses of vapor and clouds
caused by the water which poured down from the ocean with the force of a
Niagara.
Gazing down into the big hole Mark suggested it might lead to the centre
of the earth, which some scientists claim is hollow. The professor
admitted that the cavity looked as though it led to China.
They had no means of investigating further the mystery of the opening
and returned to their submarine, completing the voyage to the south
pole.
It was now about two years since they had come back from that eventful
trip. One of the first things the professor did, after docking the
_Porpoise_, was to shut himself up in his study and begin to draw plans.
To the questions of the boys he returned no answer for several days.
Then he announced he was working on a craft which could both sail on top
of the water and navigate the air.
In time the plans were done, and, in order to keep the work secret, the
shop was moved to an island which the professor owned.
Parts of the _Monarch_ and the _Porpoise_ were used in constructing the
new craft, so there was no need to get other help than that which 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 sir! 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.