of too light material. When the rim was bent it pressed against the
works and impeded the proper action of the currents. Had you gone to
a civilized country such an accident could not have happened; but to
avoid possible trouble in the future I have prepared a new instrument,
having a stronger case, which I will exchange for the one you now
have."
"That's very kind of you," said Rob, eagerly handing his battered
machine to the Demon and receiving the new one in return. "Are you sure
this will work?"
"It is impossible for you to injure it," answered the other.
"And how about the next three gifts?" inquired the boy, anxiously.
"Before I grant them," replied the Demon, "you must give me a promise
to keep away from uncivilized places and to exhibit your acquirements
only among people of intelligence."
"All right," agreed the boy; "I'm not anxious to visit that island
again, or any other uncivilized country."
"Then I will add to your possessions three gifts, each more precious
and important than the three you have already received."
At this announcement Rob began to quiver with excitement, and sat
staring eagerly at the Demon, while the latter increased in stature and
sparkled and glowed more brilliantly than ever.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_CHAPTER EIGHT_
ROB ACQUIRES NEW POWERS
"I have seen the folly of sending you into the world with an offensive
instrument, yet with no method of defense," resumed the Demon,
presently. "You have knocked over a good many people with that tube
during the past week."
"I know," said Rob; "but I couldn't help it. It was the only way I had
to protect myself."
"Therefore my next gift shall be this Garment of Protection. You must
wear it underneath your clothing. It has power to accumulate and
exercise electrical repellent force. Perhaps you do not know what
that means, so I will explain more fully. When any missile, such as a
bullet, sword or lance, approaches your person, its rush through the
air will arouse the repellent force of which I speak, and this force,
being more powerful than the projective force, will arrest the flight
of the missile and throw it back again. Therefore nothing can touch
your person that comes with any degree of force or swiftness, and you
will be safe from all ordinary weapons. When wearing this Garment
you will find it unnecessary to use the electric tube except on rare
occasions. Never allow revenge or animosity to influence your conduct.
Men may threaten, but they can not injure you, so you must remember
that they do not possess your mighty advantages, and that, because of
your strength, you should bear with them patiently."
Rob examined the garment with much curiosity. It glittered like silver,
yet was soft and pliable as lamb's wool. Evidently the Demon had
prepared it especially for his use, for it was just Rob's size.
"Now," continued the Demon, more gravely, "we approach the subject
of an electrical device so truly marvelous that even I am awed when
I contemplate the accuracy and perfection of the natural laws which
guide it and permit it to exercise its functions. Mankind has as yet
conceived nothing like it, for it requires full knowledge of electrical
power to understand even its possibilities."
The Being paused, and drew from an inner pocket something resembling a
flat metal box. In size it was about four inches by six, and nearly an
inch in thickness.
"What is it?" asked Rob, wonderingly.
"It is an automatic Record of Events," answered the Demon.
"I don't understand," said Rob, with hesitation.
"I will explain to you its use," returned the Demon, "although the
electrical forces which operate it and the vibratory currents which
are the true records must remain unknown to you until your brain has
mastered the higher knowledge of electricity. At present the practical
side of this invention will be more interesting to you than a review of
its scientific construction.
"Suppose you wish to know the principal events that are occurring in
Germany at the present moment. You first turn this little wheel at the
side until the word 'GERMANY' appears in the slot at the small end.
Then open the top cover, which is hinged, and those passing events in
which you are interested will appear before your eyes."
The Demon, as he spoke, opened the cover, and, looking within, the
boy saw, as in a mirror, a moving picture before him. A regiment
of soldiers was marching through the streets of Berlin, and at its
head rode a body of horsemen, in the midst of which was the Emperor
himself. The people who thronged the sidewalks cheered and waved their
hats and handkerchiefs with enthusiasm, while a band of musicians
played a German air, which Rob could distinctly hear.
While he gazed, spell-bound, the scene changed, and he looked upon a
great warship entering a harbor with flying pennants. The rails were
lined with officers and men straining their eyes for the first sight of
their beloved "_Vaterland_" after a long foreign cruise, and a ringing
cheer, as from a thousand throats, came faintly to Rob's ear.
Again the scene changed, and within a dingy, underground room, hemmed
in by walls of stone, and dimly lighted by a flickering lamp, a body of
wild-eyed, desperate men were plighting an oath to murder the Emperor
and overthrow his government.
"Anarchists?" asked Rob, trembling with excitement.
"Anarchists!" answered the Demon, with a faint sneer, and he shut the
cover of the Record with a sudden snap.
"It's wonderful!" cried the boy, with a sigh that was followed by a
slight shiver.
"The Record is, indeed, proof within itself of the marvelous
possibilities of electricity. Men are now obliged to depend upon
newspapers for information; but these can only relate events long after
they have occurred. And newspaper statements are often unreliable
and sometimes wholly false, while many events of real importance are
never printed in their columns. You may guess what an improvement is
this automatic Record of Events, which is as reliable as Truth itself.
Nothing can be altered or falsified, for the vibratory currents convey
the actual events to your vision, even as they happen."
"But suppose," said Rob, "that something important should happen while
I'm asleep, or not looking at the box?"
"I have called this a Record," replied the Demon, "and such it really
is, although I have shown you only such events as are in process of
being recorded. By pressing this spring you may open the opposite
cover of the box, where all events of importance that have occurred
throughout the world during the previous twenty-four hours will appear
before you in succession. You may thus study them at your leisure. The
various scenes constitute a register of the world's history, and may be
recalled to view as often as you desire."
"It's--it's like knowing everything," murmured Rob, deeply impressed
for perhaps the first time in his life.
"It _is_ knowing everything," returned the Demon; "and this mighty gift
I have decided to entrust to your care. Be very careful as to whom you
permit to gaze upon these pictures of passing events, for knowledge may
often cause great misery to the human race."
"I'll be careful," promised the boy, as he took the box reverently
within his own hands.
"The third and last gift of the present series," resumed the Demon,
"is one no less curious than the Record of Events, although it has an
entirely different value. It is a Character Marker."
"What's that?" inquired Rob.
"I will explain. Perhaps you know that your fellow-creatures are more
or less hypocritical. That is, they try to appear good when they are
not, and wise when in reality they are foolish. They tell you they are
friendly when they positively hate you, and try to make you believe
they are kind when their natures are cruel. This hypocrisy seems to be
a human failing. One of your writers has said, with truth, that among
civilized people things are seldom what they seem."
"I've heard that," remarked Rob.
"On the other hand," continued the Demon, "some people with fierce
countenances are kindly by nature, and many who appear to be evil are
in reality honorable and trustworthy. Therefore, that you may judge all
your fellow-creatures truly, and know upon whom to depend, I give you
the Character Marker. It consists of this pair of spectacles. While you
wear them every one you meet will be marked upon the forehead with a
letter indicating his or her character. The good will bear the letter
'G', the evil the letter 'E'. The wise will be marked with a 'W' and
the foolish with an 'F'. The kind will show a 'K' upon their foreheads
and the cruel a letter 'C'. Thus you may determine by a single look the
true natures of all those you encounter."
"And are these, also, electrical in their construction?" asked the boy,
as he took the spectacles.
"Certainly. Goodness, wisdom and kindness are natural forces, creating
character. For this reason men are not always to blame for bad
character, as they acquire it unconsciously. All character sends out
certain electrical vibrations, which these spectacles concentrate
in their lenses and exhibit to the gaze of their wearer, as I have
explained."
"It's a fine idea," said the boy; "who discovered it?"
"It is a fact that has always existed, but is now utilized for the
first time."
"Oh!" said Rob.
"With these gifts, and the ones you acquired a week ago, you are now
equipped to astound the world and awaken mankind to a realization of
the wonders that may be accomplished by natural forces. See that you
employ these powers wisely, in the interests of science, and do not
forget your promise to exhibit your electrical marvels only to those
who are most capable of comprehending them."
"I'll remember," said Rob.
"Then adieu until a week from to-day, when I will meet you here at
this hour and bestow upon you the last three gifts which you are
entitled to receive. Good-by!"
"Good-by!" repeated Rob, and in a gorgeous flash of color the Demon
disappeared, leaving the boy alone in the room with his new and
wonderful possessions.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_CHAPTER NINE_
THE SECOND JOURNEY
By this time you will have gained a fair idea of Rob's character.
He is, in truth, a typical American boy, possessing an average
intelligence not yet regulated by the balance-wheel of experience. The
mysteries of electricity were so attractive to his eager nature that he
had devoted considerable time and some study to electrical experiment;
but his study was the superficial kind that seeks to master only such
details as may be required at the moment. Moreover, he was full of
boyish recklessness and irresponsibility and therefore difficult to
impress with the dignity of science and the gravity of human existence.
Life, to him, was a great theater wherein he saw himself the most
interesting if not the most important actor, and so enjoyed the play
with unbounded enthusiasm.
Aside from the extraordinary accident which had forced the Electrical
Demon into his life, Rob may be considered one of those youngsters
who might possibly develop into a brilliant manhood or enter upon an
ordinary, humdrum existence, as Fate should determine. Just at present
he had no thought beyond the passing hour, nor would he bother himself
by attempting to look ahead or plan for the future.
Yet the importance of his electrical possessions and the stern
injunction of the Demon to use them wisely had rendered the boy more
thoughtful than at any previous time during his brief life, and he
became so preoccupied at the dinner table that his father and mother
cast many anxious looks in his direction.
Of course Rob was anxious to test his newly-acquired powers, and
decided to lose no time in starting upon another journey. But he said
nothing to any of the family about it, fearing to meet with opposition.
He passed the evening in the sitting-room, in company with his father
and mother and sisters, and even controlled his impatience to the
extent of playing a game of carom with Nell; but he grew so nervous and
impatient at last that his sister gave up the game in disgust and left
him to his own amusement.
At one time he thought of putting on the electric spectacles and seeing
what the real character of each member of his family might be; but a
sudden fear took possession of him that he might regret the act forever
afterward. They were his nearest and dearest friends on earth, and in
his boyish heart he loved them all and believed in their goodness and
sincerity. The possibility of finding a bad character mark on any of
their familiar faces made him shudder, and he determined then and there
never to use the spectacles to view the face of a friend or relative.
Had any one, at that moment, been gazing at Rob through the lenses of
the wonderful Character Marker, I am sure a big "W" would have been
found upon the boy's forehead.
When the family circle broke up, and all retired for the night, Rob
kissed his parents and sisters with real affection before going to
his own room. But, on reaching his cozy little chamber, instead of
preparing for bed Rob clothed himself in the Garment of Repulsion. Then
he covered the glittering Garment with his best summer suit of clothes,
which effectually concealed it.
He now looked around to see what else he should take, and thought of an
umbrella, a rain-coat, a book or two to read during the journey, and
several things besides; but he ended by leaving them all behind.
"I can't be loaded down with so much truck," he decided; "and I'm going
into civilized countries, this time, where I can get anything I need."
However, to prevent a recurrence of the mistake he had previously made,
he tore a map of the world and a map of Europe from his geography,
and, folding them up, placed them in his pocket. He also took a small
compass that had once been a watch-charm, and, finally, the contents of
a small iron bank that opened with a combination lock. This represented
all his savings, amounting to two dollars and seventeen cents in dimes,
nickles and pennies.
"It isn't a fortune," he thought, as he counted it up, "but I didn't
need any money the last trip, so perhaps I'll get along somehow. I
don't like to tackle dad for more, for he might ask questions and try
to keep me at home."
By the time he had finished his preparations and stowed all his
electrical belongings in his various pockets, it was nearly midnight
and the house was quiet. So Rob stole down stairs in his stocking feet
and noiselessly opened the back door.
It was a beautiful July night and, in addition to the light of the full
moon, the sky was filled with the radiance of countless thousands of
brilliant stars.
After Rob had put on his shoes he unfolded the map, which was plainly
visible by the starlight, and marked the direction he must take to
cross the Atlantic and reach London, his first stopping place. Then he
consulted his compass, put the indicator of his traveling machine to
the word "up," and shot swiftly into the air. When he had reached a
sufficient height he placed the indicator to a point north of east and,
with a steady and remarkably swift flight, began his journey.
"Here goes," he remarked, with a sense of exaltation, "for another
week of adventure! I wonder what'll happen between now and next
Saturday."
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_CHAPTER TEN_
HOW ROB SERVED A MIGHTY KING
The new traveling machine was a distinct improvement over the old one,
for it carried Rob with wonderful speed across the broad Atlantic.
He fell asleep soon after starting, and only wakened when the sun was
high in the heavens. But he found himself whirling along at a good
rate, with the greenish shimmer of the peaceful ocean waves spread
beneath him far beyond his range of vision.
Being in the track of the ocean steamers it was not long before he
found himself overtaking a magnificent vessel whose decks were crowded
with passengers. He dropped down some distance, to enable him to see
these people more plainly, and while he hovered near he could hear the
excited exclamations of the passengers, who focused dozens of marine
glasses upon his floating form. This inspection somewhat embarrassed
him, and having no mind to be stared at he put on additional speed and
soon left the steamer far behind him.
About noon the sky clouded over, and Rob feared a rainstorm was
approaching. So he rose to a point considerably beyond the clouds,
where the air was thin but remarkably pleasant to inhale and the rays
of the sun were not so hot as when reflected by the surface of the
water.
He could see the dark clouds rolling beneath him like volumes of smoke
from a factory chimney, and knew the earth was catching a severe shower
of rain; yet he congratulated himself on his foresight in not being
burdened with umbrella or rain-coat, since his elevated position
rendered him secure from rain-clouds.
But, having cut himself off from the earth, there remained nothing to
see except the clear sky overhead and the tumbling clouds beneath; so
he took from his pocket the Automatic Record of Events, and watched
with breathless interest the incidents occurring in different parts of
the world. A big battle was being fought in the Philippines, and so
fiercely was it contested that Rob watched its progress for hours, with
rapt attention. Finally a brave rally by the Americans sent their foes
to the cover of the woods, where they scattered in every direction,
only to form again in a deep valley hidden by high hills.
"If only I was there," thought Rob, "I could show that captain where
to find the rebels and capture them. But I guess the Philippines are
rather out of my way, so our soldiers will never know how near they are
to a complete victory."
The boy also found considerable amusement in watching the course of
an insurrection in Venezuela, where opposing armies of well-armed men
preferred to bluster and threaten rather than come to blows.
During the evening he found that an "important event" was Madame
Bernhardt's production of a new play, and Rob followed it from
beginning to end with great enjoyment, although he felt a bit guilty at
not having purchased a ticket.
"But it's a crowded house, anyway," he reflected, "and I'm not taking
up a reserved seat or keeping any one else from seeing the show. So
where's the harm? Yet it seems to me if these Records get to be common,
as the Demon wishes, people will all stay at home and see the shows,
and the poor actors 'll starve to death."
The thought made him uneasy, and he began, for the first time, to
entertain a doubt of the Demon's wisdom in forcing such devices upon
humanity.
The clouds had now passed away and the moon sent her rays to turn the
edges of the waves into glistening showers of jewels.
Rob closed the lid of the wonderful Record of Events and soon fell into
a deep sleep that held him unconscious for many hours.
When he awoke he gave a start of surprise, for beneath him was land.
How long it was since he had left the ocean behind him he could not
guess, but his first thought was to set the indicator of the traveling
machine to zero and to hover over the country until he could determine
where he was.
This was no easy matter. He saw green fields, lakes, groves and
villages; but these might exist in any country. Being still at a great
elevation he descended gradually until he was about twenty feet from
the surface of the earth, where he paused near the edge of a small
village.
At once a crowd of excited people assembled, shouting to one another
and pointing towards him in wonder. In order to be prepared for
emergencies Rob had taken the electric tube from his pocket, and now,
as he examined the dress and features of the people below, the tube
suddenly slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground, where one end
stuck slantingly into the soft earth.
A man rushed eagerly towards it, but the next moment he threw up his
hands and fell upon his back, unconscious. Others who ran to assist
their fallen comrade quickly tumbled into a heap beside him.
[Illustration: A man rushed toward it, but the next moment he threw up
his hands and fell unconscious]
It was evident to Rob that the tube had fallen in such a position that
the button was being pressed continually and a current of electric
fluid issued to shock whoever came near. Not wishing to injure these
people he dropped to the ground and drew the tube from the earth, thus
releasing the pressure upon the button.
But the villagers had now decided that the boy was their enemy, and no
sooner had he touched the ground than a shower of stones and sticks
rained about him. Not one reached his body, however, for the Garment
of Repulsion stopped their flight and returned them to rattle with
more or less force against those who had thrown them--"like regular
boomerangs," thought Rob.
To receive their own blows in this fashion seemed so like magic to
the simple folk that with roars of fear and pain they ran away in all
directions.
"It's no use stopping here," remarked Rob, regretfully, "for I've
spoiled my welcome by this accident. I think these people are Irish, by
their looks and speech, so I must be somewhere in the Emerald Isle."
He consulted his map and decided upon the general direction he should
take to reach England, after which he again rose into the air and
before long was passing over the channel towards the shores of England.
Either his map or compass or his calculations proved wrong, for it was
high noon before, having changed his direction a half dozen times,
he came to the great city of London. He saw at a glance that it would
never do to drop into the crowded streets, unless he wanted to become
an object of public curiosity; so he looked around for a suitable place
to alight.
Near by was a monstrous church that sent a sharp steeple far into the
air. Rob examined this spire and saw a narrow opening in the masonry
that led to a small room where a chime of bells hung. He crept through
the opening and, finding a ladder that connected the belfry with a
platform below, began to descend.
There were three ladders, and then a winding flight of narrow, rickety
stairs to be passed before Rob finally reached a small room in the
body of the church. This room proved to have two doors, one connecting
with the auditorium and the other letting into a side street. Both
were locked, but Rob pointed the electric tube at the outside door
and broke the lock in an instant. Then he walked into the street as
composedly as if he had lived all his life in London.
There were plenty of sights to see, you may be sure, and Rob walked
around until he was so tired that he was glad to rest upon one of the
benches in a beautiful park. Here, half hidden by the trees, he amused
himself by looking at the Record of Events.
"London's a great town, and no mistake," he said to himself; "but let's
see what the British are doing in South Africa to-day."
He turned the cylinder to "South Africa," and, opening the lid, at once
became interested. An English column, commanded by a brave but stubborn
officer, was surrounded by the Boer forces and fighting desperately to
avoid capture or annihilation.
"This would be interesting to King Edward," thought the boy. "Guess
I'll hunt him up and tell him about it."
A few steps away stood a policeman. Rob approached him and asked:
"Where's the king to-day?"
The officer looked at him with mingled surprise and suspicion.
"'Is Majesty is sojournin' at Marlb'ro 'Ouse, just now," was the reply.
"Per'aps you wants to make 'im a wissit," he continued, with lofty
sarcasm.
"That's it, exactly," said Rob. "I'm an American, and thought while I
was in London I'd drop in on His Royal Highness and say 'hello' to him."
The officer chuckled, as if much amused.
"Hamericans is bloomin' green," he remarked, "so youse can stand for
Hamerican, right enough. No other wissitors is such blarsted fools. But
yon's the palace, an' I s'pose 'is Majesty'll give ye a 'ot reception."
"Thanks; I'll look him up," said the boy, and left the officer
convulsed with laughter.
He soon knew why. The palace was surrounded by a cordon of the king's
own life guards, who admitted no one save those who presented proper
credentials.
"There's only one thing to do;" thought Rob, "and that's to
walk straight in, as I haven't any friends to give me a regular
introduction."
So he boldly advanced to the gate, where he found himself stopped by
crossed carbines and a cry of "Halt!"
"Excuse me," said Rob; "I'm in a hurry."