Filed February 12, 2007 at 2:49 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
“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.”
He pushed the carbines aside and marched on. The soldiers made thrusts at him with their weapons, and an officer jabbed at his breast with a glittering sword, but the Garment of Repulsion protected him from these dangers as well as from a hail of bullets that followed his advancing figure.
He reached the entrance of the palace only to face another group of guardsmen and a second order to halt, and as these soldiers were over six feet tall and stood shoulder to shoulder Rob saw that he could not hope to pass them without using his electric tube.
“Stand aside, you fellows!” he ordered.
There was no response. He extended the tube and, as he pressed the button, described a semi-circle with the instrument. Immediately the tall guardsmen toppled over like so many tenpins, and Rob stepped across their bodies and penetrated to the reception room, where a brilliant assemblage awaited, in hushed and anxious groups, for opportunity to obtain audience with the king.
“I hope his Majesty isn’t busy,” said Rob to a solemn-visaged official who confronted him. “I want to have a little talk with him.”
Filed at 2:48 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
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.
Filed at 2:46 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
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.
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.
Filed at 2:46 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
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.
Filed at 2:42 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
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 raincoat, 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.”
Filed at 2:38 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
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.”
Filed at 2:36 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
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 this 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.
Filed January 16, 2007 at 4:00 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
“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.
Filed at 3:59 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
“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,” returning 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.”
Filed at 3:57 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
“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.
Filed at 3:54 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
“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.
Filed at 3:52 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
“Oh, yes, of course,” said Rob. “I wish now that I had gone to Europe. But you’re not the only one who has a kick coming,” he continued. “Your flimsy traveling machine was nearly the death of me.”
“Ah, it is true,” acknowledged the Demon, frankly. “The case was made 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.
Filed at 3:50 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
“I wanted to astonish the natives,” said Rob, grinning.
The Demon uttered an exclamation of anger, and stamped his foot so fiercely that thousands of electric sparks filled the air, to disappear quickly with a hissing, crinkling sound.
“You might have astonished those ignorant natives as easily by showing them an ordinary electric light,” he cried, mockingly. “The power of your gifts would have startled the most advanced electricians of the world. Why did you waste them upon barbarians?”
“Really,” faltered Rob, who was frightened and awed by the Demon’s vehement anger, “I never intended to visit a cannibal island. I meant to go to Cuba.”
“Cuba! Is that a center of advanced scientific thought? Why did you not take your marvels to New York or Chicago; or, if you wished to cross the ocean, to Paris or Vienna?”
“I never thought of those places,” acknowledged Rob, meekly.
“Then you were foolish, as I said,” declared the Demon, in a calmer tone. “Can you not realize that it is better to be considered great by the intelligent thinkers of the earth, than to be taken for a god by stupid cannibals?”
Filed at 3:47 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
At four o’clock he went to his workshop and unlocked the door. Everything was exactly as he had left it, and he looked at his simple electrical devices with some amusement. They seemed tame beside the wonders now in his possession; yet he recollected that his numerous wires had enabled him to strike the Master Key, and therefore should not be despised.
Before long he noticed a quickening in the air, as if it were suddenly surcharged with electric fluid, and the next instant, in a dazzling flash of light, appeared the Demon.
“I am here!” he announced.
“So am I,” answered Rob. “But at one time I really thought I should never see you again. I’ve been–”
“Spare me your history,” said the Demon, coldly. “I am aware of your adventures.”
“Oh, you are!” said Rob, amazed. “Then you know–”
“I know all about your foolish experiences,” interrupted the Demon, “for I have been with you constantly, although I remained invisible.”
“Then you know what a jolly time I’ve had,” returned the boy. “But why do you call them foolish experiences?”
“Because they were, abominably foolish!” retorted the Demon, bitterly. “I entrusted to you gifts of rare scientific interest–electrical devices of such utility that their general adoption by mankind would create a new era in earth life. I hoped your use of these devices would convey such hints to electrical engineers that they would quickly comprehend their mechanism and be able to reproduce them in sufficient quantities to supply the world. And how do you treat these marvelous gifts? Why, you carry them to a cannibal island, where even your crude civilization has not yet penetrated!”
Filed at 3:46 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
When Rob had been hugged and kissed by his mother and sisters, and even Mr. Joslyn had embraced him warmly, he gave them a brief account of his adventures. The story was received with many doubtful looks and much grave shaking of heads, as was quite natural under the circumstances.
“I hope, my dear son,” said the father, “that you have now passed through enough dangers to last you a lifetime, so that hereafter you will be contented to remain at home.”
“Oh, Robert!” cried his mother, with tears in her loving eyes, “you don’t know how we’ve all worried about you for the past week!”
“A week?” asked Rob, with surprise.
“Yes; it’s a week to-morrow morning since you flew into the air and disappeared.”
“Then,” said the boy, thoughtfully, “I’ve reached home just in time.”
“In time for what?” she asked.
But he did not answer that question. He was thinking of the Demon, and that on the afternoon of this very day he might expect the wise and splendid genius to visit him a second time.
At luncheon, although he did not feel hungry, he joined the family at the table and pleased his mother by eating as heartily as of old. He was surprised to find how good the food tasted, and to realize what a pleasure it is to gratify one’s sense of taste. The tablets were all right for a journey, he thought, but if he always ate them he would be sure to miss a great deal of enjoyment, since there was no taste to them at all.
Filed at 3:45 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
The following day was one of continued uneasiness for the boy, who began to be harrassed by doubts as to whether, after all, he was moving in the right direction. The machine had failed at one time in this respect and it might again. He had lost all confidence in its accuracy.
In spite of these perplexities Rob passed the second night of his uneven flight in profound slumber, being exhausted by the strain and excitement he had undergone. When he awoke at daybreak, he saw, to his profound delight, that he was approaching land.
The rising sun found him passing over a big city, which he knew to be Boston.
He did not stop. The machine was so little to be depended upon that he dared make no halt. But he was obliged to alter the direction from northwest to west, and the result of this slight change was so great a reduction in speed that it was mid-day before he saw beneath him the familiar village in which he lived.
Carefully marking the location of his father’s house, he came to a stop directly over it, and a few moments later he managed to land upon the exact spot in the back yard whence he had taken his first successful flight.
Filed December 31, 2006 at 3:43 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
While he moved through the air with an easy, gliding motion he watched with much interest the storm raging below. Above his head the sun was peacefully shining and the contrast was strange and impressive. After an hour or so the storm abated, or else he passed away from it, for the deep blue of the ocean again greeted his eyes. He dropped downward until he was about a hundred feet above the water, when he continued his northwesterly course.
But now he regretted having interfered for a moment with the action of the machine, for his progress, instead of being swift as a bird’s flight, became slow and jerky, nor was he sure that the damaged machine might not break down altogether at any moment. Yet so far his progress was in the right direction, and he resolved to experiment no further with the instrument, but to let it go as it would, so long as it supported him above the water. However irregular the motion might be, it was sure, if continued, to bring him to land in time, and that was all he cared about just then.
When night fell his slumber was broken and uneasy, for he wakened more than once with a start of fear that the machine had broken and he was falling into the sea. Sometimes he was carried along at a swift pace, and again the machine scarcely worked at all; so his anxiety was excusable.
Filed September 29, 2006 at 4:53 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
At first the villains were too astounded to speak, but as they realized that they were being carried through the air and away from their ship they broke into loud shouts of dismay, and finally the one who grasped Rob’s leg lost his hold and the five plunged downward and splashed into the sea.
Finding the machine disposed to work accurately, Rob left the buccaneers to swim to the ship in the best way they could, while he dropped down to the deck again and recovered from the cabin his box of tablets and the electric tube. The fellows were just scrambling on board when he again escaped, shooting into the air with considerable speed.
Indeed, the instrument now worked better than at any time since he had reached the cannibal island, and the boy was greatly delighted.
The wind at first sent him spinning away to the south, but he continued to rise until he was above the air currents, and the storm raged far beneath him. Then he set the indicator to the northwest and breathlessly waited to see if it would obey. Hurrah! away he sped at a fair rate of speed, while all his anxiety changed to a feeling of sweet contentment.
His success had greatly surprised him, but he concluded that the jar caused by dropping the instrument had relieved the pressure upon the works, and so helped rather than harmed the free action of the electric currents.
Filed August 2, 2006 at 3:29 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
Presently the captain of the pirates stuck his head out of the cabin door, jabbered some unintelligible words and pointed to the sails. The boy nodded, for he understood they wanted to attend to the rigging. So the crew trooped forth, rather fearfully, and began to reef the sails and put the ship into condition to weather the storm.
Rob paid no further attention to them. He looked at his traveling machine rather doubtfully and wondered if he dared risk its power to carry him through the air. Whether he remained in the ship or trusted to the machine, he stood a good chance of dropping into the sea at any moment. So, while he hesitated, he attached the machine to his wrist and leaned over the bulwarks to watch the progress of the storm. He might stay in the ship until it foundered, he thought, and then take his chances with the machine. He decided to wait until a climax arrived.
The climax came the next moment, for while he leaned over the bulwarks the buccaneers stole up behind him and suddenly seized him in their grasp. While two of them held his arms the others searched his pockets, taking from him the electric tube and the silver box containing his tablets. These they carried to the cabin and threw upon the heap of other valuables they had stolen. They did not notice his traveling machine, however, but seeing him now unarmed they began jeering and laughing at him, while the brutal captain relieved his anger by giving the prisoner several malicious kicks.
Rob bore his misfortune meekly, although he was almost ready to cry with grief and disappointment. But when one of the pirates, to inflict further punishment on the boy, came towards him with a heavy strap, he resolved not to await the blow.
Turning the indicator to the word “up” he found, to his joy and relief, that it would yet obey the influence of the power of repulsion. Seeing him rise into the air the fellow made a grab for his foot and held it firmly, while his companions ran to help him. Weight seemed to make no difference in the machine; it lifted the pirate as well as Rob; it lifted another who clung to the first man’s leg, and another who clung to him. The other two also caught hold, hoping their united strength would pull him down, and the next minute Rob was soaring through the air with the entire string of five buccaneers dangling from his left leg.
Filed July 31, 2006 at 4:20 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
The crippled condition of his traveling machine was now his chief trouble, and although a good breeze had sprung up to fill the sails and the little bark was making fair headway, Rob knew he could never expect to reach home unless he could discover a better mode of conveyance than this.
He unstrapped the machine from his wrist to examine it better, and while holding it carelessly in his hand it slipped and fell with a bang to the deck, striking upon its round edge and rolling quickly past the cabin and out of sight. With a cry of alarm he ran after it, and after much search found it lying against the bulwark near the edge of a scupper hole, where the least jar of the ship would have sent it to the bottom of the ocean. Rob hastily seized his treasure and upon examining it found the fall had bulged the rim so that the old dents scarcely showed at all. But its original shape was more distorted than ever, and Rob feared he had utterly ruined its delicate mechanism. Should this prove to be true, he might now consider himself a prisoner of this piratical band, the members of which, although temporarily disabled, would soon regain consciousness.
He sat in the bow, sadly thinking of his misfortunes, until he noticed that one of the men began to stir. The effect of the electric shock conveyed by the tube was beginning to wear away, and now the buccaneer sat up, rubbed his head in a bewildered fashion and looked around him. When he saw Rob he gave a shout of rage and drew his knife, but one motion of the electric tube made him cringe and slip away to the cabin, where he remained out of danger.
And now the other four sat up, groaning and muttering in their outlandish speech; But they had no notion of facing Rob’s tube a second time, so one by one they joined their leader in the cabin, leaving the boy undisturbed.
By this time the ship had begun to pitch and toss in an uncomfortable fashion, and Rob noticed that the breeze had increased to a gale. There being no one to look after the sails, the vessel was in grave danger of capsizing or breaking her masts. The waves were now running high, too, and Rob began to be worried.
Filed July 26, 2006 at 2:32 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
Once the branches of a tall tree caught him and nearly tipped him over; but he managed to escape others by drawing up his feet. At last he was free of the island and traveling over the ocean again. He was not at all sorry to bid good-by to the cannibal island, but he was worried about the machine, which clearly was not in good working order. The vast ocean was beneath him, and he moved no faster than an ordinary walk.
“At this rate I’ll get home some time next year,” he grumbled. “However, I suppose I ought to be glad the machine works at all.” And he really was glad.
All the afternoon and all the long summer night he moved slowly over the water. It was annoying to go at “a reg’lar jog-trot,” as Rob called it, after his former swift flight; but there was no help for it.
Just as dawn was breaking he saw in the distance a small vessel, sailing in the direction he was following, yet scarcely moving for lack of wind. He soon caught up with it, but saw no one on deck, and the craft had a dingy and uncared-for appearance that was not reassuring. But after hovering over it for some time Rob decided to board the ship and rest for a while. He alighted near the bow, where the deck was highest, and was about to explore the place when a man came out of the low cabin and espied him.
This person had a most villainous countenance, and was dark-skinned, black-bearded and dressed in an outlandish, piratical costume. On seeing the boy he gave a loud shout and was immediately joined by four companions, each as disagreeable in appearance as the first.
Rob knew there would be trouble the moment he looked at this evil crew, and when they drew their daggers and pistols and began fiercely shouting in an unknown tongue, the boy sighed and took the electric tube from his coat pocket.
The buccaneers did not notice the movement, but rushed upon him so quickly that he had to press the button at a lively rate. The tube made no noise at all, so it was a strange and remarkable sight to see the pirates suddenly drop to the deck and lie motionless. Indeed, one was so nearly upon him when the electric current struck him that his head, in falling, bumped into Rob’s stomach and sent him reeling against the side of the vessel.
He quickly recovered himself, and seeing his enemies were rendered harmless, the boy entered the cabin and examined it curiously. It was dirty and ill-smelling enough, but the corners and spare berths were heaped with merchandise of all kinds which had been taken from those so unlucky as to have met these cruel and desperate men.
After a short inspection of the place he returned to the deck and again seated himself in the bow.
Filed July 23, 2006 at 5:12 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
At the end of an hour he looked over the edge of the plateau and found it surrounded by a ring of the black cannibals, who had calmly seated themselves to watch his movements.
“Perhaps they intend to starve me into surrender,” he thought; “but they won’t succeed so long as my tablets hold out. And if, in time, they should starve me, I’ll be too thin and tough to make good eating; so I’ll get the best of them, anyhow.”
Then he again lay down and began to examine his electrical traveling machine. He did not dare take it apart, fearing he might not be able to get it together again, for he knew nothing at all about its construction. But he discovered two little dents on the edge, one on each side, which had evidently been caused by the pressure of the rope.
“If I could get those dents out,” he thought, “the machine might work.”
He first tried to pry out the edges with his pocket knife, but the attempt resulted in failure, Then, as the sides seemed a little bulged outward by the dents, he placed the machine between two flat stones and pressed them together until the little instrument was nearly round again. The dents remained, to be sure, but he hoped he had removed the pressure upon the works.
There was just one way to discover how well he had succeeded, so he fastened the machine to his wrist and turned the indicator to the word “up.”
Slowly he ascended, this time to a height of nearly twenty feet. Then his progress became slower and finally ceased altogether.
“That’s a little better,” he thought. “Now let’s see if it will go sidewise.”
He put the indicator to “north-west,”–the direction of home–and very slowly the machine obeyed and carried him away from the plateau and across the island.
The natives saw him go, and springing to their feet began uttering excited shouts and throwing their spears at him. But he was already so high and so far away that they failed to reach him, and the boy continued his journey unharmed.
Filed July 22, 2006 at 3:33 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
Rob continued to float in the air, just above their heads, and now abandoned all thoughts of escaping by means of his wrecked traveling machine. But he resolved to regain a foothold upon the earth and take his chances of escape by running rather than flying. So he turned the indicator to the word “down,” and very slowly it obeyed, allowing him, to his great relief, to sink gently to the ground.
The Buccaneers
Once more the blacks formed a circle around our adventurer, who coolly drew his tube and said to the chief:
“Tell your people I’m going to walk away through those trees, and if any one dares to interfere with me I’ll paralyze him.”
The chief understood enough English to catch his meaning, and repeated the message to his men. Having seen the terrible effect of the electric tube they wisely fell back and allowed the boy to pass.
He marched through their lines with a fine air of dignity, although he was fearful lest some of the blacks should stick a spear into him or bump his head with a war-club. But they were awed by the wonders they had seen and were still inclined to believe him a god, so he was not molested.
When he found himself outside the village he made for the high plateau in the center of the island, where he could be safe from the cannibals while he collected his thoughts. But when he reached the place he found the sides so steep he could not climb them, so he adjusted the indicator to the word “up” and found it had still had enough power to support his body while he clambered up the rocks to the level, grass-covered space at the top.
Then, reclining upon his back, he gave himself up to thoughts of how he might escape from his unpleasant predicament.
“Here I am, on a cannibal island, hundreds of miles from civilization, with no way to get back,” he reflected. “The family will look for me every day, and finally decide I’ve broken my neck. The Demon will call upon me when the week is up and won’t find me at home; so I’ll miss the next three gifts. I don’t mind that so much, for they might bring me into worst scrapes than this. But how am I to get away from this beastly island? I’ll be eaten, after all, if I don’t look out!”
These and similar thoughts occupied him for some time, yet in spite of much planning and thinking he could find no practical means of escape.
Filed July 19, 2006 at 2:16 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
The natives, who had looked up at his cry of pain, again prostrated themselves, kicking their toes against the ground in a terrified tattoo at this new evidence of the god’s powers.
The situation was growing somewhat strained by this time, and Rob did not know what the savages would decide to do next; so he thought it best to move away from them, since he was unable to rise to a greater height. He turned the indicator towards the south, where a level space appeared between the trees; but instead of taking that direction he moved towards the northeast, a proof that his machine had now become absolutely unreliable. Moreover, he was slowly approaching the fire, which, although it had ceased blazing, was a mass of glowing red embers.
In his excitement he turned the indicator this way and that, trying to change the direction of his flight, but the only result of his endeavor was to carry him directly over the fire, where he came to a full stop.
“Murder! Help! Fire and blazes!” he cried, as he felt the glow of the coals beneath him. “I’ll be roasted, after all! Here; help, Fatty, help!”
The fat chief sprang to his feet and came to the rescue. He reached up, caught Rob by the heels, and pulled him down to the ground, away from the fire. But the next moment, as he clung to the boy’s feet, they both soared into the air again, and, although now far enough from the fire to escape its heat, the savage, finding himself lifted from the earth, uttered a scream of horror and let go of Rob, to fall head over heels upon the ground.
The other blacks had by this time regained their feet, and now they crowded around their chief and set him upright again.
Filed July 15, 2006 at 9:41 pm under Rob by Dirty Rob
“If any of your fellows come nearer,” Rob said to the fat chief, “I’ll knock ‘em over.”
“What you make do?” asked the chief, nervously.
“Watch sharp, and you’ll see,” answered Rob. Then he made a mocking bow to the circle and continued: “I’m pleased to have met you fellows, and proud to think you like me well enough to want to eat me; but I’m in a bit of a hurry to-day, so I can’t stop to be digested.” After which, as the crowd broke into a hum of surprise, he added: “Good-day, black folks!” and quickly turned the indicator of his traveling machine to the word “up.”
Slowly he rose into the air, until his heels were just above the gaping blacks; but there he stopped short. With a thrill of fear he glanced at the indicator. It was pointed properly, and he knew at once that something was wrong with the delicate mechanism that controlled it. Probably the pressure of the rope across its face, when he was bound, had put it out of order. There he was, seven feet in the air, but without the power to rise an inch farther.
This short flight, however, had greatly astonished the blacks, who, seeing his body suspended in mid-air, immediately hailed him as a god, and prostrated themselves upon the ground before him.
The fat chief had seen something of white men in his youth, and had learned to mistrust them. So, while he remained as prostrate as the rest, he peeped at Rob with one of his little black eyes and saw that the boy was ill at ease, and seemed both annoyed and frightened.
So he muttered some orders to the man next him, who wriggled along the ground until he had reached a position behind Rob, when he rose and pricked the suspended “god” with the point of his spear.
“Ouch!” yelled the boy; “stop that!”
He twisted his head around, and seeing the black again make a movement with the spear, Rob turned his electric tube upon him and keeled him over like a ten-pin.
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