Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1910)
.1 - BY JULES VERNE. OTAPTER VIII. (Continued.) "I shot it this morning," he con tinued, "we'll use It." "What do you mean?" asked Alta mont "I mean to blow up the bears en masse with 100 pounds of powder." "But where Is the powder?" exclaim ed his friends. "In the magazine. This passage I dug will lead to it. I made it pur posely." "And where Is the mine to be?" In quired Altamont "At the farthest point from the bouse and stores." "And how will you manage to entice the bears there, all to one spot?" Til look after that Let us set to work. We have 100 feet more to add to our passage to-night, and that is no easy matter. There are five of us e can take turns. Bell will begin, and we will He down and sleep mean time." One by one, all went to work, and in ten hours that is to say, about 8 in the morning the gallery was entirely open. With the first streak of day the doo tor reconnoitered the position of the enemy. The patient animals were stiB cculiiu Luk'u olj iioaillun, prowling up and down and growling. Hastening away to the mine, he had a- strong stake fixed firmly on the granite foundation, on the top of which mo uuu iox was lastenea. a rope was attached to the lower part of the stake, long enough to reach the pow der stores. ' This is the bait," he said, pointing to the dead fox, "and here is the mine," he added, rolling In a keg of powder containing about 100 pounds. "And how will you manage?" asked Altamont. "By hauling in this rope we leave the dead fox exposed to view. The bears are so famished with their long lasting that they won't lose much time In rushing toward their unexpected meal. Well, Just at that very moment I shall set fire to the mine, and blow up both the guests and the meal." "Capital! Capital!" shouted John son, who had been listening with In tense interest Hatteras said nothing, for he had such absolute confidence in his friend that he wanted no further explanation. But Altamont must know the why and wherefore of everything." . oui uocior, ne saia, "can you reckon on your match so exactly that you can be quite sure it will Are the mine at the right moment?" "I don't need to reckon at all; that's a difficultly easily got over." "They you have a match a hundred feet long?" "No." "You are simply 'going to lay a train of powder." "One of us must light the powder," said Johnson. "I'm ready ready and willing." "Quite useless to risk your life, brave fellow," replied the doctor, hold ing out his hand. "All our lives are precious, and they will be all spared, thank God I "We have an electric battery," he conttnued, "and lines long enough to serve our purpose? We can fire our mine whenever we please, in an in stant and without the slightest dan ger." "Hurrah!" exclaimed Johnson. "Hurrah!" echoed the others, with out heeding whether the enemy heard them or not The doctor's Idea was immediately carried out, and the lines connected. By S o'clock everything was ready. Johnson was stationed in the powder magazine, in charge of the cord which held the bait "Now," said Clawbonny to his com panions, "load your guns, in case our assailants are not killed. Stand be side Johnson, and the moment the ex plosion is over rush out" "All right," said Altamont "We have done all we can to help ourselves. May heaven help us!" Hatteras, Altamont and Bell repair ed to the powder magazine, while the doctor remained alone beside the pile. Soon he heard Johnson's voice In the distance calling out "Ready I" "All right!" was the reply. Johnson pulled the rope that brought the body of the fox on top the loe. The next Instant the. bears had eager ly rushed to seize the booty. "Fire!" called out Johnson, and at once the electrio spark was sent along the lines right Into the keg of powder. A formidable explosion ensued; the house was shaken as if by an earth quake, and'the walls cracked asunder. Hatteras, Altamont and Bell hurried out with the guns. But four of the bears lay dead, and the fifth, half roasted, though alive, was scambering away In terror, as fast as his legs could carry him. h ' "Hurrah!" Three cheers for Claw bonny I" they shouted, and overwhelm ed the doctor with plaudits and thanks. Next morning there, was a singular rise in the temperature, the thermom eter going up to 16 degrees above soro. This comparative heat .lasted sev eral days. In sheltered spots the glass rose as high as 81 degrees, and symp toms of a thaw appeared. The lee began to crack here and there, and Jets of salt water were Chrewa ud, ilk fountains la aa Knglisfe I park. A few days later the rain fell in torrents. For about a fortnight hunting was the principal occupation. There was an abundant supply of fresh meat to be had. They shot partridges, ptarmi gans and snow ortolans, which are de licious eating. "Do you think we shall have a long spell of this weather. Dr. Clawbonny?" asked Johnson. "No, my friend. I don't; It Is a last b ow from the cold. You see these are his dominions, and he won't be driven U.LUhout ""'n ome resistance." What Is the reason?" "Because generally there Is a peri odical frost In the month of May. and U Is coldest from the 11th to the 13th. That Is the fact" The doctor was right for the cold lasted till the end of the month, and put an end to all their hunting expedi tions. The old. monotonous life in doors recommenced. CHAPTER IX. During this compulsory leisure. Clawbonny determined to have a talk with the captain on an important sub jectthe building of a sloop out of the planks of the Porpoise. Tfco doUur lmiuly knew how to ba sin, as Hatteras had declared so vehe mently that he would never consent to use a morsel of American wood; yet it was high time he were brought to reason, as June was at hand, the only season for distant expeditions, and they could not start without a ship. He thought over it a long while, and at last drew the captain aside. In the kindest, gentlest way: "Hatteras, do you believe Tm your friend ?" "Most certainly I do," replied the captain, earnestly; "my best indeed, my only friend." "And If I give you a piece of advice without your asking, will you consid er my motive is perfectly disinterest ed V "Yes, for I know you have never been actuated by self-interest But what are you driving at?" ,rValt Hatteras; I have one thing more to ask. Do you look on me as a true-hearted Englishman like your self, anxious for his country's glory?" Hatteras looked surprised, but sim ply said: . "I do." "You desire to reach the north pole," the doctor went on, "and I understand and share your ambition, but to achieve your object you must employ the right means." "Well, and have I not sacrificed ev erything for it?" "No, Hatteras, you have not sacri ficed your personal antipathies. Even at this very moment I know you are in the mood to refuse the indispensable conditions of reaching the pole." "Ah! It Is the boat you want to talk about and that man "Hatteras, let us discuss the ques tion calmly, and examine the ense on all sides. The coast on which we find ourselves at present may terminate abruptly; we have no proof that it stretches away to the pole; indeed, if your present information prove cor rect we ought to come to an open sea during the summer months. Well, sup posing we reach this arctic ocean and find it free from ice and easy to navi gate, what shall we do If we have no ship?" Hatteras made no reply. "Tell me, now, would you like to find yourself only a few miles from the pole and not be able to get to It?" Hatteras still said nothing, but bur led his head in his hands. "Besides," continued the doctor, "look at the question in Its moral as pect Here is an Englishman who sacrifices his fortune, and even his wife, to win fresh glory for his coun try, but because the boat which bears him across an unknown ocean, or touches the new shore, happens to be made of the planks of an American vessel a castaway wreck of no use to anyone will that lessen the honor of the discovery? If you yourself had found the hull of some wrecked ves sel lying deserted on the shore, would you have hesitated to make useof It; and must not a sloop built by four En glishmen and manned by four English men be English from keel to gun wale?" Hatteras was still silent "No," conttnued Clawbonny, "the real truth Is, it is not the sloop you care about; it Is the man." "Yes, doctor, yes," replied the cap tain. "It is this American I detest; I hate him with a thorough English ha tred. Fate has thrown him In my path." "To save you!" "To ruin me. He seems to defy me, and speaks ns if he were lord and mas ter. He thinks he has my destiny In his hands, and knows all my projects. Didn't we seo the man in his true col ors when we were giving names to the different coasts? Has he ever avowed his object In coming so far north? You will never get out of my head that this man is not the leader of some expedi tion sent out by the American govern ment" mr.11 Tin tan aunnnaa ft la an ,,9,1, .uiw-wv, r r - w v, does It follow that this expedition is to search for the north pole? May It not be to find the Northwest Passage? Bat. anyway. Altamont is In complete Ignorance of our object for neither J on neon, nor Bell, nor myself, have ever breathed a word to htm about It and I am sure you have not." "Well, let him always remain so." "He must he told In the end, for we can't leive him hrre alone." "Why not? Can't he stay here In Fort Providence?" "He would never consent to that Hatteras; and, moreover, to leave a man In that way, and not know wheth er we might find him safe when we came back, would be worse than Im prudent, it would be Inhuman. Alta mont will come with us; he must come. But we need not disclose our projects; let us tell him nothing, but simply build a sloop for the ostensible purpose of making a survey of the coast" Hatteras could not bring himself to consent, but said: "And suppose the man won't allow his ship to be cut up?" "In that case, you must take the law in your own hands, and build a vessel In spite of him." "I wish to goodness he would refuse, then!" "He must be asked before he can re fuse. I'll undertake the asking," said Clawbonny. He kept his word, for that very same night at supper, he managed to turn the "conversation towards the subject of making excursions during summer for hydrographical purposes. "You will Join us, I suppose, Alta mont" he said. "Of course," replied the American. "We must know how far New America extends." Hatteras looked fixedly at his rival, but said nothing. "And for that purpose," continued Aiiuuiuui, IittU keilcr build a lit tle ship out or- the remains of the Por poise. It Is the best possible use we can make of her." "You hear, Bell," said the doctor, ea gerly. "We'll all set to work to-morrow morning." In the end of May the temperature again rose, and spring returned for good and all. Rain fell coolously, and before long the melting snow was run ning down every little slope In falls and cascades. But while they were building their uoais arguments spring up. Dr. Kane was the first bone of con tention on this occasion, for the Jeal ous Englishman was unwilling to grant his rival the glory of belnir a erer, saying that it was by mere cnance ne had made a discovery. "Chance!" Interrupted Altamont. hnt ly. "Do you mean to assert that it is not to Kane's energy that we owe his great discovery?" "I mean to say that Dr. Kane's name is not worth mentioning In a country made Illustrious by such namea Parry, and Franklin, and Ross, and Belcher, and Penny; in a country where the seas opened the Northwest passage to an Englishman MoClure!" "McCIure!" exclaimed the American. "Well, If ever chance favored anvnno it was that McCIure. Do you pretend to aeny it? Hatteras started to his feet and said: "I will not permit the honor of an English captain to be attacked In my presence any longer!" "You will not permit!" echoed Alta mont, also springing erect "But thp are facts, and it Is out of your power to aestroy them!" "Sir!" shouted Hatteras, pale with rage. "My friends!" Interposed the doctor; "pray be calm. This Is a- scientific point that we are discussing." But Hatteras was dead to reason now, and said angrily: "I'll tell you the facts, sir." "And I'll tell you," retorted the Irate American. "Gentlemn," said Clawbonny, In a nrm tone, allow me to speak, for I know the facts of the case as well as and perhaps better than you, and I can state them Impartially " "Yes, yes!" cried Bell and Johnson, wno naa Deen anxiously watching the strife. "Well, go on," said Altamont finding hlmseir in the minority. With charts the doctor told the his tory of McClure's voyage. Still Hat teras and Altamont were dissatisfied. "Well, If arriving on one Bide and leaving at the other Is not going through, I don't know what Is!" said Hatteras. "Yes, but he went 470 miles over Ice fields," objected Altamont "What of that?" "Everything; that is the gist of the whole argument It was not the Inves tigator that went through." "Altamont," said the doctor, "we all consider that you are wrong." "You may easily do that" returned the American. "It Is four against one, but that will not prevent me from holding my own opinion." "Keep it and welcome, but keep It to yourself, if you please, for the fu ture," exclaimed Hatteras. "And pray what right have you to speak to me like this, sir?" shouted Altamont in a fury. "My right as captain," returned Hat teras, equally angry. "Am I to submit to your orders, then?" "Most assuredly, and woe to you If it The doctor did not allow him to nrnnned. for he really feared thA torn antagonists might come to blows. Bell ana jonnson seconaea nis enaeavors to make peace, and, after a few con ciliatory words, Altamont turned on his heel, and walked carelessly away, whistling "Yankee Doodle." Hatteras went outside, and paced up and dowa with rapid strides. In about an houl he oame back, and retired to bed with out saying another word. (To be continued.) ABOTTT JIABTH'S ENVELOPE. Three La r era ol Air Cold ana Gale, of Hitch Altitude. The new science of the air Is the result of many hundred kite and sound ing balloon flights made by day and by night in fair weather and foul, over land and sea, at all seasons of the year and from the equator to the arc tic circle, an exchange says. Most people know that the warm air sur rounding the earth la only a thin belt, but we do not most of us know that at ten miles above the earth it would not only be bitterly cold, but the sun would appear quite different. The air is stratified in three more or less distinct layers. In the lowest we live. It extends about two miles and Is a region of turmoil, whimsical winds, cyclones and antVylones. At two miles the freezing point Is reached and then there is a second stratum extending upward for about another six miles. Here the air grows stead ily colder and drier, the lowest tem perature recorded being 167 degrees below freezing point. Here the air moves in great planetary swirls pro duced by the spinning of the earth on its axis, so that the wind always blows In the same easterly direction. The greater the height the more furious Is the blast of this relentless gale. After this layer comes the third or Isothermal stratum, discovered al most simultaneously by M. de Bort and Dr. Assmann. This Is called the permanent inversion stratum, because the temperature increases with the height reached. But the temperatures so far recorded in the second stratum are not high, being far below zero Fahrenheit, generally somewhere from 122 degrees to 140 degrees below it Here the air no longer swirls in a planetary circle. The wind may blow In a direction contrary to that in the second layer. And the air invariably Is excessively dry. Where this third stratum ends no one knows. But it must be at more than eighteen miles above the earth, for sounding balloons have reached this height and have not found the end of the permanent In version layer of air. When the in flu ence of the upper regions of air upon the lower ia fully understood It may be possible to foretell the weather not erely for a day, but for a week. AMERICAN SUBMARINE MINE. PkANTUtO auov fix e QlsTKISUTIOM tO Anchor CAtie to o?hI niNft OI'KKATED fUObi HHOKK. The type of submarine mine plant ed by the United States Coast Artil lery Corps for blowing up the vessels of the enemy in times of war la shown in this drawing. At the present time ships known as mine planters, with detachments of troops on board, are busy planting such mines for practice purposes. The drawing gives an ex cellent Idea of the mechanism of such a mine and Ita manner of discharge by electric current from the shore. The buoy rising above the surface of the water Is used to mark the mines. Popular Mechanics. Lawyer's Inatlnct. A barrister noted for absence of mind was once witnessing a repre sentation of "Macbeth," and on the witches replying to the Thane's in quiry that they were "doing a deed without a name," catching the sound of the words, he started up, exclaim ing, to the astonishment of the audi ence: "A deed without a name? Why, it's void; It's not worth sixpence." Tit Bits. Not Llkeljr to Become General. Of course it was the daughter ot an American millionaire who ap peared at London's famous roller skating rink wearing a pair of heav ily Jeweled skates! We should all be terribly disappointed if any other girl had thought of such a thing first! But the Idea Is not likely to be wide ly imitated, even among the ultra rich, which Is also a comfort One Inntance. Father You never heard of a man getting Into trouble by following a good example. Son Yea, sir; I have the counter felter. TltBlts. With moat of your friends you treas ure up things they do or say that offend yw Visitor What have you in arctlo literature? Librarian Cook books and Pearyodlcals. Little girl in the country after a long gaze at some cows: "Mister, are them meat cowa are milk cows?" Griggs So Tom Is married, eh? Briggs Yea, for the present. He's married to an actress. Boston Tran script. "Did the ah prlsonah offer any ah resistance?" "Only a shilling, your wushup, and I wouldn't take it" M. A, P. Salesman Shirt, sir. Will you have a negligee or a stilt bosom? Customer Negligee, I guesa. The doctor said I must avoid starchy things. George Do you think that I'm good enough' for you, darling? Darling No, George; but you're too' good for any other girl. Illustrated Bits. She History repeats Itself, you know. He Not always. You never heard of a man eloping more than once, did you? Yonkera Stateaman. "Have you broken yourself of the habit of sleeping in church?" "Yes entirely." "Congratulations! How did you do It?" "Quit going to church." Cleveland Leader. "How much does it cost to get mar ried?" asked the eager youth. "That depends entirely on how long you live," replied the sad-looking man. Philadelphia Record. "The railroads are discharging all men with gray hair." "Most of the married men will be safe." "How so?" "The majority of them art bald." Houston Post "Am I really and truly your first and only love?" queried the dear girl. "No," answered the truthful drug clerk, "but you are something just as good." Chicago Daily News. "Why It la that novels are so much more popular with the women than with the men?" "In a novel the fel low invariably asks the girl to be his wife." Chicago Record-Herald. Club Waiter (Ashing) I dreamed last night, air, that you gave me a five-dollar bill. Stingy Member In deed, James! That's a little high for a tip; but er you may keep it. Bos ton Transcript. "Talk about your realism, this ahow look8 awful natural to me." "How now?" "Six months have elapsed since the play started and the house maid hasn't done any housework yet" Louisville Courier-Journal. Suburbs It is simply great to wake up in the morning and hear the leaves whispering outside of your window. CItyman It is all right to hear the leaves whisper, but I never could stand hearing the grass mown. "Now, Willie," said the teacher, "if eggs were 60 cents a dozen and your mother had 20 cents, how many eggs would you have for breakfast?" "No eggs," answered Willie. "We'd have mush." Washington (D. C.) Herald. Tommy What did you think of the play "Julius Caesar" last night? Billy Oh, it was a fake. "Why so? Cause when they killed Julius Caesar and the curtain went down, he comes out and bows to the audience. He wasn't dead at all!" "I must warn you, dearest," he said, "that after we are married, you will very likely find me Inclined to be ar bitrary and dictatorial in my man ner." "No matter," she replied cheer fully. "I won-'t pay the slightest atr tentlon to what you Bay." Mistres8 (hurrying frantically) Mary, what, time Is it now? Maid Half past two, mum. Mistress Oh, I thought It was later I still have twen ty minutes to catch the steamer. Maid Yes, mum. I knew ye'd be rushed, so I set the clock back thirty minutes to give ye more time. Puck. "You simply cannot trust anybody!" declares the lady. "My maid, whom I had the utmost confidence in, left me suddenly and took with her my beau tiful pearl brooch." "That is too bad," sympathizes the friend. "Which one was it?" "That very pretty one I smuggled through last spring." Life. "Pshaw!" exclaimed Miss Yerner, Impatiently, "I'm sure we will miss the opening number. We've waited a good many minutes for that mother of mine." "Hour8, I should lay," Mr. Sloman retorted rather crossl,". "Ours? Oh, George!" she cried, and laid her blushing cheek upon his shlt front Catholic Standard. ' "Little boy," asks the U-meanlng reformer, "is that your njAmma over yonder with the beautiful set of furs?" Yes, sir," answers i i bright lad. "Well, do you know w'hat poor ani mal It is that had to suffer In order that your .mamma might have the furs with which she adorns herself so proudly T" "Yes, sir my papa."