& his big tunnel(汤姆·史威夫特和他的大遂道)-第13节
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pawns； knights； kings； queens and so on。 As for Koku he was taken in
charge by the sailors and found life forward very agreeable。
Senor Pinto had recovered from his seasickness； the steward told Tom
and Mr。 Titus； but still he kept to his stateroom。
It was when the Bellaconda was within a day or two of Callao that a
wireless message was received for Mr。 Titus。 It was from his brother。 The
message read：
〃Have information from New York office that rivals are after you。
Look out for explosive。〃
〃What does that mean？〃 asked Tom。
〃Well； I presume it means our rival contractors know we have a supply
of your new powder on board； and they may try to get it away from us。〃
〃Why？〃 Tom demanded。
〃To prevent our using it to complete the tunnel。 In that case they'll get
the secret of it to use for themselves； when the contract goes to them by
default。 Can we do anything to protect the powder； Tom？〃
〃Well； I don't know that we'll need to while it's stowed away in the
cargo。 They can't get at it any more than we can； until the ship unloads。 I
guess it's safe enough。 We'll just have to keep our eyes open when it's
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taken out of the hold； though。〃
Tom and Mr。 Titus； both of whom were fond of fresh air and exercise；
had made it a practice to get up an hour before breakfast and take a
constitutional about the steamer deck。 They did this as usual the morning
after the wireless warning was received； and they were standing near the
port rail； talking about this； when they heard a thud on the deck behind
them。 Both turned quickly； and saw a round black object rolling toward
them。 From the object projected what seemed to be a black cord； and the
end of this cord was glowing and smoking。
For a moment neither Tom nor Mr。 Titus spoke。 Then； as a slow
motion of the ship rolled the round black thing toward Tom； he cried：
〃It a bomb！〃
He darted toward it； but Mr。 Titus pulled him back。
〃Run！〃 yelled the contractor。
Before either of them could do anything； a queer figure of an elderly
gentleman stepped partly from behind a deck… house； and stooped over the
smoking object。
〃Look out！〃 yelled Mr。 Titus； crouching low。 〃That's an explosive
bomb！ Toss it overboard！〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
CHAPTER X
Professor Bumper
Fairly fascinated by the spluttering fuse； neither Tom nor Mr。 Titus
moved for a second； while the deadly fire crept on through the black
string…like affair； nearer and nearer to the bomb itself。
Then； just as Tom； holding back his natural fear； was about to thrust
the thing overboard with his foot； hardly realizing that it might be even
more deadly to the ship in the water than it was on the deck； the foot of the
newcomer was suddenly thrust out from behind the deck…house； and the
sizzling fuse was trodden upon。
It went out in a puff of smoke； but the owner of the foot was not
satisfied with that for a hand reached down； lifted the bomb； the fuse of
which still showed a smouldering spark of fire； and calmly pulled out the
〃tail〃 of the explosive。 It was harmless then； for the fuse； with a trail of
smoke following； was tossed into the sea； and the little man came out from
behind the deck…house； holding the unexploded bomb。
For a moment neither Tom nor Mr。 Titus could speak。 They felt an
inexpressible sense of relief。 Then Tom managed to gasp out：
〃Youyou saved our lives！〃
The little man who had stepped on the fuse； and had then torn it from
the bomb； looked at the object in his hand as though it were the most
natural thing in the world to pick explosives up off the deck of passenger
steamers； as he remarked：
〃Well； perhaps I did。 Yes； I think it would have gone off in another
second or two。 Rather curious； isn't it？〃
〃Curious？ Curious！〃 asked and exclaimed Mr。 Titus。
〃Why； yes；〃 went on the little man； in the most matter of fact tone。
〃You see； most explosive bombs are round； made that way so the force
will be equal in all directions。 But this one； you notice； has a bulge； or
protuberance； on one side； so to speak。 Very curious！
〃It might have been made that way to prevent its rolling overboard； or
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the bomb's walls might be weaker near that bulge to make sure that the
force of the explosion would be in that direction。 And the bulge was
pointed toward you gentlemen； if you noticed。〃
〃I should say I did！〃 cried Mr。 Titus。 〃My dear sir； you have put us
under a heavy debt to you！ You saved our lives！ II am in no frame of
mind to thank you now； but〃
He strode over to the little man； holding out his hand。
〃No； no； I'd better keep it；〃 went on the person who had rendered the
bomb ineffective。 〃You might drop it you know。 You are nervousyour
hand shakes。〃
〃I want to shake hands with you！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Titus 〃to thank
you！〃
〃Oh； that's it。 I thought you wanted the bomb。 Shake hands？
Certainly！〃
And while this ceremony was being gone through with； Tom had a
moment to study the appearance of the man who had saved their lives。 He
had seen the passenger once or twice before； but had taken no special
notice of him。 Now he had good reason to observe him。
Tom beheld a little； thin man； little in the sense of being of the 〃bean
pole〃 construction。 His head was as bald as a billiard ball； as the young
inventor could notice when the stranger took off his hat to bow formally in
response to the greeting of some ladies who passed； while Mr。 Titus was
shaking hands with him。
The bald head was sunk down between two high shoulders； and when
the owner wished to observe anything closely； as he was now observing
the bomb； the head was thrust forward somewhat as an eagle might do。
And Tom noticed that the eyes of the little man were as bright as those of
an eagle。 Nothing seemed to escape them。
〃I want to add my thanks to those of Mr。 Titus for saving our lives；〃
said Tom； as he advanced。 〃We don't know what to make of it all； but you
certainly stopped that bomb from going off。〃
〃Yes； perhaps I did；〃 admitted the little man coolly and calmly； as
though preventing bomb explosions was his daily exercise before
breakfast。
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Tom and Mr。 Titus introduced themselves by name。
〃I am Professor Swyington Bumper；〃 said the bomb…holder； with a
bow； removing his hat； and again disclosing his shiny bald head。 〃I am
very glad to have met you indeed。〃
〃And we are more than glad；〃 said Tom； fervently； as he glanced at the
explosive。
〃Now that the danger is over；〃 went on Mr。 Titus； 〃suppose we make
an investigation； and find out how this bomb came to be here。〃
〃Just what I was about to suggest；〃 remarked Professor Bumper。
〃Bombs； such as this； do not sprout of themselves on bare decks。 And I
take it this one is explosive。〃
〃Let me look at it；〃 suggested Tom。 〃I know something of explosives。〃
It needed but a casual examination on the part of one who had done
considerable experimenting with explosives to disclose the fact that it had
every characteristic of a dangerous bomb。 Only the pulling out of the fuse
had rendered it harmless。
〃If it had gone off；〃 said Tom； 〃we would both have been killed； or。 at
least； badly injured； Mr。 Titus。〃
〃I believe you； Tom。 And we owe our lives to Professor Bumper。〃
〃I'm glad I could be of service； gentlemen；〃 the scientist remarked； in
an easy tone。 〃Explosives are out of my line； but I guessed it was rather
danger
