& his big tunnel(汤姆·史威夫特和他的大遂道)-第20节
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took quick aim。 There was no flash； no report and no puff of smoke； but
the dog suddenly crumpled up in a heap； and； with a dying yelp； rolled to
one side。 The child was saved。
The little one； aware that something had happened； turned and saw the
stretched out form of its enemy。 Then； sobbing and crying； it ran toward its
mother who had just heard the news。
While the mothers gathered about the child； and while the older boys
and girls made a ring at a respectful distance from the dog； there was
activity noticed among the men of the village。 They began hurrying out
along the forest paths。
〃Where are they going？〃 asked Tom。 〃Is there some trouble？ Was that
a sacred dog； and did I get in bad by killing it？〃
The interpreter and the native chief conversed rapidly for a moment
and then the former； turning to Tom； said：
〃Men go git cinchona bark now。 Plenty get for him；〃 and he pointed to
Mr。 Damon。 〃They no like stay in village。 T'ink yo' got lightning in yo'
pocket；〃 and he pointed to the electric rifle。
〃Oh； I see！〃 laughed Tom。 〃They think I'm a sort of wizard。 Well； so I
am。 Tell them if they don't get lots of quinine bark I'll have to stay here
until all the mad dogs are shot。〃
The interpreter translated； and when the chief had ceased replying；
Tom and the others were told：
〃Plenty bark git。 Plenty much。 Yo' go away with yo' lightning。 All right
now。〃
〃Well； it's a good thing I keeled over that dog；〃 Tom said。 〃It was the
best object lesson I could give them。~'
And from then on there was no more trouble in this district about
getting a supply of the medicinal bark。
A week passed and Professor Bumper was no nearer finding the lost
city than he had been at first。 Reluctantly； he returned to the tunnel camp
to get more provisions。
〃And then I'll start out again；〃 he said。
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〃We'll go with you some other time；〃 promised Tom。 〃But now I
expect I'll have to get another blast ready。〃
He found the debris brought down by the second one all removed； and
in a few days； preparations for exploding more of the powder were under
way。
Many holes had been drilled in the face of the cliff of hard rock； and
the charges tamped in。 Electric wires connected them； and they were run
out to the tunnel mouth where the switch was located。
This was done late one afternoon； and it was planned to set off the
blast at the close of the working day； to allow all night for the fumes to be
blown away by the current of air in the tunnel。
〃Get the men out； Tim；〃 said Tom； when all was ready。
〃All right； sor；〃 was the answer； and the Irish foreman went back
toward the far end of the bore to tell the last shift of laborers to come out
so the blast could be set off。
But in a little while Tim came running back with a queer look on his
face。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked Tom。 〃Why didn't you bring the men with
you？〃
〃Because； sor； they're not there！〃
〃Not in the tunnel？ Why； they were working there a little while ago；
when I made the last connection！〃
〃I know they were； but they've disappeared。〃
〃Disappeared？〃
〃Yis sir。 There's no way out except at this end an' you didn't see thim
come out： did you？〃
〃Then they've disappeared！ That's all there is to it！ Bad goin's on； thot's
what it is； sor！ Bad！〃 and Tim shook his head mournfully。
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CHAPTER XV
Frightened Indians
〃There must be some mistake；〃 said Tom； wondering if the Irish
foreman were given to joking。 Yet he did not seem that kind of man。
〃Mistake？ How can there be a mistake； sor？ I wint in there to tell th'
black imps t' come out； but they're not there to tell！〃
〃What's the trouble？〃 asked Job Titus； coming out of the office near
the tunnel mouth。 〃What's wrong； Tom？〃
〃Why； I sent Tim in to tell the men to come out； as I was going to set
off a blast； but he says the men aren't in there。 And I'm sure the last shift
hasn't come out。〃
By this time Koku； Mr。 Damon and Walter Titus had come up to find
out what the trouble was。
〃The min have disappearedthat's all there is to it！〃 Tim said。
〃Perhaps they have missed their waythe lights may have gone out；
and they might have wandered into some abandoned cutting；〃 suggested
Tom。
〃There aren't any abandoned cuttin's；〃 declared Tim。 〃It's a straight
bore； not a shaft of any kind。 I've looked everywhere； and th' min aren't
there I tell ye！〃
〃Are the lights going？〃 asked Job。 〃You might have missed them in the
dark； Tim。〃
〃The lights are going all right； Mr。 Titus；〃 said the young man in
charge of the electrical arrangements。 〃The dynamo hasn't been stopped
to…day。〃
〃Come on； we'll have a look；〃 proposed Walter Titus。 〃There must be
some mistake。 Hold back the blast； Tom。〃
〃All right；〃 and the young inventor disconnected the electrical
detonating switch。 〃I'll come along and have a look too；〃 he added。 〃Don't
let anybody meddle with the wires； Jack；〃 he said to the young
Englishman who was in charge of the dynamo。
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Into the dimly…lit tunnel advanced the party of investigators； with Tim
Sullivan in the lead。
〃Not a man could I find！〃 he said； murmuring to himself。 〃Not a man！
An' I mind th' time in Oireland whin th' little people made vanish a whole
village like this； jist bekase ould Mike Maguire uprooted a bed of
shamrocks。〃
〃That's enough of your superstitions； Tim；〃 warned Job Titus。 〃If some
of the other Indians hear you go on this way they'll desert as they did once
before。〃
〃Did they do that？〃 asked Tom。
〃Yes； we had trouble that way when we first began the work。 The place
here was a howling wilderness then； and there were lots of pumas around。
〃A puma is a small sized lion； you know； not specially dangerous
unless cornered。 Well； some of the men had their families here with them；
and a couple of children disappeared。 The story got started that there was a
big pumathe king of them allcarrying off the little ones； and my brother
and I awoke one morning to find every laborer missing。 They departed bag
and baggage。 Afraid of the pumas。〃
〃What did you do？〃
〃Well； we organized ourselves and our white helpers into a hunting
party and killed a lot of the beasts。 There wasn't any big one though。〃
〃And what had become of the children？〃
〃They weren't eaten at all。 They had wandered off into the woods； and
some natives found them and took care of them。 Eventually； they got back
home。 But it was a long while before we could persuade the Indians to
come back。 Since then we haven't had any trouble； and I don't want Tim；
with his superstitious fancies； to start any。〃
〃But the min are gone！〃 insisted the Irish foreman； who had listened to
this story as he and the others walked along。
〃We'll find them；〃 declared Mr。 Titus。
But though they looked all along the big shaft； and though the place
was well lighted by extra lamps that were turned on when the investigation
started； no trace could be found of the workmen； who had been left in the
tunnel to finish tamping the blast charges。 The party reached the rocky
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heading； in the face of which the powerful explosive had been placed； and
not an Indian was in sight。 Nor； as far as could be told； was there any side
niche； or blind shaft； in which they could be hiding。
Sometimes； when small blasts were set off； the men would go behind a
projecting shoulder of rock to wait until the charge had been fired； but
now none was in such a refuge。
〃It is queer；〃 admitted Walter Titus。 〃Where can the men have gone？〃
〃That's what I want to know！〃 exclaimed Tim。
〃Are you sure they didn't come out the mou
