swift and his motor-boat(汤姆·史威夫特和他的摩托艇)-第25部分
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stern seat； glanced up quickly。
〃It looks as if that boat wanted to hail us；〃 the inventor remarked。
Tom was thinking the same thing； for； though he had changed his
course slightly since sighting the DOT； the little craft was put over so as to
meet him。 Wondering what Miss Nestor could want； but being only too
willing to have a chat with her； the young inventor shifted his helm。 In a
short time the two craft were within hailing distance。
〃How do you do？〃 called Miss Nestor； as she slowed down her motor。
〃Don't you think I'm improving； Mr。 Swift？〃
〃What's that？ I…er…I beg your pardon； but I didn't catch that；〃
exclaimed the aged inventor quickly； coming out of a sort of day…dream。
〃I beg your pardon。〃 He thought she had addressed him。
Miss Nestor blushed and looked questioningly at Tom。
〃My father；〃 he explained as he introduced his parent。 Ned needed
none； having met Miss Nestor before。 〃Indeed you have improved very
much；〃 went on our hero。 〃You seem able to manage the boat all alone。〃
〃Yes； I'm doing pretty well。 Dick lets me take the DOT whenever I want
to； and I thought I'd come out for a little trial run this morning。 I'm
getting ready for the races。 I suppose you are going to enter them？〃 and
she steered her boat alongside Tom's； who throttled down his powerful
motor so as not to pass his friend。
〃Races？ I hadn't heard of them；〃 he replied。
〃Oh； indeed there are to be fine ones under the auspices of the Lanton
Motor Club。 Mr。 Hastings； of whom you bought that boat； is going to
enter his new CARLOPA； and Dick has entered the DOT； in the baby class
of course。 But I'm going to run it； and that's why I'm practicing。〃
〃I hope you win；〃 remarked Tom。 〃I hadn't heard of the races； but I
think I'll enter。 I'm glad you told me。 Do you want to race now？〃 and
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he laughed as he looked into the brown eyes of Mary Nestor。
〃No； indeed； unless you give me a start of several miles。〃
They kept together for some little time longer； and then； as Tom knew
his father would be restless at the slow speed； he told Miss Nestor the need
of haste； and； advancing his timer； he soon left the DOT behind。 The girl
called a laughing good…by and urged him not to forget the races； which
were to take place in about two weeks。
〃I suppose Andy Foger will enter his boat；〃 commented Ned。
〃Naturally；〃 agreed Tom。 〃It's a racer； and he'll probably think it can
beat anything on the lake。 But if he doesn't manage his motor differently；
it won't。〃
The distance from Sandport to Shopton had been more than half
covered at noon； when the travelers ate a lunch in the boat。 Mr。 Swift
was looking anxiously ahead to catch the first glimpse of his dock and
Tom was adjusting the machinery as finely as he dared to get out of it the
maximum speed。
Ned Newton； who happened to be gazing aloft； wondering at the
perfect beauty of the blue sky after the storm； uttered a sudden
exclamation。 Then he arose and pointed at some object in the air。
〃Look！〃 be cried； 〃A balloon！ It must have gone up from some fair。〃
Tom and his father looked upward。 High in the air； almost over their
heads； was an immense balloon。 It was of the hot…air variety； such as
performers use in which to make ascensions from fair grounds and
circuses； and below it dangled a trapeze； upon which could be observed a
man； only he looked more like a doll than a human being。
〃I shouldn't like to be as high as that；〃 remarked Ned。
〃I would；〃 answered Tom as he slowed down the engine the better to
watch the balloon。 〃I'd like to go up in an airship； and I intend to some
day。〃
〃I believe he's going to jump！〃 suddenly exclaimed Ned after a few
minutes。 〃He's going to do something； anyhow。〃
〃Probably come down in a parachute；〃 said Tom。 〃They generally do
that。〃
〃No！ No！〃 cried Ned。 〃He isn't going to jump。 Something has
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happened！ The balloon is on fire！ He'll be burned to death！〃
Horror stricken； they all gazed aloft。 From the mouth of the balloon
there shot a tongue of fire； and it was followed by a cloud of black smoke。
The big bag was getting smaller and seemed to be descending； while the
man on the trapeze was hanging downward by his hands to get as far as
possible away from the terrible heat。
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CHAPTER XXII
THE RESCUE
〃Jump！ Jump！〃 cried Mr。 Swift； leaping to his feet and motioning
to the man on the trapeze of the balloon。 But it is doubtful whether or
not the performer heard him。 Certainly he could not see the frantic
motions of the inventor。 〃Why doesn't he jump？〃 Mr。 Swift went on
piteously to the two lads。 〃He'll surely be burned to death if he hangs on
there！〃
〃It's too far to leap！〃 exclaimed Tom。 〃He's a good way up in the air；
though it looks like only a short distance。 He would be killed if he
dropped now。〃
〃He ought to have a parachute；〃 added Ned。 〃Most of those men do
when they go up in a balloon。 Why doesn't he come down in that？ I
wonder how the balloon took fire？〃
〃Maybe he hasn't a parachute；〃 suggested Tom； while he slowed down
the motor…boat still more so as to remain very nearly under the blazing
balloon。
〃Yes； he has！〃 cried Ned。 〃See； it's hanging to one side of the big bag。
He ought to cut loose。 He could save himself then。 Why doesn't he？〃
The balloon was slowly twisting about； gradually settling to the
surface of the lake； but all the while the flames were becoming fiercer and
the black clouds of smoke increased in size。
〃There； see the parachute！〃 went on Ned。
The twisting of the bag had brought into view the parachute or big；
umbrella…shaped bag； which would have enabled the man to safely drop to
the surface of the lake。 Without it he would have hit the water with such
force that he would have been killed as surely as if he had struck the solid
earth。 But the boys and Mr。 Swift also saw something else； and this was
that the balloon was on fire on the same side where the parachute was
suspended。
〃Look！ Look！〃 shouted Tom； bringing his boat to a stop。 〃That's why
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he can't jump！ He can't reach the parachute！〃
By this time the balloon had settled so low that the actions of the man
could be plainly seen。 That he was in great agony of fear； as well as in
great pain from the terrific heat over his head was evident。 He shifted
about on the trapeze bar； now hanging by one hand； so as to bring his body
a little farther below the blazing end of the bag； then； when one arm tired；
he would hang by the other。 If the balloon would only come down more
quickly it would get to within such a short distance of the water that the
man could safely make the drop。 But the immense canvas bag was
settling so slowly； for it was still very buoyant； that considerable time must
elapse before it would be near enough to the water to make it safe for the
unfortunate man to let go the trapeze。
〃Oh； if we could only do something！〃 cried Tom。 〃We have to
remain here helpless and watch him burn to death。 It's awful！〃
The three in the boat continued to gaze upward。 They could see the
man making frantic efforts to reach his parachute from time to time。
Once； as a little current of air blew the flames and smoke to one side； he
thought he had a chance。 Up on the trapeze bar he pulled himself and
then edged along it in an endeavor to grasp the ring of the parachute。
Once he almost had hold of that and also the cord； which ran to a knife
blade。 This cord； being pulled； would sever the rope that bound it to the
balloon； and he would be comparatively safe； so he might drop to the lake。
But； just as he was about to grasp the ring and cord the smoke came
swirling down on him and the hungry flames seemed to put out their fiery
tongues to devour him。 He had to slide back and once more hung by his
hands。
〃I thought he was saved then；〃 whispered Tom； and even the whisper
sounded loud in the silence。
Several men came running along the shore of the lake now。 They
saw the occupants in the ARROW
