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第9部分

t and his giant cannon(汤姆·史威夫特和他的巨形炮)-第9部分


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would   fall。   This   is   called   〃getting   the   range;〃   and   while;   of   course;   the 

exact limit of fire of the new gun was not known; it had been computed as 

nearly as possible。 

     〃Is   everything   ready   now?〃   asked   General   Waller;   while   Tom   was 

conversing with his friends; Captain Badger and Admiral Woodburn; Ned 

taking part in the conversation from time to time。 

     〃All ready; sir;〃 was the assurance。 The inventor was plainly nervous 

as the crucial moment of the test approached。 He went here and there upon 

the barbette; testing the various levers and gear wheels of the gun。 

     The projectile and powder had been put in; the breech…block screwed 

into place; the primer had been inserted; and all that remained was to press 

the   button   that   would   make   the   electrical   connection;   and   explode   the 

charge。 This act of firing the gun had been intrusted to one of the soldiers; 

for General Waller and his brother officers were to retire to a bomb…proof; 

whence they would watch the effect of the fire; and note the course of the 

projectile。 

     〃It seems to me;〃 remarked Ned; 〃that the soldier who is going to fire 

the gun is in the most danger。〃 

     〃He would beif it exploded;〃 spoke Tom; for his officer friends had 

joined   their   colleagues;   most   of     whom   were   now   walking   toward          the 

shelter。 〃But I think there is little danger。 

     〃You   see;   the   electric   wires   are   long   enough   to   enable   him   to   stand 



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                          TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON 



some distance from the gun。 And; if he likes; he can crouch behind that 

concrete     wall   of  the   next   barbette。   Still;  there  is  some    chance    of  an 

accident; for; no matter how carefully you calculate the strain of a bursting 

charge   of   powder;   and   how   strongly   you   construct   the   breech…block   to 

stand the strain; there is always the possibility of a flaw in the metal。 So; 

Ned;   I   think   we'll   just   go   to   the   bomb 膒 roof   ourselves;   when   we   see 

General Waller making for the same place。〃 

     〃I suppose;〃 remarked Ned; 〃that in actual warfare anyone who fired 

one of the big guns would have to stand close to itcloser than that soldier 

is now。〃 

     〃Oh;  yesmuch;〃   replied Tom;   as   he   watched   General Waller   giving 

the last instructions to the private who was to press the button。 〃Only; of 

course; in war the guns will have been tested; and this one has not。 Here he 

comes; I guess we'd better be moving。〃 

     General Waller; having assured himself that everything was as right as 

possible; had given the last word to the private and was now making his 

way     toward    the  bomb…proof;      within    which    were    gathered    his  fellow… 

officers and friends。 

     〃You had better retire from the immediate vicinity of the gun;〃 said its 

inventor to Tom and Ned; as he passed them。 〃For; while I have absolute 

confidence in my cannon; and I know that it is impossible to burst it; the 

concussion may be unpleasant at such close range。〃 

     〃Thank you;〃 said Tom。 〃We are going to get in a safe place。〃 

     He could not refrain from contrasting the general's manner now with 

what it had been at first。 

     As for Ned; he could not help wondering why; if the inventor had such 

absolute faith in his weapon; he did not fire it himself; even at the risk of a 

〃concussion。〃 

     How it happened was never accurately known; as the soldier declared 

positivelyafter he came out of the hospitalthat he had not pressed the 

button。 The theory was that the wires had become crossed; making a short 

circuit; which caused the gun to go off prematurely。 

     But   suddenly;   while   Tom;   Ned   and   General   Waller   were   still   some 

distance   away   from   the   bomb…proof;   there   was   a   terrific   explosion。   It 



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                          TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON 



seemed as if the very foundations of the fortifications would be shattered 

There was a roaring in the air a hot burst of flame; and instantly such a 

vacuum   was   created   that   Tom   and   Ned   found   themselves   gasping   for 

breath。 

     Dazed;   shaken   in   every   bone;   with   their   muscles   sore;   they   picked 

themselves   up   from   the   ground;   along   which   they  had   been   blown   with 

great force in the direction of the bomb…proof。 Even as Tom struggled to 

his feet; intending to run to safety in fear of other explosions; he realized 

what had happened。 

     〃Whatwhat was it?〃 cried Ned; as he; too; arose。 

     〃The gun burst!〃 yelled Tom。 

     He looked to the left and saw General Waller picking himself up; his 

uniform   torn;   and   blood   streaming   from   a   cut   on   his   face。 At   the   same 

instant Tom was aware of the body of a man flying through the air toward 

a   distant   grass   plot;   and   the   young   inventor   recognized   it   as   that   of   the 

soldier who had been detailed to fire the great cannon。 

     Almost   instantaneously   as   everything   happened;   Tom   was   aware   of 

noticing several things; as though they took place in sequence。 He looked 

toward where the gun had stood。 It was in ruins。 The young inventor saw 

something;   which   he   took   to   be   the   projectile;   skimming   across   the   sea 

waves; and he had a fleeting glimpse of the greater portion of the immense 

weapon itself sinking into the depths of the ocean。 

     Then; coming down from a great height in the air; he saw a dark object。 

It was another piece of the cannon that had been hurled skyward。 

     〃Look     out!〃   Tom    yelled;   instinctively;    as  he  staggered     toward    the 

bomb…proof; Ned following。 

     He saw a number of officers running out to assist General Waller; who 

seemed too   dazed   to move。  Many  of them  had   torn uniforms;  and   not   a 

few were bleeding from their injuries。 Then the air seemed filled with a 

rain of small missiles 膕 tones; dirt; gravel and pieces of metal。 



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                        TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON 



                           CHAPTER VIII 



                                  A BIG PROBLEM 



       〃Are you much hurt; Ned?〃 

    Tom Swift bent anxiously over the prostrate form of his chum。 A big 

piece of the burst gun had fallen close to Nedso close; in fact; that Tom; 

who saw it as he neared the entrance to the bomb… proof; shuddered as he 

raced back。 But there was no sign of injury on his chum。 

     〃Are you much hurt; Ned?〃 

    The lad's eyes opened。 He seemed dazed。 

     〃Nono;   I   guess   not;〃   he   answered;   slowly。   〃II   guess   I'm   as   much 

scared as hurt; Tom。 It was the wind from that big piece that knocked me 

down。 It didn't actually hit me。〃 

     〃No; I should say not;〃 put in Captain Badger; who had run out toward 

the two lads。 〃If it had hit you there wouldn't have been much of you left 

to tell the tale;〃 and he nodded toward the big piece of metal Tom had seen 

coming down from the sky。 That part of the cannon forming a portion of 

the breech had buried itself deep in the earth。 It had landed close to Ned 

so close that; as he said; the wind of it; as well as the concussion; perhaps; 

had thrown him with enough force to send the breath from him。 

     〃Glad to hear that; old man!〃 exclaimed Tom; with a sigh of relief。 〃If 

you'd been hurt I should have blamed myself。〃 

     〃That would have been foolish。 I took the same chance that you did;〃 

answered Ned; as he arose; and limped off between the captain and Tom。 

    A great silence seemed to have followed the terrific report。 And now 

the officers and soldiers began to recover from the stupor into which the 

accident     had  thrown    them。    Sentries   began   pouring    into   the  proving 

grounds from other portions of the barracks; and an ambulance call   was 

sent in。 

    General   Waller's   comrades   had   hurried   out   to   him;   and   were   now 

leading him  away。 He  did   not seem  to be   much   hurt; though;  like  many 

others; he had received numerous cuts and scratches from bits of stone and 

gravel scattered by the explosion; as well as from small bits of metal that 



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                          TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON 



were thrown in all directions。 

     〃Are you hurt; General?〃 asked Admiral Woodburn; as he put his arm 

about the shoulder of the inventor。 

     〃Nothat is to say; I don't think so。 But what happened? Did they fire 

some other gun in our direction by mistake?〃 

     For a moment they all hesitated。 Then the Admiral said; gently: 

     〃No; General。 It was your own gunit burst。〃 

     〃My gun! My gun burst?〃 

     〃That was it。 Fortunately; no one was killed。〃 

     〃My gun burst! How could that happen? I drew every plan for that gun 

myself。   I   made   every   allowance。   I   tell   you   it   was   impossible   for   it   to 

burst!〃 

     〃But   it   did   burst;   General;〃   went   on   the  Admiral。   〃You   can   see   for 

yourself;〃 and he turned around and waved his hand toward the barbette 

where the gun had been mounted。 All that remained of it now was part of 

the   temporary   carriage;   and   a   small   under…portion   of   the   muzzle。   The 

entire   breech;   with   the   great   block;   had   been   blown   into   fragments;   so 

powerful was the powder used。 The projectile one watcher reported; had 

gone   about   three   hundred   yards   over   the   top   of   the   barbette   and   then 

dropped into the sea; ve

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