【英文原著类】tomswifthisbigtun

TOMSWIFTANDHISBIGTUNNEL1TOMSWIFTANDHISBIGTUNNEL(orTheHiddenCityoftheAndes)VictorAppletonTOMSWIFTANDHISBIGTUNNEL2CHAPTERIAnAppealforAidTomSwift,seatedinhislaboratoryengagedintryingtosolveapuzzlingquestionthathadarisenoveroneofhisinventions,wasstartledbyaloudknockonthedoor.Soemphatic,infact,wasthesummonsthatthedoortrembled,andTomstartedtohisfeetinsomealarm.Hellothere!hecried.Don'tbreakthedoor,Koku!andthenhelaughed.Noonebutmygiantwouldknocklikethat,hesaidtohimself.Heneverdoesseemabletodothingsgently.ButIwonderwhyheisknocking.Itoldhimtogettheengineoutoftheairship,andEradicatesaidhe'dbearoundtoanswerthetelephoneandbell.Iwonderifanythinghashappened?Tomshovedbackhischair,pushedasidethemassofpapersoverwhichhehadbeenpuzzling,andstrodetothedoor.Flingingitopenheconfrontedaveritablegiantofaman,nearlyeightfeettall,andbiginproportion.Thegiant,Koku,forthatwashisname,smiledinagood-naturedway,remindingoneofanovergrownboy.Masterhearmyknock?thegiantaskedcheerfully.Hearyou,Koku?Say,Icouldn'thearanythingelse!exclaimedTom.Didyouthinkyouhadtoarousethewholeneighborhoodjusttoletmeknowyouwereatthedoor?Jove!Ithoughtyou'dhaveitoffthehinges.Ifmebreak,mefix,saidKoku,who,fromhisappearanceandfromhisimperfectcommandofEnglish,wasevidentlyaforeigner.Yes,Iknowyoucanfixlotsofthings,Koku,Tomwenton,kindlyenough.Butyoumusn'tforgetwhatenormousstrengthyouhave.That'sthereasonIsentyoutotaketheengineoutoftheairship.Youcanliftitwithoutusingthechainhoist,andIcan'tgetthechainhoistfastunlessIremoveallthesuperstructure.Idon'twanttodothat.Didyougettheengineout?Notquite.Almost,Master.Thenwhyareyouhere?Hasanythinggonewrong?TOMSWIFTANDHISBIGTUNNEL3No,everythingallright,Master.Butmancometomachineshopandsayhemusthavetalkwithyou.Inolethimcomepastthegate,butIsayIcomeandcallyou.That'sright,Koku.Don'tletanystrangerspastthegate.Butwhydidn'tEradicatecomeandcallme.Heisn'tdoinganything,ishe?Unless,indeed,hehasgonetofeedhismule,Boomerang.Eradicate,hecometocallyou,butthatblackmannogood!andKokuchuckledsoheartilythatheshooktheflooroftheoffice.What'sthematterwithEradicate?askedTom,somewhatanxiously.Ihopeyouandhehaven'thadanotherrow?EradicatehadservedTomandhisfatherlongbeforeKoku,thegiant,hadbeenbroughtbackfromoneoftheyounginventor'smanystrangetrips,andeversincethentherehadbeenajealousrivalrybetweenthetwainastowhoshouldbestserveTom.Notrouble,Master,saidKoku.Eradicatehestarttocomeandtellyoustrangemanwanttohavetalk,butEradicatehenocomefastenough.SoIpickhimup,andIsethimdownbygatetostandonguard,andIcometotellyou.Kokucomequick!Oh,Iknewitmustbesomethinglikethat!exclaimedTominsomevexation.NowI'llhaveEradicatecomplainingtomethatyoumauledhim.Pickedhimupandsethimdownagain;Sure.Onehand!boastedthegiant.Eradicatehimnotbeheavy.Moreasasackofflournow.No,poorEradicateisgettingprettyoldandthin,commentedTom.Hecan'tmoveveryquickly.Butyoushouldhavelethimcome,Koku.Itmakeshimfeelbadlywhenhethinkshecan'tbeofservicetomeanymore.Mansayheinhurry.Thegiantspokesoftly,asthoughhefeltthegentlerebukeTomadministered.Kokurunquicktellyou--bangondoor.Yes,youbangedallright,Koku.Well,itcan'tbehelped,Ireckon.Whereisthisstrangeman?Whoishe?Didyoueverseehimbefore?Menocantell,Master.Notsure.Buthimnowbeattheoutergate.Eradicatewatch.Allright.I'llgoandseewhoitis.Idon'twantanystrangerspokingTOMSWIFTANDHISBIGTUNNEL4aroundhere,especiallyWiththeplansofmynewgyroscopelyinginplainview.BeforeheleftthelaboratoryTomsweptintoadeskdrawerthemassofpapersandblueprints,andlockedthereceptacle.Nousetakinganychances,heremarked.I'vehadtoomuchtroublewithpeopletryingtogetinsideinformationaboutdad'sandmypatents.Now,Koku,I'llgoandseethisman.ThebuildingscomposingtheplantofTomSwiftandhisfatheratShoptonwereenclosedbyahigh,boardfence,andatoneoftheentranceswasasortofgate-house,wheresomeonewasalwaysonguard.Onlythosewhocouldgiveagoodaccountofthemselves,workmenintheplant,orthoseknowntothesentinelwereadmitted.Ithappenedthatthecoloredman,Eradicate,wasonguardatthegatesthisdaywhenthestrangeraskedtoseeTom.Koku,workingontheairshipenginenotfaraway,sawthestranger.HearingthemansayhewasinahurryandnotingtheslowprogressoftheagedEradicate,whowastroubledwithrheumatism,thegianttookmattersintohisownhands.TomSwiftenteredthegate-houseandsaw,seatedinachair,amanwhowasimpatientlytappingthefloorwithhisthick-soledshoe.Lookslikeadetectiveorapolicemanindisguise,thoughtTom,for,almostinvariably,membersofthisprofessionwearverythick-soledshoes.OppositethestrangersatEradicate,amuch-injuredlookonhishonest,blackface.Oh,MassaTom!exclaimedEradicate,assoonastheyounginventorentered.DatKokuhe--he--hedonegoneandcotchmebydecollarobmahcoat,an'denhelif'meup,an'hesotmedownsohard--sohard--dathejarlooseallmahbackteef!andEradicateopenedhismouthwidetodisplayhisgleamingivories.Eradicate,henocancomequick.Hewalklikesofashion!andKoku,whohadfollowedtheyounginventor,imitatedthelimpinggaitofthecoloredmanwithsuchaqueereffectthatTomcouldnothelplaughing,andthestrangersmiled.EfIgitsholtonyo'--efIdoes,yo'great,big,overgrownlummox,Ah'll--Ah'll--beganthecoloredman,stammeringly.TOMSWIFTANDHISBIGTUNNEL5There.Thatwi