Bon Voyage
: JewelAt the dock next morning the scene was one of the usual confusion. The
sailing time was drawing near and Mr. Evringham had not appeared.
Harry, with his little girl's hand in his, stood at the foot of the gang
plank, peering at every newcomer and growing more anxious every moment.
Jewel occupied herself in throwing kisses to her mother, who stood at
the rail far above, never taking her eyes from the little figure in t
blue sailor suit.
The child noted her father's set lips and the concentrated expression of
his eyes.
"If grandpa doesn't come what shall I do?" she asked without anxiety.
"You'll go to England," was the prompt response.
"Without my trunk!" returned the child in protest.
Her father looked again at the watch he held in his hand. The order to
go ashore was sending all visitors down the gang plank. "By George, I
guess you're going, too," he muttered between his teeth, when suddenly
his father's tall form came striding through the crowd. Mr. Evringham
was carrying a long pasteboard box, and seemed breathless.
"Horse fell down. Devil of a time! Roses for your wife."
Harry grasped the box, touched his father's hand, kissed the child, and
strode up the plank amid the frowns of officials.
Jewel's eager eyes followed him, then, as he disappeared, lifted again
to her mother, who smiled and waved her hand to Mr. Evringham. The
latter raised his hat and took the occasion to wipe his heated brow.
He was irritated through and through. The morning had been a chapter of
accidents. Even the roses, which he had ordered the night before, had
proved to be the wrong sort.
The suspense of the last fifteen minutes had been a distressing wrong
to put upon any man. He had now before him the prospect of caring for a
strange child, of taking her out of town at an hour when he should have
been coming into it. She would probably cry. Very well; if she did he
determined on the instant to ride out to Bel-Air in the smoking car,
although he detested its odors and uncleanness. The whole situation was
enormous. What a fool he had been, and what an intelligent woman was
Mrs. Forbes! She had seen from the first the inappropriateness, the
impossibility, of the whole proposition. His attention was attracted to
the fact that the small figure at his side was hopping up and down with
excitement.
"There's father, there's father!" she cried, as Harry joined his wife
at the rail and they lifted the wealth of roses from the box and waved
them.
"We've wronged him, Harry!" exclaimed Julia, trying to see the little
face below through her misty eyes. "How I love him for bringing me these
sweet things! It gives me such a different feeling about him."
"Oh, father would as soon forget his breakfast as roses for a woman he
was seeing off," returned Harry without enthusiasm, while he waved his
hat energetically.
The steamer pulled out. The faces in the crowd mingled and changed
places.
"I've lost them, I've lost them!" cried Julia. "Oh, where are they,
Harry."
"Over there near the corner. I can see father. It's all right, dear,"
choking a little. "Jewel was skipping and laughing a minute ago. It will
only be a few weeks, but confound it," violently, "next time we'll take
her!"
Julia buried her face in the roses, on which twinkled a sudden dew, and
tried to gather promise from their sweet breath.
Jewel strained her eyes to follow the now indistinguishable forms on the
lofty deck, and her grandfather looked down at the small figure in the
sailor suit, the short thick pigtails of flaxen hair tied with large
bows of ribbon, and the doll clasped in one arm. At last the child
turned her head and looked up, and their eyes met for the first time.
"Jove, she does look like Harry!" muttered Mr. Evringham, and even as he
spoke the plain little face was illumined with the smile he knew, that
surpassingly sweet smile which promised so much and performed nothing.
The child studied him with open, innocent curiosity.
"I can't believe it's you," she said at last, in a voice light and
winning, a voice as sweet as the smile.
"I don't wonder. I don't quite know myself this morning," he replied
brusquely.
"We have a picture of you, but it's a long-ago one, and I thought
by this time you would be old, and--and bent over, you know, the way
grandpas are."
Even in that place of drays and at eight o'clock A.M. these words fell
not disagreeably upon irritated ears.
"I think myself Nature did not intend me to be a grandpa," he replied.
"Oh, yes, you're just the right kind," returned the child hastily and
confidently. "Strong and--and handsome."
Mr. Evringham looked at her in amazement. "The little rascal!" he
thought. "Has she been coached?"
"I suppose we may get away from here now," he said aloud. "There's
nothing more to wait for."
"Didn't the roses make mother happy?" asked the little girl, trotting
along beside his long strides. "I think it was wonderful for you to
bring them so early in the morning."
Mr. Evringham summoned a cab.
"Oh, are we gong in a carriage?" cried Jewel, highly pleased. "But I
mustn't forget, grandpa, there's something father told me I must give
you the first thing. Will you take Anna Belle a minute, please?" and Mr.
Evringham found himself holding the doll fiercely by one leg while small
hands worked at the catch of a very new little leather side-bag.
At last Jewel produced a brass square.
"Oh, your trunk check." Mr. Evringham exchanged the doll for it with
alacrity. "Get in." He held open the cab door.
Jewel obeyed, but not without some misgivings when her guardian so
coolly pocketed the check.
"Yes, it's for my trunk," she replied when her grandfather was beside
her and they began rattling over the stones. "I have a checked silk
dress," she added softly, after a pause. It were well to let him know
the value of her baggage.
"Have you indeed? How old are you, Julia? Your name is Julia, I
believe?"
"Yes, sir, my name's Julia, but so is mother's, and they call me
Jewel. I'm nearly nine, grandpa."
"H'm. Time flies," was the brief response.
Jewel looked out of the cab window in the noisy silence that followed.
At last her voice was raised to sound through the clatter. "I suppose my
trunk is somewhere else," she said suggestively.
"Yes, your trunk will reach home all right, plaid silk and all."
Jewel smiled, and lifting the doll she let her look out the window upon
the uninviting prospect. "Anna Belle's clothes are in the trunk, too,"
she added, turning and speaking confidentially.
"Whose?" asked Mr. Evringham, startled. "There's no one else coming, I
suppose?"
"Why, this is Anna Belle," returned the child, laughing and lifting the
bisque beauty so that the full radiance of her smile beamed upon her
companion. "That's your great-grandfather, dearie, that I've told you
about," she said patronizingly. "We've been so excited the last few
days since we knew we were coming," looking again at Mr. Evringham.
"I've told Anna Belle all about beautiful Bel-Air Park, and the big
house, and the big trees, and the ravine, and the brook. Isn't it nice,"
joyfully, "that it doesn't rain to-day, and we shall see it in the
sunshine?"
"Rain would have made it more disagreeable certainly," returned Mr.
Evringham, congratulating himself that he was escaping that further rain
of tears which he had dreaded. "It is a good day for your father and
mother to set out on their trip," he added.
"Yes, and they're only to be gone six little weeks," returned Jewel,
smoothing her doll's boa; "and I'm to have this lovely visit, and I'm to
write them very often, and they'll write to me, and we shall all be so
happy!" Jewel trotted Anna Belle on her short-skirted knee and hummed a
tune, which was lost in the rattle of wheels.
"You can read and write, eh?"
"Oh ye--es!" replied the child with amused scorn. "How would I get
my lessons if I couldn't read? Of course--big words," she added
conscientiously.
"Precisely," agreed Mr. Evringham dryly. "Big words, I dare say."
A sudden thought occurring to his companion, she looked up again.
"You pretty nearly didn't come," she said, "and just think, if you
hadn't I was going to England. Father said so."
At the sweet inflections of the child's voice Mr. Evringham's brows
contracted with remembrance of his wrongs. "I should have come. Your
father might have known that!"
"I suppose he wouldn't have liked to leave me sitting on the dock alone,
but I should have known you'd come. The funny part is I shouldn't have
known you." Jewel laughed. "I should have kept looking for an old
man with white hair and a cane like Grandpa Morris. He's a grandpa in
Chicago that I know. He's just as kind as he can be, but he has the
queerest back. He goes to our church, but says he came in at the
eleventh hour. I think he used to have rheumatism. And while I was
sitting there you could have walked right by me."
"Humph!"
"But then you'd have known me," went on Jewel, straightening Anna
Belle's hat, "so it would have been all right. You'd have known there
would be only one little girl waiting there, and you would have said,
'Oh, here you are, Jewel. I've come. I'm your grandpa.'" The child
unconsciously mimicked the short, brusque speech.
Mr. Evringham regarded her rather darkly. "Eh? I hope you're not
impudent?"
"What's that?" asked Jewel doubtfully.
Her companion's brow grew darker.
"Impudent I say."
"And what is impudent?"
"Don't you know?" suspiciously.
"No, sir," replied the child, some anxiety clouding her bright look. "Is
it error?"
Mr. Evringham regarded her rather blankly. "It's something you mustn't
be," he replied at last.
Jewel's face cleared. "Oh no, I won't then," she replied earnestly. "You
tell me when I'm--it, because I want to make you happy."
Mr. Evringham cleared his throat. He felt somewhat embarrassed and was
glad they had reached the ferry.
"We're going on a boat, aren't we?" she asked when they had passed
through the gate.
"Yes, and we can make this boat if we hurry." Mr. Evringham suddenly
felt a little hand slide into his. Jewel was skipping along beside him
to keep up with his long strides, and he glanced down at the bobbing
flaxen head with its large ribbon bows, while the impulse to withdraw
his hand was thwarted by the closer clinging of the small fingers.
"Father told me about the ferry," said Jewel with satisfaction, "and
you'll show me the statue of Liberty won't you, grandpa? Isn't it a
splendid boat? Oh, can we go out close to the water?"
Mr. Evringham sighed heavily. He did not wish to go out close to the
water. He wished to sit down in comfort in the cabin and read the paper
which he had just taken from a newsboy. It seemed to him a very long
time since he had done anything he wished to; but a little hand was
pulling eagerly at his, and mechanically he followed out to where the
brisk spring wind ruffled the river and assaulted his hat. He jerked his
hand from Jewel's to hold it in place.
"Isn't this beautiful!" cried the child joyfully, as the boat steamed
on. "Can you do this every day, grandpa?"
"What? Oh yes, yes."
Something in the tone caused the little girl to look up from her view of
the wide water spaces to the grim face above.
"Is there something that makes you sorry, grandpa?" she asked softly.
His eyes were fixed on a ferry boat, black with its human freight, about
to pass them on its way to the city.
"I was wishing I were on that boat. That's all."
The little girl lifted her shoulders. "I don't believe there's room,"
she said, looking smilingly for a response from her companion. "I don't
believe even Anna Belle could squeeze on. Do you think so?"
Mr. Evringham, holding his hat with one hand, was endeavoring to fetter
the lively corners of his newspaper in such shape that he could at least
get a glimpse of headlines.
"Oh, I see a statue. Is that it, grandpa? Is that it?"
"What?" vaguely. "Oh yes. The statue of Liberty. Yes, that's it. As
if there was any liberty for anybody!" muttered Mr. Evringham into his
mustache.
"It isn't so very big," objected Jewel.
"We're not so very near it."
"Just think," gayly, "father and mother are sailing away just the way we
are."
"H'm," returned Mr. Evringham, trying to read the report of the stock
market, and becoming more impatient each instant with the sportive
breeze.
"Julia," he said at last, "I am going into the cabin to read the paper.
Will you go in, or do you wish to stay here?"
"May I stay here?"
"Yes," doubtfully, "I suppose so, if you won't climb on the rail, or--or
anything."
Jewel laughed in gleeful appreciation of the joke. Her grandfather met
her blue eyes unsmilingly and vanished.
"I wish grandpa didn't look so sorry," she thought regretfully. "He is
a very important man, grandpa is, and perhaps he has a lot of error to
meet and doesn't know how to meet it."
Watching the dancing waves and constantly calling Anna Belle's attention
to some point of interest on the water front or a passing craft,
she nevertheless pursued a train of thought concerning her important
relative, with the result that when the gong sounded for landing, and
Mr. Evringham's impassive countenance reappeared, she met him with
concern.
"Doesn't it make you sorry to read the morning paper, grandpa?"
"Sometimes. Depends on the record of the Exchange." There was somewhat
less of the irritation of a newsless man in the morning in the speaker's
tone.
"Mother calls the paper the Daily Saddener," pursued Jewel, again
slipping her hand into her grandfather's as a matter of course as they
moved slowly off the boat. "I've been thinking that perhaps you're in a
hurry to get to business, grandpa."
The child did not quote his words about the ingoing ferry boat lest he
should feel regret at having spoken them.
"Well, there's no use in my being in a hurry this morning," he returned.
"I was going to ask, couldn't you show me how to go to Bel-Air, so you
wouldn't have to take so much time?"
A gleam of hope came into Mr. Evringham's cold eyes and he looked down
on his companion doubtfully.
"We have to go out on the train," he said.
"Yes," returned the child, "but you could put me on it, and every time
it stops I would ask somebody if that was Bel-Air."
The prospect this offered was very pleasing to the broker.
"You wouldn't be afraid, eh?"
"Be what?" asked Jewel, looking up at him with a certain reproachful
surprise.
"You wouldn't, eh?"
"Why, grandpa!"
"Well, I believe it would do well enough, since you don't mind. Zeke is
going to meet this train. I'll tell the conductor to see that you get
off at Bel-Air, and when you do, ask for Mr. Evringham's coachman.
You'll see Zeke, a light-haired man driving a brown horse in a brougham.
He'll take you home to his mother, Mrs. Forbes. She is my housekeeper.
Now, do you think you'll understand?"
"It sounds very easy," returned Jewel.
Mr. Evringham's long legs and her short skipping ones lost no time in
boarding the train, which they found made up. The relieved man saw the
conductor, paid the child's fare, and settled her on the plush seat.
She sat there, contentedly swinging her feet.
"Now I can just catch a boat if I leave you immediately," said Mr.
Evringham consulting his watch. "You've only a little more than five
minutes to wait before the train starts."
"Then hurry, grandpa, I'm all right."
"Very well. Your fare is paid, and the conductor understands. You might
ask somebody, though. Bel-Air, you know. Good-by."
Hastily he strode down the aisle and left the train. Having to pass the
window beside which Jewel sat, he glanced up with a half uneasy memory
of how far short of the floor her feet had swung.
She was watching for him. On her lips was the sweet gay smile and--yes,
there was no mistake--Anna Belle's countenance was beaming through the
glass, and she was wafting kisses to Mr. Evringham from a stiff and
chubby hand. The stockbroker grew warm, cleared his throat, lifted his
hat, and hurried his pace.
More
-
At Port Stowe
Ten o'clock the next morning found Mr. Marvel, unshaven, dirty, and travel-stained, sitting with the books beside him and his hands deep in his pockets, looking very weary, nervous, and uncomfortable, and inflating his cheeks at infrequent interva... At Seventy-eight Thousand Five Hundred And Fourteen Leagues
What had happened? Whence the cause of this singular intoxication, the consequences of which might have been very disastrous? A simple blunder of Michel's, which, fortunately, Nicholl was able to correct in time. After a perfect swoon, which la... At The Arizona Cave
It was dark when I opened my eyes again. Strange, stiff garments were upon my body; garments that cracked and powdered away from me as I rose to a sitting posture. I felt myself over from head to foot and from head to foot I was clothed, thoug... At The Gale's Mercy
Tara of Helium did not return to her father's guests, but awaited in her own apartments the word from Djor Kantos which she knew must come, begging her to return to the gardens. She would then refuse, haughtily. But no appeal came from Djor Kantos. ... At The House In Great Portland Street
For a moment Kemp sat in silence, staring at the back of the headless figure at the window. Then he started, struck by a thought, rose, took the Invisible Man's arm, and turned him away from the outlook. "You are tired," he said, "and while I s... At The Mercy Of The Winds
As the affrighted cormorants had winged their flight towards the south, there sprang up a sanguine hope on board the schooner that land might be discovered in that direction. Thither, accordingly, it was determined to proceed, and in a few hours aft... At The Moment Of Marriage
The silence of the tomb lay heavy about him as O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator, opened his eyes in the chamber of O-Mai. Recollection of the frightful apparition that had confronted him swept to his consciousness. He listened, but heard naught. Within the ... At The Schooner's Rail
THAT night land was sighted after sundown, and the schooner hove to. Montgomery intimated that was his destination. It was too far to see any details; it seemed to me then simply a low-lying patch of dim blue in the uncertain blue-grey sea. An a... At The Tropical Island
It was on the evening of the fourth day later that Captain Weston, who was steering the craft, suddenly called out: "Land ho!" "Where away?" inquired Tom quickly, for he had read that this was the proper response to make. "Dead ahead," ans... At The Window
I have already said that my storms of emotion have a trick of exhausting themselves. After a time I discovered that I was cold and wet, and with little pools of water about me on the stair carpet. I got up almost mechanically, went into the... At Twilight
It was Sunday, and Mr. Bonnell was dining at Bel-Air Park. Had Jewel thought of it, she might have contrasted the expression of Mrs. Forbes's face as she waited at table this evening with the look it wore on the day she first arrived; might have not... Attack And Riposte
As soon as the excitement had subsided, the following words were heard uttered in a strong and determined voice: "Now that the speaker has favored us with so much imagination, would he be so good as to return to his subject, and give us a littl... Attrition
Of course if Man is to survive, he must be adaptable, as any life form must. But that's not enough; he must adapt faster than the competing forms. And on new planets, that can be tricky.... The faxgram read: REPORT MA IS INSTANTER GRAVI... Aurora
Felix fell on the seat beside her, burying his face in the folds of her dress; he sobbed, not with tears, but choking passion. She held him to her heart as if he had been a child, stroking his hair and kissing it, whispering to him, assuring him t... Away From The Warpath
When Lennard entered the little drawing-room in the house in Westbourne Terrace, where Norah Castellan and her aunt were staying, he had decided to do something which, without his knowing it, probably made a very considerable difference in his own... Azrael
St. Thomas, Wednesday, 24 July 2571 Less than half an hour later, she was in the theater along with what she estimated at fifty others, all with Special Ops patches and specialty badges--even Odeon, when she spotted him, was wearing his Tra... Back Again
"In Algeria, captain?" "Yes, Ben Zoof, in Algeria; and not far from Mostaganem." Such were the first words which, after their return to consciousness, were exchanged between Servadac and his orderly. They had resided so long in the province t... Back To Earth
WE CROSSED THE RIVER AND PASSED THROUGH THE mountains beyond, and finally we came out upon a great level plain which stretched away as far as the eye could reach. I cannot tell you in what direction it stretched even if you would care to know, fo... Back To Normal
"I think," said Jim, loading his pipe, "that now I really will settle down. No other adventures could seem like much after the one"--he repressed a shiver--"we've just passed through." "And I think," said Dennis, following his own line of though... Baret And Selda
I remember that I lived nearly two months--or so it seemed--in that other world. I was assigned an apartment near to Edvar's--Selda was between us. Edvar instructed me in the details of the life I was to lead. But he was a rather cold sort: his in... Barey
The day had already dawned, but it was not yet sunrise when Maskull awoke from his miserable sleep. He sat up and yawned feebly. The air was cool and sweet. Far away down the landslip a bird was singing; the song consisted of only two notes, but it ... Baron Aquila
Felix's own position was bitter in the extreme. He felt he had talent. He loved deeply, he knew that he was in turn as deeply beloved; but he was utterly powerless. On the confines of the estate, indeed, the men would run gladly to do his bidding.... Battle Of Missionary Ridge And Lookout Mountain
Will had not neglected to take numerous photographs of Summit Island, the flag and staff; and with his kodak he had stepped outside the circle and taken a "shot" at them as they circled about the mast, protected from cruel Jack Frost by a wall of ... Battle With A Monster
Minutes passed, while the earthmen hardly dared breathe. Their ebbing heartbeat seemed to almost echo in their breasts. Then the object appeared at the opening, hesitated, and was thrust in! The hammer was a head!!! It swayed back and forth, lik... Battling In The Arena
Slowly I regained my composure and finally essayed again to attempt to remove the keys from the dead body of my former jailer. But as I reached out into the darkness to locate it I found to my horror that it was gone. Then the truth flashed on m... Beauty And The Beast
One day, about two weeks later, von Horn and the professor were occupied closely with their work in the court of mystery. Developments were coming in riotous confusion. A recent startling discovery bade fare to simplify and expedite the work far... Beauty And The Beast
On the following morning all were up early, and enjoyed a long walk before breakfast in the park. They did not see the Count until breakfast time. He was in a very pleasant mood, and, after inquiring how they had rested, turning to Dr. Jones he sa... Ben Zoof Watches In Vain
In a few minutes the governor general and his population were asleep. The gourbi being in ruins, they were obliged to put up with the best accommodation they could find in the adjacent erection. It must be owned that the captain's slumbers were by... Beside Still Waters
The youth in the multi-coloured blazer laughed. "You'd have to come and be a nurse," he suggested. "Oh, I'd go as a drummer-boy. I'd look fine in uniform, wouldn't I?" the waitress simpered in return. Dennis Burnham swallowed his liqueur in... Between Mars And Jupiter
After all the tension of preparing for it, the trip out seemed interminable. They were all impatient to reach their destination. During blastoff and accelleration they had watched Mars dwindle to a tiny red dot; then time seemed to stop altoget... Bird Beast Or Fish?
"These jewels rather puzzle me, Dick. What are they?" asked Martin, as the four assembled, waiting for the first meal. As he spoke he held up his third finger, upon which gleamed the royal jewel of Osnome in its splendid Belcher mounting of arenak... Black Despair
"Ah," said Zat Arras, "to what kindly circumstance am I indebted for the pleasure of this unexpected visit from the Prince of Helium?" While he was speaking, one of my guards had removed the gag from my mouth, but I made no reply to Zat Arras: s... Black Magic
I had just finished breakfast, and deeply perplexed had risen from the table in order to get a box of matches to light a cigarette, when my black cat got between my feet and tripped me up. I fell forwards, making a clutch at the table-cloth. My ... Black Rock Creek
Human nature is prone to illusions. Of course, there had been all along a probability that the "Terror" had deserted the locality, even admitting that it was she Wells had seen the previous day. If some damage to her triple system of locomotio... Blind Man's Lantern
Walking home in the dark from an evening spent in mischief, a young man spied coming toward him down the road a person with a lamp. When the wayfarers drew abreast, the play-boy saw that the other traveler was the Blind Man f... Boldly Down The Crater
Supper was rapidly devoured, and the little company housed themselves as best they could. The bed was hard, the shelter not very substantial, and our position an anxious one, at five thousand feet above the sea level. Yet I slept particularly well; ... Bon Voyage
At the dock next morning the scene was one of the usual confusion. The sailing time was drawing near and Mr. Evringham had not appeared. Harry, with his little girl's hand in his, stood at the foot of the gang plank, peering at every newcomer and ... Bow And Arrow
Three mornings the shepherds marched in the same manner, when they came in view of a range of hills so high that to Felix they appeared mountains. The home of the tribe was in these hills, and once there they were comparatively safe from attack. I... Bradford
Cortin climbed the stairs to the second floor, Bain following her, satisfied with the results of her evening's work. Her fear that Sis' work would leave her vulnerable to sexual stimulus from anyone, including a Brother of Freedom, had proven u... Briefing
Medart went to his suite, preferring to be alone rather than spoil the Family's evening. It wasn't their fault he didn't consider torture a valid form of punishment--and never would, though he had to accept that in many cultures it was exactly ... Buried Treasure
After the escape of the girl Barunda and Ninaka had fallen out over that affair and the division of the treasure, with the result that the panglima had slipped a knife between the ribs of his companion and dropped the body overboard. Barunda's ... But Arctics Can Be Inhospitable Too
Stapi is a village consisting of about thirty huts, built of lava, at the south side of the base of the volcano. It extends along the inner edge of a small fiord, inclosed between basaltic walls of the strangest construction. Basalt is a brownish... But I Don't Think
As every thinking man knows, every slave always yearns for the freedom his master denies him... "But, gentlemen," said the Physician, "I really don't think we can consider any religion which has human sacrifice as an integral part... By Proxy
By DAVID GORDON It's been said that the act of creation is a solitary thing--that teams never create; only individuals. But sometimes a team may be needed to make creation effective.... Mr. Terrence Elshawe did not conform to the mental pi... By The Brookside
Scarcely had she seen the doctor admitted and the house door closed when an approaching pedestrian caught her eye. She recognized him at once, and a little more color stole into her round cheeks, while an unconscious smile touched her lips. The g... By The Naya's Orders
A SHORT time only did we remain in doubt as to the intention of the populace. The suppressed excitement found vent even before the clouds of choking smoke had rolled away. The signal had been given, and instantly they responded with fierce yells, ... Cachalots And Whales
During the nights of the 13th and 14th of March, the Nautilus returned to its southerly course. I fancied that, when on a level with Cape Horn, he would turn the helm westward, in order to beat the Pacific seas, and so complete the tour of the worl... Camille Penurot
When Heideck and his prisoner, Penurot, reached the Gefion he found the Commander on deck, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour. He reported himself, and asked him to treat Penurot as a guest. "I was getting anxious about you," said the Capt... Captain Nemo's Thunderbolt
We looked at the edge of the forest without rising, my hand stopping in the action of putting it to my mouth, Ned Land's completing its office. "Stones do not fall from the sky," remarked Conseil, "or they would merit the name aerolites." A sec... Captain Servadac And His Orderly
At the time of which I write, there might be seen in the registers of the Minister of War the following entry: SERVADAC (Hector), born at St. Trelody in the district of Lesparre, department of the Gironde, July 19th, 18--. Property: 1200 fran... Captain Weston's Advent
"Bless my water ballast, but that certainly is a fine boat!" cried Mr. Damon, when he had been shown over the new craft. "I think I shall feel even safer in that than in the Red Cloud." "Oh, don't go back on the airship!" exclaimed Mr Sharp. "I... Captive
When Goork and his people saw that I had no token they commenced to taunt me. "You do not come from Kolk, but from the Sly One!" they cried. "He has sent you from the island to spy upon us. Go away, or we will set upon you and kill you." I ex... Captured
"Down deep," advised Captain Weston, as he stood beside Tom and Mr. Swift in the pilot house. "As far as you can manage her, and then forward. We'll take no more chances with these fellows." "The only trouble is," replied the young inventor, "th... Captured
As Thuria, swift racer of the night, shot again into the sky the scene changed. As by magic a new aspect fell athwart the face of Nature. It was as though in the instant one had been transported from one planet to another. It was the age-old miracle... Captured!
When I recovered consciousness I found myself lying in the sand with Mercer sitting beside me. It was still night. The tangled wreckage of our airplane lay near by; evidently Mercer had carried me out of it. I sat up. "I'm all right," I said.... Captured!
Certainly my situation was no less desperate. Unless I could find some method of compensating for my lost ballast, the inverse gravity of my inertron ship would hurl me continuously upward until I shot forth from the last air layer into space. I t... Card Trick
The game was stud. There were seven at the table, which makes for good poker. Outside of Nick, who banked the game, nobody looked familiar. They all had the beat look of compulsive gamblers, fogged over by their i... Carthoris And Thuvia
Upon a massive bench of polished ersite beneath the gorgeous blooms of a giant pimalia a woman sat. Her shapely, sandalled foot tapped impatiently upon the jewel-strewn walk that wound beneath the stately sorapus trees across the scarlet sward of... Cat And Mouse
The Warden needed to have a certain very obnoxious pest eliminated ... and he knew just the pest-eradicator he needed.... The Harn first came to the Warden's attention through its effect on the game population of an area in World... Caught!
The events of that memorable night formed a most emphatic contradiction to the prophecy in Macaulay's "Armada": "Such night in England ne'er had been, nor e'er again shall be." The speeches in the House of Commons and in the House of ... Celestial Phenomena Seen From Mars-m'allister Receives A Practical Lesson In Gravitation
Mars is really an ideal world for an astronomer to live in, its skies being so clear, the air so thin and pure, and the stars shining so brilliantly. Besides these advantages, the rapid movements of the two satellites of the planet resul... Center
Late July 2571 As Cortin recovered and the pain in her body eased to what Egan assured her was the best she could expect without further surgery, the burns on her hands took top priority, as she'd expected, on her list of personal grievance... Cerebrum
For thousands of years the big brain served as a master switchboard for the thoughts and emotions of humanity. Now the central mind was showing signs of decay ... and men w... Certain First Principles
"What's the matter?" asked Kemp, when the Invisible Man admitted him. "Nothing," was the answer. "But, confound it! The smash?" "Fit of temper," said the Invisible Man. "Forgot this arm; and it's sore." "You're rather liable to that sort... Chained In Warhoon
It must have been several hours before I regained consciousness and I well remember the feeling of surprise which swept over me as I realized that I was not dead. I was lying among a pile of sleeping silks and furs in the corner of a small room... Challenges
After the guests had gone, father threw himself into a chair and gave vent to roars of Gargantuan laughter. Not since the death of my mother had I known him to laugh so heartily. "I'll wager Dr. Hammerfield was never up against anything like it ... Champion And Chief
Early the next morning I was astir. Considerable freedom was allowed me, as Sola had informed me that so long as I did not attempt to leave the city I was free to go and come as I pleased. She had warned me, however, against venturing forth unar... Child-raising On Mars
After a breakfast, which was an exact replica of the meal of the preceding day and an index of practically every meal which followed while I was with the green men of Mars, Sola escorted me to the plaza, where I found the entire community engaged ... Chuck
Nobody had thought to brief them on the welcoming ceremonies at the airport, but Bradford had mentioned her team acting as bodyguards, so when it was their turn to leave the plane, Odeon took point and the other four formed a square around Corti... Citadel
He was looking for a privacy his strange personality needed. And--never quite seemed to achieve it. All his efforts were, somehow--great triumphs of the race, and great failures for him! I. The aging man was sweating profusely, and h... Clinging Brown Stuff
Bemused, appalled, the two gazed at this almost disembodied brain that held them captive. It continued to come steadily toward them, carried by its two faithful slaves; and the grotesque termite soldiers, that had closed about them in a hollow squ... Close To The Moon-i Give Some Information About It
We were now moving at a comparatively slow speed, yet the size of the moon's disc was very rapidly expanding as we approached nearer and nearer to it. In the course of a little over half-an-hour we were within ten miles of its surface, which ...