Five Thousand Miles Underground

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Five Thousand Miles Underground

Or

The Mystery of the Centre of the Earth

by Roy Rockwood, 1908

CHAPTER I

WASHINGTON BACKS OUT

"WASHINGTON! I say Washington!"

Throughout a big shed, filled for the most part with huge pieces of
machinery, echoed the voice of Professor Amos Henderson. He did not
look up from a small engine over which he was bending.

"Washington! Where are you? Why don't you answer me?"

From somewhere underneath an immense pile of iron, steel and aluminum
came the voice of a colored man.

"Yas sir, Perfesser, I'se goin' t' saggasiate my bodily presence in
yo' contiguous proximity an' attend t' yo' immediate conglomerated
prescriptions at th' predistined period. Yas, sir!"

"Well, Washington, if you had started when you began that long speech
you would have been at least half way here by this time. Hurry up!
Never mind tightning those bolts now. Find the boys. I need them to
help me with this engine. They must be around somewhere."

"I seen 'em goin' fishin' down by th' brook a little while ago,"
answered the negro, crawling out from under what seemed to be a
combined airship and watercraft. "Jack says as how yo' gived him
permission t' occupy his indisputatious period of levity in
endeavorin' t' extract from th' liquid element some specimens of
swimmin' creatures."

"If you mean I said he and Mark could go fishing in the brook, you're
right, Washington," replied the professor with a smile. "But you waste
a lot of time and breath trying to say it. Why, don't you give up
using big words?"

"I reckon I was brought up t' it," replied the colored man grinning
from ear to ear. He did not always use big words but when he did they
were generally the wrong ones. Sometimes, he spoke quite correctly.

"Well, I suppose you can't help it," resumed Mr. Henderson. "However,
never mind that. Find the boys and send them to me."

"With th' least appreciatableness amount of postponement," answered
the messenger, and he went out.

Washington White, who in color was just the opposite to his name, a
general helper and companion to Professor Henderson, found Mark
Sampson and Jack Darrow about a quarter of a mile from the big shed,
which was in the center of a wooded island off the coast of Maine. The
lads were seated on the bank of a small brook, fishing.

"Perfesser wants yo' immediate," said Washington.

"But we haven't caught a single fish," objected Mark.

"Them's the orders from headquarters," replied the colored man. "Yo'
both got t' project yo'selves in th' vicinity of th' machine shop. I
reckon th' new fangled contraption that th' perfesser is goin' t'
navigate th' air an' sail th' angry seas in, am about done. He want's
t' try th' engine."

"Come on then," said Jack. "We probably would not catch any fish,
anyhow, Mark."

Accompanied by Washington, the youths, each of whom was about eighteen
years old, started toward the big shed.

While they are on their way opportunity may be taken to tell a little
about them, as well as about Washington and the professor, and the
curious craft on which the scientist was working.

A few years before this story opens Mr. Henderson had invented a
wonderful electric airship. He had it about completed when, one day,
he and the two boys became unexpectedly acquainted, and, as it
developed, friends.

Mark and Jack were orphans. After having rather a hard time knocking
about the world trying to make a living, they chanced to meet, and
resolved to cast their lots together. They boarded a freight train,
and, as told in the first volume of this series, entitled, "Through
the Air to the North Pole; or the Wonderful Cruise of the Electric
Monarch," the cars were wrecked near where Professor Henderson was
building his strange craft.

The boys were cared for by the scientist, and, after their recovery
from hurts received in the collision, they accepted his invitation to
make the trip through the upper regions in the airship, to search for
the north pole. With them went Andy Sudds, an old hunter, and Tom
Smith and Bill Jones, two farmers, but who were hired as helpers on
the voyage. The party had many adventures on the trip, having battles
with savage animals and more savage Esquimaux, and were tossed about
in terrible storms. After making some scientific observations, which
the professor was much interested in, they started back home.

Having found he could successfully sail in the air, Mr. Henderson
resolved to try what it might be like under water.

He moved his machine shop to a lonely spot on the Maine coast, and
there, with the help of the boys, Washington, Andy and two machinists
constructed a submarine boat, called the Porpoise.

In this the professor resolved to seek the south pole, he having a
theory that it was surrounded by an open sea. After much hard work the
Porpoise was made ready for the voyage.

What occurred on this great trip is described in the second book of
this series, called "Under the Ocean to the South Pole, or the Strange
Cruise of the Submarine Wonder." In that is told how once more Tom and
Bill, with Andy, the boys and Washington, accompanying Professor
Henderson, had many thrilling experiences.

They were caught in the grip of the grass of the terrible Sargasso
Sea. Monstrous suckers grasped the boat in their powerful arms, and
had to be fought off. They were caught in a sea of boiling water and
imprisoned between big fields of ice.

By means of strong diving suits they were able to leave the ship and
walk about on the bottom of the sea. They visited a graveyard of
sunken ships, saw many strange monsters as well as many beautiful fish
in the great depths to which they sunk. Many times they were in dire
peril but the resources of the professor, the bravery and daring of
the boys, no less than the help Washington and Andy Sudds, the hunter,
rendered at times, brought them through.

Those of you who read of their adventures will recall the strange
island which they came upon in the Atlantic Ocean, far from the coast
of South America.

When they first drew near this island they were almost sucked into the
depths of a great whirlpool, caused by water pouring down a big hole
that seemed to lead far into the earth. They reversed their ship just
in time.

But, on going to another side of the island they were able to approach
safely, as at this point the great hole was farther from the shore.
Then they landed and investigated.

They found the island was almost circular, and the hole was also
round, but not in the center of the land. It was an immense cavity, so
wide they could not see across, and as for the depth they could only
guess at it. Looking down they could only see rolling masses of vapor
and clouds caused by the water which poured down from the ocean with
the force of a Niagara.

Gazing down into the big hole Mark suggested it might lead to the
centre of the earth, which some scientists claim is hollow. The
professor admitted that the cavity looked as though it led to China.

They had no means of investigating further the mystery of the opening
and returned to their submarine, completing the voyage to the south
pole.

It was now about two years since they had come back from that eventful
trip. One of the first things the professor did, after docking the
Porpoise, was to shut himself up in his study and begin to draw plans.
To the questions of the boys he returned no answer for several days.
Then he announced he was working on a craft which could both sail on
top of the water and navigate the air.

In time the plans were done, and, in order to keep the work secret,
the shop was moved to an island which the professor owned.

Parts of the Monarch and the Porpoise were used in constructing the
new craft, so there was no need to get other help than that which the
boys, Washington and Bill and Tom could give, since the two latter
accepted an offer of the professor to remain and work for him. The
boys, of course, would not leave their friend.

The professor realized that he had a more difficult task in his new
venture than he had set himself on other occasions. For a ship to be
light enough to rise in the air, and, at another time, and with no
change, to be strong enough to navigate the ocean, was indeed
something to tax Mr. Henderson's ingenuity.

However, in the course of a little over a year the larger part of the
work was done. Inside the big shed was the huge affair which, it was
hoped, would enable its owner to be master of both air and water.

"Did the professor say anything special?" asked Mark of Washington.

"Nope. I reckon he were too busy problamatin' the exact altitude
projected in an inverse direction by th' square root of th' new engine
when operated at a million times inside of a few seconds, but he
didn't say nothin' t' me. I were busy underneath th' ship, fixin'
bolts when he tole me t' find yo'. I wouldn't be s'prised if he had
th' thing goin' soon."

"Do you think he'll be generating the new gas to-day?" asked Jack
eagerly. "That's the most troublesome part; to get that gas right."

"He didn't say nothin' t' me 'bout it," Washington stated, as he
walked along beside the two boys. "He jest seemed anxious like."

"We'd better hurry," advised Mark. "He may be at an important part in
his experiments and probably needs us. I hope it will work. He has
spent many days on it, and we all have worked hard. It ought to be a
success."

"Perfesser allers makes things work," declared Washington stoutly.

"That's a good way to feel about it, anyway," observed Mark. "Well,
we'll soon know."

The three hurried to the shed which they could see as they rounded a
turn of the path through the wood. They noticed an elderly man
approaching with a gun on his shoulder. On one arm he carried a game
bag.

"Guess Andy got something for dinner," remarked Jack.

"I hopes so, honey," put in Washington. "I'se got a sort of gone
feelin' in my stomach!"

"Any luck, Andy?" called Mark, when he came within hailing distance.

"Fine," replied Andy Sudds. "Rabbits and quail. We'll have a good
dinner to-morrow."

While Andy entered the living part of the big shed to put away his gun
and game, the boys and Washington kept on to the engine room. They
found the professor, with Bill and Tom, busy fitting pipes to the
small engine which was set up at one side of the structure.

"Come, boys, I need your aid," remarked Mr. Henderson as they entered.
"Take off your coats and pitch in. Tighten up these bolts, Jack. Mark,
you mix up those chemicals the way I taught you, and see that the
dynamo is in working order for Washington to attend to."

In a little while the shop was a veritable hive of industry, and it
resounded to the sound of hammers, wrenches and machinery. In the
background was the big ship, which seemed like two immense cigars, one
above the other, the lower one the larger.

"Where was you calalatin' t' take this here ship when it gits done,
Perfesser?" asked Washington, during a lull in the operations.

"Do you remember that big hole in the island we visited on our trip to
the south pole?"

"I suah does," answered the colored man.

"We are going to explore that," went on the scientist. "We are going
to make a voyage to the interior of the earth in our Flying Mermaid."

"Go down into th' earth!" exclaimed Washington, his eyes big with
fright.

"Certainly; why not?"

"Not for mine!" cried the colored man, dropping the wrench he was
holding. "No sire I'm not goin' t' project myself int' a grave while
I'se alive. Time enough when I kicks th' bucket. No sir! If yo' an'
the boys wants t' risk yo' se'ves goin' down int' th' interior of th'
earth, where th' Bible says there's fiery furnaces, yo' kin go, but
Washington White stays on terra cotta! That's where he stays; He ain't
ready t' be buried, not jest yet!" and the frightened colored man
started to leave the shed.

CHAPTER II

THE FLYING MERMAID

"HERE! Stop him!" cried Professor Henderson. "Don't let him get away.
We still need his help to get the ship in shape. He needn't be
frightened. We're not going to start at once."

Mark and Jack ran after Washington, whose progress was somewhat
impeded because he kept looking back as if he feared the new ship was
chasing him.

"Come on back!" said Mark. "There's no danger, and if there was we're
not going to start to-day."

"Ain't yo' foolin' me?" asked Washington, pausing and looking
doubtfully at the boys.

"Of course not," answered Mark. "You know Professor Henderson would
not make you do anything you didn't want to do, Wash. He wishes you to
stay and help him get ready, that's all."

"Well, Washington," observed the aged scientist. "I didn't think you'd
go back on me."

"I'd do mos' anything fer yo', Perfesser," said the colored man, "but
I got t' beg off this time," and he looked at the Flying Mermaid as if
he thought the metal sides would open and devour him.

Then help me get things in shape to generate the gas," the scientist
said. "I want to give the new vapor the first real test in lifting
power to-day. On the success of it depends the future of the ship."

Seeing there was no immediate danger of being carried to the centre of
the earth, Washington resumed his labors. The professor, the boys,
Bill and Tom were also hurrying matters to enable a test to be made
before night.

As will readily be seen, even by those not familiar with the
construction of airships and submarines, the chief problem was to find
some agent strong enough to lift from the earth a weight heavier than
had ever before been put into an apparatus that was destined to
traverse the clouds. For the Flying Mermaid was not only an airship
but an ocean voyager as well. It had to be made light enough to be
lifted far above the earth, yet the very nature of it, necessitating
it being made heavy enough to stand the buffeting of the waves and the
pressure of water, was against its flying abilities.

Professor Henderson realized this and knew that the chief concern
would be to discover a gas or vapor with five times the lifting power
of hydrogen, one of the lightest gases known, and one sometimes used
to inflate balloons.

After long study he had been partially successful, but he knew from
experiments made that the gas he had so far been able to manufacture
would not answer. What he wanted was some element that could be mixed
with the gas, to neutralize the attraction of gravitation, or downward
pull of the earth.

While he was seeking this, and experimenting on many lines, the
construction of the air-water ship went on. In general the outward
construction was two cigar shaped hulls, one above the other.
Aluminum, being the lightest and strongest metal that could be used
for the purpose, formed the main part of both bodies.

The upper hull was one hundred feet long and twenty feet in diameter
at the widest part. It tapered to points at either end. It was
attached to the lower hull by strong braces, at either end, while from
the center there extended a pipe which connected with the lower
section. This pipe was intended to convey the lifting gas to the part
which corresponded to the bag of the balloon, save that it was of
metal instead of silk, or rubber as is usual.

There were two reasons for this. One was that it would not be liable
to puncture, particularly in the proposed underground trip, and the
other was that it did not have to be so large as a cloth bag would
have had to be. It was also a permanent part of the ship, and on a
voyage where part of the time the travelers would be in the air and
part on the water, and when the change from one to the other would
have to be made quickly, this was necessary. It would have taken too
long to raise the ship in the air had a cloth bag been used to contain
the gas.

The lower hull or main part of the craft was one hundred and fifty
feet long, and forty feet through at the largest part, in the centre.

It was divided into four sections. The forward one contained the
sleeping quarters of Professor Henderson and his crew. There was a
small stateroom for each one. Above was a conning or observation
tower, reached by a small flight of steps. From this tower the ship
could be steered, stopped and started, as could also be done from the
engine room, which was in the after part of the hull.

As in the Porpoise and Monarch, electricity formed the motive power
and was also used for many other purposes on board. Engines operated
by gas produced the current which heated, lighted and moved the ship,
as well as played a part in producing the wonderful gas.

The ship moved forward or backward by means of a novel arrangement.
This was by the power of compressed air. From either end of the lower
hull there projected a short pipe working in a ball and socket joint,
so it could be turned in any direction. By means of strong pumps a
current of compressed air could be sent out from either pipe. Thus
when floating above the earth the ship was forced forward by the blast
of air rushing from the pipe at the stern. It was the same principle
as that on which a sky rocket is shot heavenward, save that gases
produced by the burning of powder in the pasteboard rocket form its
moving impulse.

In the case of the Flying Mermaid, it could be made to move backward
by sending the air out of the forward tube. Thus, when in the water,
the compressed air rushing from the pipe struck the fluid and forced
the ship forward or backward as was desired. It floated on the
surface, the deck being about three feet out of water, while the
aluminum gas bag was overhead.

The engine room was a marvel of machine construction. It contained
pumps for air and water, motors, dynamos, gas engines, and a maze of
wheels and levers. Yet everything was very compact and no room was
wasted.

The use of the air method of propulsion did away with the necessity of
a large propellor such as most airships have to use, a propellor which
must of necessity be very light and which is easily broken.

Next to the engine room was the kitchen. It contained an electric
range and all necessary appliances and utensils for preparing meals.
There were lockers and a large reserve storeroom which when the time
came would be well stocked with food. Forward of the kitchen was the
living and dining room. It contained comfortable seats, folding tables
and a small library. Here, also were many instruments designed to show
how the various machines were working. There were gages, pointers and
dials, which told the direction the ship was traveling, the speed and
the distance above the earth or below the surface. Similar indicators
were in the conning tower, which had a powerful search light.

The ship was lighted throughout by incandescent lamps, and there was
even a small automatic piano worked by the electric current, on which
popular airs could be played.

If the gas and the gravity neutralizer worked as Professor Henderson
hoped they would, as soon as the ship was completed, all that would be
necessary to start on the voyage would be to fill the aluminum bag and
set the air compressor in motion.

The gas was made from common air, chemically treated and with a secret
material added which by means of a complicated machine in a measure
did away with the downward pull of the earth. Thus all that was
necessary to carry on a long voyage was a quantity of gasolene to
operate the engine which worked the electric machines, and some of
this secret compound.

The professor and his helpers had been working to good advantage. At
last all was in readiness for the gas test.

It was proposed to try it on an experimental scale. Some of the fluid
was to be generated and forced into an aluminum cylinder under the
same pressure it would be used in the air ship. To this cylinder were
attached weights in proportion to the weight of the Flying Mermaid
with its load of human freight, engines and equipment.

"This cylinder is just one one-hundredth the size of the cylinder of
the ship," said the professor. "I am going to fasten to it a hundred
pound weight. If it lifts that our latest contrivance will be a
success."

"You mean if the little cylinder pulls a hundred pounds up the big
ship will take us and the machinery up?" asked Mark.

"Certainly," answered the professor. "If this cylinder lifts a hundred
pounds, one a hundred times as big (as that of the Mermaid is), will
lift a hundred times as much, or ten thousand pounds. That is five
tons, or more than a ton over what I figure to be the weight of our
ship and contents. The latest war balloon can lift one ton with ease,
and if my machine can not do five times as well I shall be
disappointed."

The last adjustments were made, pipes were run from the gas generator
to the cylinder, and the hundred pound weight was attached.

"Everybody look out now," said Mr. Henderson. "I am going to start the
machine and let the gas enter the cylinder. It is a very powerful gas
and may break the cylinder. If it does you must all duck."

The scientist gave a last look at everything. The boys got behind some
boards whence they could see without being in danger. Washington, who
had little fear so long as there was no danger of going under ground,
took his place at the dynamo. Andy Sudds, with Bill and Tom, stationed
themselves in safe places.

"All ready!" called the professor.

He pulled a lever toward him, turned a wheel and signalled to
Washington to start the dynamo. There was a sound of buzzing
machinery, which was followed by a hiss as the gas began to enter the
cylinder under pressure. Would it stand the strain? That question was
uppermost in every one's mind save the professor's. He only cared to
see the cylinder leave the ground, carrying the weight with it. That
would prove his long labors were crowned with success.

Faster and faster whirred the dynamo. The gas was being generated from
the air. The secret chemical made a hissing which could be heard for
some distance. The gage registered a heavy pressure. Anxiously the
professor watched the cylinder.

"There!" he exclaimed at length. "It has all the gas it can hold. Now
to see if it works!"

He disconnected the pipe leading from the generator. This left the
cylinder free. It seemed to tremble slightly. There appeared to be a
movement to the hundred pound weight which rested on the ground. It
was as if it was tugging to get loose.

"There it goes! There it goes!" cried Mark, joyfully.

"Hurrah!" shouted Jack. "There she rises!"

"It suttinly am projectin' itself skyward!" yelled Washington, coming
from the dynamo.

Sure enough the cylinder was slowly rising in the air, bearing the
weight with it. It had lifted it clear from the ground and was
approaching the roof of the big shed.

"It will work! It will work!" exclaimed the professor, strangely
excited.

The next instant the cylinder, carrying the weight, sailed right out
of an open skylight, and began drifting outside the shop, and across
the fields.

"Quick! We must get it back!" cried Mr. Henderson. "If it gets away my
secret may be discovered and I will lose all! We must secure it!"

But the cylinder was now two hundred feet in the air and being blown
to the east, the weight dangling below it, making it look like a
miniature airship.

"We can never catch that!" cried Mark.

CHAPTER III

WASHINGTON DECIDES

"WE must catch that cylinder!" the professor exclaimed. "Some one may
find it when it comes down and analyze the gas. Then he would discover
how to make it. The cylinder must come down!"

"Don't see how we can proximate ourselves inter th' vicinity of it
lessen we delegate th' imperial functions of orinthological specimens
t' some member of this here party," observed Washington.

"If you mean we can't catch that there contraption unless we turn into
birds I'll show you that you're mistaken!" cried Andy Sudds. "I guess
I have a trick or two up my sleeve," and the old hunter quickly threw
open the breech of his gun and inserted a couple of cartridges.

He raised the piece to his shoulder and took quick aim. There was a
sliver of flame, a puff of smoke and a sharp report. The professor and
the boys who were watching the cylinder saw it vibrate up in the air.
Then there came a whistling sound. An instant later the metal body
began to descend, and it and the weight fell to the earth.

"I'm sorry I had to put a bullet through it, Professor," said old Andy
with a queer smile, "but it was the only way I saw of bringing it
down. Hope it isn't damaged much."

"It doesn't matter if it is," the scientist answered. "I can make more
cylinders, but I don't want that secret of the gas to become known.
Your bullet served a good turn, Andy, for it let the compressed vapor
out just in time."

"Then we may consider the experiment a success," said Mark, as
Washington went to where the cylinder had fallen, to detach it from
the weight and bring both to the shed.

"It seems so," Mr. Henderson answered. "True, it was only an
experiment. We have yet to test the ship itself."

"When can we do that?" asked Jack.

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