Tom Swift and His Wireless Message; Or, The Castaways of Earthquake Island

by Victor Appleton

  CHAPTER XIX

  SECRET OPERATIONS

  "Help me save this machinery!" yelled Tom, whose first thought wasfor the electrical apparatus. "Don't let it fall into that chasm!"

  For the crack had widened, until it was almost to the place wherethe parts of the wrecked airship had been carried.

  "The machinery? What do I care about the machinery?" cried Mr.Jenks. "I want to save my life!"

  "And this machinery is our only hope!" retorted Tom. He begantugging at the heavy dynamos and gasolene engine, but he might havesaved himself the trouble, for with the same suddenness with whichit opened, the crack closed again. The shock had done it, and, as ifsatisfied with that phenomena, the earthquake ceased, and the islandno longer trembled.

  "That was a light one," spoke Tom, with an air of relief. He wasbecoming used to the shocks now, and, when he saw that his preciousmachinery was not damaged he could view the earth tremors calmly.

  "Slight!" exclaimed Mr. Jenks. "Well, I don't call it so. But I seeCaptain Mentor and Mr. Hosbrook coming. Please don't say anything tothem about the diamonds. I'll see you again," and with that, thequeer Mr. Jenks walked away.

  "We came to see if you were hurt," called the captain, as he nearedthe young inventor.

  "No, I'm all right. How about the others?"

  "Only frightened," replied the yacht owner. "This is getting awful.I hoped we were free from the shocks, but they still continue."

  "And I guess they will," added Tom. "We certainly are on EarthquakeIsland!"

  "Mr. Parker, the scientist, says this last shock bears out histheory," went on the millionaire. "He says it will be only aquestion of a few days when the whole island will disappear."

  "Comforting, to say the least," commented Tom.

  "I should say so. But what are you doing, Mr. Swift?"

  "Trying an experiment," answered the young inventor, in someconfusion. He was not yet ready to talk about his plans.

  "We must begin to think seriously of building some sort of a boat orraft, and getting away from the island," went on the millionaire."It will be perilous to go to sea with anything we can construct,but it is risking our lives to stay here. I don't know what to do."

  "Perhaps Captain Mentor has some plan," suggested Tom, hoping tochange the subject.

  "No," answered the commander, "I confess I am at a loss to know whatto do. There is nothing with which to do anything, that is thetrouble! But I did think of hoisting another signal, on this end ofthe island, where it might be seen if our first one wasn't. Ibelieve I'll do that," and he moved away, to carry out hisintention.

  "Well, I think I'll get back, Tom, and tell the others that you areall right," spoke Mr. Hosbrook. "I left the camp, after the shock,because Mrs. Nestor was worried about you." The place to which theairship machinery had been removed was some distance from the camp,and out of sight of the shacks.

  "Oh, yes. I'm all right," said Tom. Then, with a sudden impulse, heasked:

  "Do you know much about this Mr. Barcoe Jenks, Mr. Hosbrook?"

  "Not a great deal," was the reply. "In fact, I may say I do not knowhim at all. Why do you ask?"

  "Because I thought he acted rather strangely."

  "Just what the rest of us think," declared the yacht owner. "He isno friend of mine, though he was my guest on the RESOLUTE. It cameabout in this way. I had invited a Mr. Frank Jackson to make thetrip with me, and he asked if he could bring with him a Mr. Jenks, afriend of his. I assented, and Mr. Jackson came aboard with Mr.Jenks. Just as we were about to sail Mr. Jackson received a messagerequiring his presence in Canada, and he could not make the trip."

  "But Mr. Jenks seemed so cut-up about being deprived of the yachtingtrip, and was so fond of the water, that I invited him to remain onboard, even if his friend did not. So that is how he came to beamong my guests, though he is a comparative stranger to all of us."

  "I see," spoke Tom.

  "Has he been acting unusually strange?" asked Mr. Hosbrooksuspiciously.

  "No, only he seemed very anxious to get off the island, but Isuppose we all are. He wanted to know what I planned to do."

  "Did you tell him?"

  "No, for the reason that I don't know whether I can succeed or not,and I don't want to raise false hopes."

  "Then you would prefer not to tell any of us?"

  "No one--that is except Mr. Fenwick and Mr. Damon. I may need themto help me."

  "I see," responded Mr. Hosbrook. "Well, whatever it is, I wish youluck. It is certainly a fearful place--this island," and busy withmany thoughts, which crowded upon him, the millionaire moved away,leaving Tom alone.

  A little while after this Tom might have been seen in closeconversation with Mr. Damon and Mr. Fenwick. The former, on hearingwhat the young inventor had to say, blessed himself and his variouspossessions so often, that he seemed to have gotten out of breath.Mr. Fenwick exclaimed:

  "Tom, if you can work that it will be one of the greatest things youhave ever done!"

  "I hope I can work it," was all the young inventor replied.

  For the next three days Tom, and his two friends, spent most oftheir time in the neighborhood of the pile of machinery andapparatus taken from the wrecked WHIZZER. Mr. Jenks hung around thespot, but a word or two from Mr. Hosbrook sent him away, and ourthree friends were left to their work in peace, for they wereinclined to be secretive about their operations, as Tom did not wanthis plans known until he was ready.

  The gasolene motor was overhauled, and put in shape to work. Then itwas attached to the dynamo. When this much had been done, Tom andhis friends built a rude shack around the machinery shutting it fromview.

  "Humph! Are you afraid we will steal it?" asked Mr. Parker, thescientist, who held to his alarming theory regarding the ultimatedisappearance of the island.

  "No, I simply want to protect it from the weather," answered Tom."You will soon know all our plans. I think they will work out."

  "You'd better do it before we get another earthquake, and the islandsinks," was the dismal response.

  But there had been no shocks since the one that nearly engulfed Mr.Jenks. As for that individual he said little to any one, andwandered off alone by himself. Tom wondered what kind of diamondsthey were that the odd man had, and the lad even had his doubts asto the value of the queer stones he had seen. But he was too busywith his work to waste much time in idle speculation.