Five Thousand Miles Underground Part 9

"We will rise the first thing in the morning," said the professor to Mark and Jack that night. "I am anxious to see how the ship behaves with a big load aboard."

CHAPTER IX

THE MUTINY

MARK was awakened that night by feeling some one trying to turn him over. At first he thought it was Jack, and sleepily muttered that he wanted to be let alone.

"Sorry I can't oblige ye, my hearty!" exclaimed a rough voice in his ear, "but I got particular orders t' tie you up!"

At that Mark tried to sit up, but he found he could not. He discovered that he was closely bound with many turns of a rope, while in front of his bunk stood one of the rescued sailors.

"There," said the man, with a final tightening of the ropes. "I guess you're safe."

"What's the matter? What does it all mean?" asked Mark, much bewildered.

"It means that we have possession of the ship," the sailor answered, "and, if you're wise you'll not make a fuss. It wouldn't do any good, anyhow, as all your friends are in the same condition."

Then, picking Mark up, as if he was a baby, the man slung him over his shoulder and carried him to the living room. There Mark saw Jack, the professor, Washington, and the others similarly bound.

"Do you realize what you are doing?" asked the professor angrily of his captors. "You are mutinying, and are liable to severe punishment."

"If they ever get us," added one of the men. "We've got the ship now, and we mean to keep her. You'll have to run her or show us how."

"Never!" cried the professor.

"I guess he will when he feels this," said one of the men, as he dragged from a recess two wires. "I happen to know something of electricity, and when he feels these perhaps he'll change his mind.

I'll start the dynamo."

The sailor showed that he was acquainted with machinery, for soon the hum of the electric apparatus was heard.

"Now to make him tell!" the man with the wires exclaimed, advancing toward the professor, who turned pale.

"Stop! You must not torture the old man!" cried a voice, and the mate of the Good Hope stepped in front of the sailor with the electrified wires.

"Who's going to stop me?" asked the man.

"I will. It's not necessary," the mate went on quickly. "If we make him weak we may kill him, and he can not tell us what we want to know.

One of the boys can tell us how to run the ship."

The mate came quickly over to where Mark lay, and whispered:

"Consent to tell. It is the only way of saving his life. Tell 'em how to raise the craft. Then leave all to me. I will save you all and the ship, too, if I can. But consent."

Mark nodded his head, and the mate cried:

"I knew I could fetch 'em. I have hypnotic power. This boy will raise the ship for us. Loosen his bonds, some of you."

Satisfied that they were now on the way to experiencing a new sensation, the sailors took the ropes off Mark's arms and legs, and he was allowed to rise. With a rea.s.suring nod toward the professor he led the way to the engine room, followed by half the men. He resolved to start the gas machine slowly, so as to make the upward trip last longer, thinking before it had gone far, some way of escape from the mutineers might be found.

While a crowd of the sailors stood near him, Mark operated the machinery in the engine room that started the gas generating, and set the negative gravity apparatus working.

"You'd better not try any tricks on us," said one of the men in an ugly tone of voice.

"I'm not going to," replied Mark. "If you go out on deck you will soon see the ship leaving the water and mounting into the air."

"Some of you go," ordered a man with a big bushy red beard. "See if the ship rises. When she begins to go up sing out. I'm going to stay here and see how the young cub does it so I can work it myself."

Obeying the red-bearded man, who seemed to be a leader, several of the sailors went out on the deck. It was quite dark, but there was a phosphorous glow to the water which made the rolling waves visible.

The gas was being generated, as could be told by the hissing sound.

Mark watched the machinery anxiously, for he knew much depended on him, and the professor was not at hand to guide and instruct him. He watched the dial of the gage which registered the gas pressure and saw it slowly moving. In a little while it would be at the point at which the ship ought to rise.

Presently a quiver seemed to run through the Mermaid. Now a shout came from the watchers on deck.

"She's going up!"

The ship was indeed rising. The red-bearded man, who was addressed as Tony, ran from the engine room to the deck. He saw that the ship was now ten feet above the water. Back he came to where Mark stood by the gas machine.

"Lucky for you that you didn't fool us, lad," he said with a leer.

"See that you mind me hereafter. Now show me how the shebang works."

When the ship had risen as far as Tony desired he made Mark send it straight ahead. The boy adjusted the air tube to carry the craft toward the south, but Tony, seeing by a compa.s.s in which direction they were headed, ordered Mark to steer due east.

"Fix things so they will stay so, too," added Tony. "I don't want to stop until I get a thousand miles away. Then we'll come down, sail to some sunny island, and enjoy life."

Mark locked the steering apparatus so as to keep the Mermaid headed due east.

"Now you can go back to your friends," Tony said. "When I want you I'll send for you."

With a heavy heart Mark rejoined the professor and others. He found them with their bonds removed. But to guard against their escape several men were on watch outside the door.

"What are they doing?" asked the professor eagerly as Mark entered, and the boy told him what had taken place.

"They will ruin my ship and spoil the whole trip," cried the old scientist. "Oh, why did I ever go to the rescue of the scoundrels?"

"Never mind," said Jack. "Perhaps we may yet outwit them."

Morning came at last. The ship was still shooting forward at fast speed, in an easterly direction. The sailors had learned, in their short stay aboard, where the food and stores were kept, and they lost little time in getting breakfast. They sent same in to their captives, including a big pot of hot coffee, and, after partaking of this the professor and his friends felt better.

The mate of the Good Hope came in to help clear away the dishes. As he pa.s.sed Mark he slipped into the boy's hand a note.

"Don't read it until you are alone," he said in a low voice, as he hurried from the room.

As soon as the other sailors had left, Mark glanced at the slip of paper. It bore these words: