"Lowell Howard Morrow - Islands in the Air" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morrow Lowell Howard)

"God, how I wish McCann were here to share the glory with us," he said sadly. "Poor McCann, some
dire tragedy must have overtaken him. I would give anything now to recall my harsh words."

Then he put a whistle to his lips and blew shrilly. For the fraction of a second nothing happened, then the
fabric beneath us trembled. There was a hiss, a sputter, an upward flash of fire, a shower of sparks
through the frame-work, a drone of the dynamos, like the hum of a million bees, and we began to move.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, then we shot upward with sickening suddenness. Up, up we went
on a level keel. I felt but a slight tremor and only the rush of air proclaimed that we were rushing
heavenward with terrible speed.

The Professor grabbed me and hugged me in a frenzy of joy, for the time being too much overcome to
speak. And all I could do was to stare at him in speechless wonder. Suddenly he drew back and touched
a button on the corner mast. Instantly our motion was arrested. The island rocked gently a few times,
then came to rest without a jar. The altimeter showed us to be up one thousand feet. Looking down
through the steel work I saw the workmen staring up at us. There we rode in the air as steady as a duck
on a millpond, sustained by the invisible force of gravitation.

Greta landed her plane, rushed up and embraced her brother.

"Oh, Gustave," she cried, "I did not think you could do it--I am so sorry that I ever doubted you; that
I--" She paused as she looked away a dark shadow in her eyes.

"Never mind," said the Professor.

"Oh, Bob, isn't this wonderful?" she said turning to me.
"It is more than that. At a time like this, words fail us."

"I am wondering whether I dare try a little stunt," said the Professor. "And do you folks know that we
could go on up to the moon if we wanted to?" he added mysteriously. "But enough for today. We will
return to the earth. I see other and greater marvels just ahead of us."

As the girl and I gazed in awe at this remarkable man he manipulated the machinery again and we
descended slowly and easily landing exactly on the points of the piers. The workmen clustered around
their employer showering him with congratulations.

The Professor Triumphant

WELL, that night I couldn't sleep for thinking of that wonderful exploit and the fact that the Professor
hinted at other wonders hidden up his sleeve. Would man ultimately conquer all the laws of the universe?
Was there no limit to his power? Preposterous as it seemed I answered these amazing questions in the
affirmative. Fulfilling the scriptures, man was to become as gods.

And now the Professor, athrill with triumph and enthused over the future outlook of his aerial islands,
invited everybody to come out into the wilderness and witness man's latest conquest over mother nature.

The day was set and widely advertised. Scientists from all over America were tendered special
invitations, as well as many statesmen. The professor sent Van Beck a messenger urging him to be
present.

The whole nation was dumfounded by the announcement, but almost every one treated the matter as a