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

deprecatory wave of the hand. "I am thinking of an airplane sailing through the air without any motor or
other visible means of locomotion, controlled by power stations on earth which can be fifty miles or more
apart, through the medium of my device located on the plane. The future plane, disabled in the air, will
not fall like a plummet and crash, or have to glide down and make a forced landing for repairs," he went
on eagerly. "It simply will radio to the nearest hangar island, a repair plane will then slip off through the
air, hitch to the nose of the disabled plane and tow it to the island just the same as crippled autos are now
towed to a garage."

Accustomed as I was to listening to the wonderful plans of my friend I could only sit and stare dumbly
over this new scheme. Where would that mighty brain finally lead this man? And for the first time I began
to fear the final results of his work. If he were able to perform such miracles they might lead him on and
on to new fields and triumphs until grasping unseen and undreamed of forces he might innocently usher in
a planetary catastrophe.

CHAPTER IV Evil Premonitions
THE stock of our company--known as the Stiener, Bookman Airways Inc.--took the market by storm.
In less than two weeks every share of both common and preferred was sold, and had I not been in on
the ground floor with a large block of stock I would have considered I had lost a great investment.

Although Van Beck, whenever we ran across him--which was not often--continued to voice his praise of
the Professor's latest invention, he took no stock in the company so far as we were able to learn.
Although the Professor made no complaint I saw that his pride was hurt.

During the next week we were head-over-heels in work. What with perfecting the plans of the new
organization and daily trips out to what the Professor termed the mother plant we often worked twenty
hours at a stretch without rest. I had put my whole soul in the venture, as well as most of my fortune, but
the closer I became associated with the Professor the more secretive and mysterious he became. I
thought I had earned the right to know the innermost secrets of his plan which was to revolutionize the
world, and Greta agreed with me. At last I faced his reticence with open rebellion.
"Tut, tut, my boy," he said soothingly. "Of course you have a right to know and you shall know. I will
explain all."

"When?" I demanded harshly.

"Have patience. I have postponed my revelations to you that I might give you other and greater surprises.
I will carry out other experiments soon and then I will make you master of all."

"Do you not realize that your delay to give me all details might easily wreck the whole enterprise?
Suppose you were to die who would carry on?"

The Professor stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"Perhaps you are right, my boy," he said at last. "Something might happen to me and then with my secret
unrevealed posterity would lose a priceless heritage. Have the plane made ready, Greta," he continued
turning to his sister. "We will go out to the plant, and then after I try out another idea of mine you shall
know all, my boy, you shall know all."

I was athrill with joyous anticipation as we stepped from the plane beside one of the islands. Soon the
Professor would draw aside the veil and allow me to view the pulsing heart of this marvel. And then I
confidently told myself I would ask Greta the question which long I had wanted to ask. But there was to