FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141  
142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   >>  
he site of old Troy during the past four years, and who, strangely enough, was then in England and expected on a visit to Oxford. The professor prepared an elaborate address in pure Greek, and when the visitor entered the class-room he delivered it in the most eloquent manner. "'What's that fool talking about?' asked the visitor. "'Oh,' says young Ormsby, who was sitting near me, 'he's lecturing the class on "Political Economy in Ancient Athens." He'll be through in a moment and able to receive you.' "The visitor left the room highly insulted, and the professor, when he discovered the truth a day or two later, nearly took apoplexy." As the laughter that greeted this little reminiscence of Sir Arthur's ceased, Canaris finished his conversation with Bildad. "It is difficult to converse with him," he reported, "but from what I can learn he dived from the very embrace of the serpent, and succeeded in swimming to the other canoe, which he had turned adrift only a moment or two before. Without paddles or food he floated behind us into the lake." "It's a miracle that he escaped the serpents," said the coionel, "floating about on the lake all the time." "But how did he know anything about the entrance to the river?" exclaimed Guy. "Did you ask him that, Canaris?" "Yes," said the Greek. "He says he discovered it himself a year or two ago just as the old Englishman must have done." "Well, it's a lucky thing for Bildad that he ran across us," was Guy's comment; and Bildad, to judge from his contented expression, seemed thoroughly to appreciate this fact. As the river continued swift and smooth, with no signs of danger ahead, all went to sleep except Canaris and the colonel, who were intrusted with the care of the raft. Several hours later they were relieved by Chutney and Forbes, and thus all secured a fair night's rest. A scanty share of food was doled out for breakfast, as the supply was getting very low. Some time afterward a faint roar was heard in the distance, and almost before they could prepare for danger a violent cross current struck the raft, tossing it about most perilously, and they caught a glimpse of a furious body of water issuing from a narrow passageway. "That was the other channel, the one we should have taken in the first place," exclaimed Guy. "We are now on the main river again." "They travel separately for quite a distance," remarked the colonel. "The lake must be seventy or eigh
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141  
142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   >>  



Top keywords:

Canaris

 

visitor

 

Bildad

 

colonel

 
discovered
 

distance

 

danger

 
moment
 

exclaimed

 
professor

relieved

 
Several
 

intrusted

 

Forbes

 
scanty
 

secured

 

Chutney

 

comment

 

contented

 

expression


smooth

 

continued

 

channel

 
issuing
 

narrow

 

passageway

 
remarked
 

seventy

 

separately

 

travel


afterward

 

breakfast

 

supply

 

strangely

 
perilously
 

caught

 
glimpse
 

furious

 

tossing

 
struck

prepare

 

violent

 
current
 

reminiscence

 
Arthur
 

ceased

 
manner
 
apoplexy
 

laughter

 
greeted