Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Let's set back two months for now, and then jump forward to September

A few weeks ago, on June 13, the day after the stormy Weldon Institute symposium, the emotions of all classes, black and white, in Philadelphia were beyond words to describe. At dawn the only topic of conversation was the infuriating accident of the previous night.An uninvited visitor—of unknown origin and nationality, claiming to be an engineer, not only has such an incredible and strange surname as "Robier", but also "Robier the Conqueror"! ——to break into the venue without authorization, to despise balloonists, to humiliate airship advocates, to boast about the superiority of machines heavier than air.Although there was a sigh and some threats in the terrible chaos, he returned the opponent with the same threat.In the end, he left the meeting amidst a chaotic gunfire and disappeared.Moreover, no matter how hard he looked, there was no news of him.

Undoubtedly, this is an excellent training opportunity for those who talk, and it also provides excellent subjects for those who like to use their brains to let their imagination run wild.In Philadelphia, and in the other thirty-six states of the United States, and I will tell you the truth, in both the old and the new continents, people have not let go of this divine opportunity.By the evening of June 13, the mood was heightened when it was discovered that the president and secretary of the Weldon Society had not returned home.These are regular, respectable, and very cautious people.They had left the meeting room the night before, and as ordinary citizens they wanted nothing more than to go home safely, and all alone, without a sullen face waiting for them at home.Did they go out by chance?No way, at least they hadn't said anything to make one think so.Moreover, it has been agreed that they will come to the office the next day, one still in the capacity of chairman and the other in the capacity of secretary, to continue the meeting to discuss the events of the previous night.

Not only were the two Pennsylvania luminaries vanished without a trace, but the footman, Fricoland, was also lost, as vanished as his master.Since , , and , no black man has been so famous.He will have an important place not only among the fellows of Philadelphia's squires, but among the eccentrics of any kind known in this beautiful American country. The next day, still no news.Neither the two colleagues nor Fricoland showed up, and people became restless and restless; the Telecom Office was crowded with people who came to ask for news. Still no news. However, the two of them had been unmistakably seen walking out of the Weldon Institute together, talking, and taking Fricolean, who was waiting there, down Walnut Avenue in the direction of Fairmont Park.

Jem Shipp, a vegetarian, even shook hands with the chairman, saying: "See you tomorrow!" William T. Forbes, proprietor of the Rag Sugar Factory, also shook hands warmly with Phil Evans, who told him twice in succession: "Goodbye!……" Miss Dole Forbes and Miss Matt Forbes, who had had the purest friendship with Uncle Prudent, were even more troubled by this disappearance.In order to get news of the missing person, they talked more than usual. Then, three days passed, four days passed, five days, six days, and then, a week, two weeks... No one, no sign could show the trace of the three missing persons.

The whole block was searched carefully, and nothing was found! ——I searched on the way to the port...and found nothing!They even searched the park, under the big trees, and deep in the dense forest... nothing was found!Never found anything! However, someone noticed that the grass in the large clearing in the forest had recently been pushed down and looked suspicious, and no one could explain why.Around the clearing, on the edge of the forest, there were still traces of the struggle.Could it be that a gang of gangsters met them late at night in an empty park and attacked them? entirely possible.So the police proceeded with routine, procrastinating but legitimate investigations.The Shoekill River was searched, the riverbed cleared, and the thick weeds on the banks cut.It was fruitless, but it wasn't entirely wasted, as the banks of the Shoekill really needed a good weeding.Just do a good thing by the way.The officials in Philadelphia are very practical people.So people turned to newspaper advertising.Bulletins, advertisements, and missing persons were sent to newspapers of all parties, the United States, the Democratic Party, and the Republican Party.The Negro Daily, a special newspaper on the black race, also published a portrait of Fricolean based on a recent photo of him.Whoever can provide any clues about the three missing persons, even information of any nature that can find their traces, can be paid and rewarded.

"$5,000! $5,000! . . . Any citizen who . . . " But it was all in vain, and the $5,000 remained in the Weldon Institute's cash drawer. "Not found! not found! not found!!! not found of Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans of Philadelphia!" Needless to say, the mysterious disappearance of the club president and secretary threw the club into extraordinary turmoil.In the first place, the general meeting decided to take urgent measures to stop the work on the "Forward" balloon, which had made considerable progress.How can anyone else get the job done when the person who, as the champion of the cause, has devoted so much of his fortune and time to it is gone?Better to wait.

At this moment, however, the strange phenomenon that had aroused great interest a few weeks ago reappeared. On several occasions the mysterious object has been seen, or more appropriately, dimly seen emerging in the upper air stream.Of course, it never occurred to anyone to connect the reappearance of this monstrous object with the equally inexplicable disappearance of two members of the Welton Society.Linking these two things together does seem to require an unusually rich imagination. Be it an asteroid, a meteor, or a "monster of the sky," or whatever people like to call it, it reappeared, and under ideal weather conditions, because someone clearly observed to its size and shape.In Canada, it was first seen on the land between Tahua and Quebec, the day after the disappearance of the two colleagues; then it was seen over the western plains with a train on the Pacific Railway race.

From that day on, the hesitation of the intellectual world evaporated.This object is not a creation of nature at all, but a flying machine, the practical result of the "heavier than air" theory.Although the creator, the master of the craft, still prefers not to be identified, it is clear that he no longer insists on hiding his machine, which he had not long ago demonstrated in the low, reach-like skies of the western plains.As to the nature of the mechanical power possessed by the machine and the means for powering it, nothing is known at present.In any case, there is no doubt that the aircraft must have amazing operational capabilities.A few days later, some people saw it in the sky above China, and then in northern Hindustan, and in the sky above the Russian steppe, people saw it.

This person has such a powerful ability to operate. For him, the borders and seas between countries no longer exist. He dominates the atmosphere as if he dominates his own territory. Who is this bold engineer? ?Who would have thought that he was the same Robier who scolded the utopia of the balloonists and threw his own theory at the Welton Society? It is not ruled out that some shrewd heads have thought of this.However, it is strange that no one has connected this Rober with the disappearance of the chairman and secretary of the Weldon Society. In short, all this would have remained a mystery had it not been for a telegram sent from France to America via the New York Telegraph at 11:37 on July 6.What did the telegram say?A snuff-box, said to have been found in Paris, contained a letter disclosing the state of affairs of two persons for whom the United States had nearly given a funeral.So it seems that the organizer of the kidnapping was Robier, the engineer who came to Philadelphia to nip the balloonist theory in the bud!It was he who made the "Albatross" aircraft!It was he who, in revenge, kidnapped Uncle Prudden, Phil Evans, and Fricoland!Unless a certain method is used to create a tool that can compete with that powerful machine, otherwise, we can only think that these people are destined not to return, and the friends on the ground will not be able to bring them back to the ground !

People were amazed!Excited!The telegram from Paris was addressed to the office of the Weldon Society.All members of the club soon learned of the news. Twenty minutes later, all of Philadelphia got the news by phone.Then, in less than an hour, the news spread throughout America, for the news was carried through countless wires in the New World.People don't want to believe this is true, but it's true.Some say it's a trick for pranksters!Others said it was a shameless "prank"!But how did the hijacking work in Philadelphia, and in such secrecy? How did the "Albatross" land at Fairmont Park?How had it not been spotted over Pennsylvania?

Great, but these claims are unfounded, and skeptics still have a right to remain skeptical.However, on the seventh day after the telegram arrived, that is, on July 13, the French tanker "Normandy" anchored in the Hudson River and brought the crucial snuff bottle, which the New York Railway Company quickly sent to After arriving in Philadelphia, doubters no longer have the right to doubt. It was the snuff bottle of the Chairman of the Welton Society.Jem Heep could not have eaten too much nutritious food that day, for he almost fainted when he recognized the snuff-box.How many times has he squeezed out of it a pinch of friendship!Miss Dole and Miss Mutter recognized the snuff-box too, and they had often looked at it in the hope that one day they would be able to stick their old maid's thin fingers into it!Their fathers, William T. Forbes, Truke Milner, Bart Finn, and many other members of the Welton Society were subsequently identified.A hundred times they had seen the snuff-box opened and closed in the hands of their revered Chairman.At last the snuff-box was confirmed by all of Uncle Pruden's friends in Philadelphia. . Therefore, no shadow of doubt is allowed to exist any longer.Not only the chairman's snuff bottle, but also the chairman's handwriting on the letter, all of which stopped the skeptics from shaking their heads.People couldn't help sighing again and again, and waved their disappointed arms to the sky.Uncle Prudang and his colleagues were taken to the sky by a flying machine, but everyone couldn't save them! Uncle Prudden was the largest shareholder of the Niagara Falls Company, which nearly interrupted the flow of the falls and ceased operations.Cousin Walton, now without his factory director, Phil Evans, was thinking of going out of business and liquidating. yes!Depression everywhere!Dismay is not an exaggeration of the word, for no one except a few lunatics--and there are such in the United States--no one can ever hope to see these two honorable citizens again. There had been no news of the Albatross since its flight over Paris.It was spotted over Rome a few hours later, and that's it.This is not surprising when you consider the speeds of aircraft traveling across Europe from north to south and across the Mediterranean from west to east.Because of its extreme speed, no telescope could catch it at one point in its flight path.All observatories that keep their crews on watch day and night are in vain.Robier the Conqueror's flying machine was either flying too high or too far—"flying," in his own words—to be expected to trace it at all. It should be added that, although the speed of the aircraft had slowed down over the coast of Africa, since the letter had not yet been found, no one thought of searching for it over Algeria.Yes, it has been spotted over Timbuktu, but the observatory of that famous city—if there is one in this city—has not had time to send the results of its observations to Europe.As for the king of Dahomey, he would rather have the heads of 20,000 of his subjects fall, including those of his ministers, than admit that he was defeated in a battle with an aerial vehicle. After this, engineer Robier flew across the Atlantic Ocean, to the place of fire.Then I went to Cape Horn, flew over the Antarctic continent, and even crossed the poles involuntarily.However, what news can come from the Antarctic region? July passed.No one can boast of having seen, or even glimpsed, a craft. August is over.There is still no news of those captured by Robier.Some people have begun to speculate whether the engineer lost his life because of his recklessness, like Icarus, the first mechanic recorded in history books. Then, another 27 days passed without news in September. There is no doubt that in this world, people can adapt to any situation.It is human nature to be tired of the pain of the past.People forget because there is a need to forget.However, it is fair to say that this time, the masses of the earth insisted that they were not depraved, that they were not indifferent to the fate of two white men and one black man.The Prophet was kidnapped, but the Bible does not promise him to return to earth.These three were kidnapped like the Prophet Eli. This care is felt more in Philadelphia than anywhere else.In addition, this concern is mixed with a certain personal anxiety.In revenge, Robier kidnaps Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans from their homeland.Although his behavior was illegal, he finally got his revenge.But will his desire for revenge be satisfied?Would he still lay his hands on the colleagues of the president and secretary of the Weldon Society?Who can guarantee that they can escape the attack of this incomparably powerful space master? Suddenly, on September 28, a message spread throughout the city.Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans are said to have reappeared that afternoon at the private residence of the President of the Weldon Society. What was even more remarkable was that, though those in their right minds would not have believed it, the news turned out to be true. However, the facts are clear, and it is indeed the two missing persons themselves, not their shadows... Moreover, Fricoland has also returned. Members of the club, friends, and the crowd who came to watch gathered around Uncle Pruddan's house.Everyone cheered for the two colleagues, tossing them around in a hail and cheers. Jem Ship dropped his lunch--a side of lettuce--and came, and so did William T. Forbes and his two daughters.Today, if Uncle Prudden is a Mormon, he can marry both of them.Unfortunately, he is not, and he has no intention of converting to this religion.Truke Milner, Bart Finn, and all the rest of the club came.To this day, people still wonder how Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans survived the thousands of arms that threw them all over the city. That evening the Welton Society was supposed to hold its weekly meeting.Members know that two colleagues will be in the office for a meeting.Since they haven't said a word about what happened to them so far - is it because people haven't given them time to talk? ——So, members hope that they can talk about their travel impressions in detail. But in fact, for unknown reasons, both of them remained silent.Fricoland, who was almost torn apart by his compatriots in the frenzied atmosphere, also remained silent. What the two colleagues did not say or are unwilling to say is: How the President and Secretary of the Welton Society bravely escaped; their strong feelings as they touched the rocks of Chatham Island; the shot taken by Phil Evans; Because it had no propellers, it was blown far out to sea by the southwest wind, and the lights that were turned on made the fugitives see it drifting away, and soon disappeared. All that happened on the night of July 27th is already known to the reader, so there is no need to repeat it here. The fugitives will no longer have anything to fear.How could Robbill come back to this island again?For three or four hours, his propulsion propellers would not spin. Before that time, the "Albatross" would have been blown up and turned into a pile of wreckage floating in the sea, and the people on board would all be rotten corpses and be swallowed by the sea. The act of revenge was successfully completed. Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans thought it was self-defense, so they felt no guilt. Phil Evans was only scratched by the bullets from the Albatross.So the three of them started walking up the beach, hoping to meet the natives. Hope not in vain.On the west coast of Chatham Island live more than fifty local people who make their living from fishing.These people all saw the aircraft land on Chatham Island, and they treated the three escapees as if they were aliens.People almost worship them and let them live in the most comfortable house.I'm afraid that Fricoland will never have the opportunity to be regarded as the black god again. As Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans expected, the aircraft was never seen back.They speculated that the big bang must have occurred high in the sky.Henceforth, no one will hear of the engineer Robier and the mysterious and wondrous machine which he and his companions built together. Now, just wait for the time to return to the United States.Navigators, however, rarely visited Chatham Island and the whole of August passed in this way.The escapees began to wonder if they had escaped from one prison and stepped into another.But Fricoland still thinks that the prison on earth is better than the prison in heaven. On September 3, a ship finally came to Chatham Island to replenish fresh water.The reader may recall that at the time of his hijacking in Philadelphia, Uncle Pruden had with him a few thousand dollars in bills—enough to pay for his return to America.Uncle Prudden, Phil Evans, and Franclin, after thanking the admirers who had treated them with the most respectful ceremonies, embarked for Auckland.To outsiders, they say nothing about their own experiences.Two days later, they arrived in the New Zealand capital. Once there, they were once again passengers on a tanker on a Pacific voyage. On September 20, after an extremely pleasant voyage, the survivors of the "Albatross" arrived in San Francisco.They kept silent about their identities and origins.Now that they had paid for their travel, an American captain would not have asked too much about these matters. Uncle Prudant, his colleagues, and the footman Fricoland arrived in Philadelphia on the 27th by the first train of the Pacific Railroad from San Francisco. Much of what happened to the fugitives after they escaped the aircraft and left Chatham Island.The next thing was, that night, the chairman and the secretary returned to the office throne after the shouts of the crowd. However, the two of them had never been so peaceful.They acted as though nothing had happened since that memorable meeting on June 12.It was as if the three and a half months never existed in their lives. After the first burst of Ula's cheers passed, the two of them showed no excitement on their faces.Uncle Pruden put on his hat and began to speak: "Dear citizens, the meeting is now." There was a burst of warm applause in the venue, and the applause was reasonable, because if there was nothing special about the meeting itself, at least it was Uncle Pruddan who announced the "start" himself, and Phil Evans looked unusual for his attendance. After the warm cheers and applause subsided completely, the chairman went on to say: "Gentlemen, at the last meeting there was a great debate over whether to mount the propeller on the front or the rear of our 'Forward' airship. (Listen! Listen! Someone is shouting.) However, we have found a The best way to get the best of both worlds. (Audience shows surprise) This is to install two propellers, one at each end of the pod!" (The entire venue was silent, everyone was stunned!) This concludes my speech. Yes, that's all!About how the chairman and secretary of the Weldon Society were kidnapped and hijacked, what happened to the "Albatross" and the engineer Robbill, how the trip went, how to escape the danger, what is the status of the aircraft, is it still running around in the sky , and whether it has to be prepared for new revenge on the club members, all of which, without a word. Yes, it wasn't that they didn't want to ask Uncle Prudden and Phil Evans; but seeing them look so serious and buttoned up, it's best to respect their wishes.In due course, they will speak.It was an honor to listen to them at that time! Besides, there may be some unspeakable secrets in this mystery. Never before had a meeting of the Weldon Society been so silent.At this time, Uncle Pruden said again: "Gentlemen, the only thing we need to do now is to complete the construction of the "Forward" that will bear the burden of conquering space. —The meeting is over."

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