Ding-dong

“ When he arrived at Jiade Hall, Zhang Rang and Duan Gui came out to meet him. Jin was then surrounded, to his great surprise. In a stern voice, Rang accused Jin, "What crime did Empress Dong commit that she should be wantonly poisoned to death? ”

“ Nat, Joe Hartley, and Ding-dong Bell, the original Motor Rangers, comprised the party, the rest remaining on board.
With shouts of glee, they pulled for the great, gray cliff-face. The "stay at homes" leaned over the rail and watched their progress through the placid water till the boys neared the strange cascade of greenery hanging down the acclivity like a monstrous beard. At that moment a shout from Sam Hinckley, who had perceived some strange fish overside, distracted their attention for an instant. ”

“ The hearts of all beat faster as the boat entered the shadows of the defile. Nat's breath came thickly and his heart beat fast. Joe and Ding-dong showed, too, by their white, set faces, that they felt the strain painfully. Captain Akers sat in the stern with a composed face. He had looked on danger too often to tremble now. Cal was as unconcerned as ever, outwardly, but a certain nervous twitching of his facial muscles showed that even his iron nerve was shaken.
And small wonder. A stone—not a very large one, either—pitched from the top of the defile would inevitably have sunk the boat. ”

“ On the wall of the engine room was a tap leading from the drinking water tanks of the craft. Nat saturated his handkerchief under this faucet and bathed Ding-dong’s wound. Then he applied the water plentifully to the lad’s face, and, opening his shirt, doused him with it.
Under this treatment, the unconscious lad sat up and opened his eyes.
“Hullo, Nat!” he exclaimed, like one awakening from a long sleep. “What’s up? What on earth has happened? Where are we? What makes it so hot?”
As usual, under strong excitement, Ding-dong forgot to stutter, as Joe termed it. ”

“ In fact, Ding-dong Bell observed that he had never felt so hungry in all his life before.
After the meal was concluded, the motors of the craft were slowed down a bit, so as to economize on gasolene as much as possible. The fact that the westerly wind had increased made it possible to slow the engine down and still make good progress.
“I wonder what they think of us down below there?” said Joe, as he stood by Nat’s side, leaning over the forward deck-rail and watching the dwarfed figures of the inhabitants of a village above which they were passing, scurrying to and fro like ants. ”

“ Told the Admiralty they could choose between him and me—between Lord Nelson of the Nile, that is, and old Ding-dong, who'd climbed to the quarter-deck through the hawse-holes.... So they chose."
The sea rustled; the night was sprinkled with stars.
"But I've paid him now," ended the old man comfortably. "Reck'n I've paid him now."
Kit had heard the tale with puzzled but passionate interest.
"What was it all about, sir?" he asked at last in awed voice.
"Why; what it's always about," grunted the other. "One o them gals." ”

“ Nat's blood boiled within him. Joe's cheeks flamed angrily, while Ding-dong looked daggers at the scoundrel. But so far as making reprisals went, the Motor Rangers were as powerless as kittens.
This time Morello undoubtedly would not give them even the shadow of a chance to escape. Their situation appeared well-nigh hopeless to all but Nat.
With every reason to feel despondent—nay, hopeless—the lad determined to keep his eyes open in the rather vain hope that something might turn up which they could seize upon to advantage. ”

“ Su smiled and said, "'A good bird chooses for himself the tree upon which to perch, the talented subject chooses for himself the lord that he shall serve.' Your time is running out for spotting opportunities, you may regret waiting until it's too late." Bu said, "You are at court, which person do you consider to be a world-class hero?" Su responded, "I have looked around at all of the ministers, and none of them can compare to Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo respects men of talent; he rewards or punishes based on merit. He will end up doing great things." ”

“ Below, beside his shining, laboring engines, Ding-dong was valorously striving to carry those orders out. But the strain on the motors was as great as they had ever been called upon to bear, even in the memorable encounter with the waterspouts.
Besides heading into the storm, Nat was “bucking” the strange current that set toward the island chasm. But powerfully as the Nomad’s propeller churned the driving seas, the unseen tide was more powerful still.
“Nat, we’re bound to be drawn into that gorge within a few minutes, unless——”
“Unless a miracle happens.” ”

“ By the time this was accomplished, Pioggi's recruits had put in an appearance. They did not descend upon Coney Island in a body, with savage uproar and loud cries. Much too military were they for that. Rather they seemed to ooze into position around Pioggi, and they could not have made less noise had they been so many ghosts.
The campaign was soon laid out. Louie and Twist still sat over their wine at Ding Dong's. Now and then they laughed, as though recalling the ignominious exit of Pioggi. Means must be employed to draw them into the street. ”

“ Ding-dong had his hand on the firing lever, and the rascally skipper went white as ashes as for an instant he thought the lad was going to discharge it.
“Don’t! Don’t shoot!” he begged abjectly.
“Then you get right back where you belong,” ordered Ding-dong.
Just then he noticed that several of the crew of the schooner were about to follow their captain on board.
“You fellows, too,” ordered the boy in a sharp, shrill voice, which nevertheless rang with determination.
“I’m ver-ver-very nervous,” he went on, “and at any mum-mum-moment I’m likely to give this lever a twist.” ”

“ There was not a sign of Joe or Ding-dong Bell and he concluded that they must be farther up the stream. With the intention of locating them he started to retrace his footsteps.
"Odd how far a fellow can come without knowing it, when he's fishing," mused Nat. I wonder how many other boys have thought the same thing!
As he went along he looked about him. On his right hand towered the rocky slopes of the range, with the dark shadows lying under the gaunt pine trees. ”

“ Nat nudged Ding-dong and chuckled, in imminent danger of exposing their hiding place. It tickled him immensely to hear that youth described in such an unflattering manner.
"Why yep. There is a sort of chumpish kid with 'em. For the matter of that all three of 'em are stuck up, psalm singin' sort of kids. Don't drink nor smoke nor nuthin'."
"True for you. We're not so foolish," breathed Nat to Joe.
"Why are you so anxious about 'em, Dayton?" ”

“ The professor was the first to speak.
“A miracle has happened,” he declared. “The Discoverer is out of danger.”
“The barograph shows twenty-five hundred feet,” announced Joe, who had been studying that instrument.
“Where are the others?” asked Mr. Tubbs, rising rather weakly to his feet.
As if in answer to his question, Ding-dong Bell appeared in the doorway between the pilot-house and the main cabin.
“Where’s Nat?” he demanded.
“Isn’t he out there with you?” asked Joe, with a quick leap of his heart.
“No. The only person out there is Matco. He’s so scared that he’s under the ber-ber-bunk.” ”

“ He gripped his axe more tightly, but the sense of the mystery surrounding the beings who were approaching made him catch his breath in agitation. He felt as if he were in some nightmare.
“Mind! Don’t make a hostile move unless they attack us first,” warned Nat in an impressive whisper.
The next instant a high-pitched voice came booming down the tunnel.
“S-s-s-s-say this bub-bub-beats the Sub-ub-ub-ubway!”
“Jumping hop-toads! That’s Ding-dong Bell!” cried Joe, dashing down his hammer.
“And the professor!” cried Nat as another familiar voice came toward them.
“And Mr. Tubbs! What on earth!” ”

“ With a supreme effort he managed to raise the cylinder and move it a short distance.
“Here, stop that!” shouted the professor as he espied what the boy was doing. “Don’t you know those things are dangerous unless handled carefully? They’ll go off like a bomb under a sudden shock.”
“That one must have got a sudden shock when it saw Ding-dong,” scoffed Joe. “Most people do.”
It was too much for Ding-dong. He set down the cylinder and made a jump toward his tormentor. ”

“ This done, there was nothing else to wait for, and at one-thirty sharp, the professor gave a final look over things. Then he turned to Ding-dong Bell.
“You can take your place at the motor,” he said. “Mr. Tubbs, you will attend to the handling of the craft as we rise.”
The versatile Mr. Tubbs, whose moving picture apparatus was in readiness, paused to take a few pictures, and then mounted to his place in the pilot-house.
Nat and his chums bade good-bye to the consul, and then took their places. It was Nat and Joe’s task to attend to the throwing off of ballast as they arose. ”

“ AN INVOLUNTARY PASSENGER. “A man!” exclaimed the amazed professor. “Why, how in the world did he come here?”
“I don’t know,” said Nat; “but there he is.”
“He must have caught the rope when the Discoverer shot upward,” suggested Joe. “Maybe he thought he could stop us.”
“He’s all wer-wer-wound up in the rope,” announced Ding-dong, who had been peering over the side during this dialogue. “His eyes are closed, and he seems half-dead from fright.” ”

“ Nat was too prudent a lad to try conclusions with the ferocious rodents, which can be savage as wild cats, when cornered. Deeming discretion the better part of valor he sped down the hillside after Ding-dong and Joe, who had started back for the camp at the first appearance of the torrent of timber rats. ”

“ Herr Muller and Ding-dong Bell, who had undertaken the dishwashing, soon concluded the task and the Motor Rangers once more set out. They felt some regret at leaving the beautiful camping spot behind them, but still, as Cal had pointed out, it was a bad location from which to [145] repulse an enemy, supposing they should be attacked.
"Vell, I'm gladt I didndt drop from dot tree," remarked Herr Muller, gazing back at the lofty summit of the imposing Big Tree, in which he had had such a narrow escape.
"You take your pictures on terra firma after this," advised Joe. ”

“ Mr. Tubbs, at the wheel, the least affected of the adventurers, turned his head.
“What are you doing to do?” he demanded.
“Get that valve open,” was the brief reply.
“Boy, you are crazy!”
“Maybe, but I’m going to make a try for it, anyhow. All our lives depend upon it.”
“By hooky, if it’s to be done, you’ll do it, and if not, why then, I guess we’ll have to meet death as bravely as we can,” was Mr. Tubbs’ muttered remark, as Nat plunged out of the door.
In the cabin Ding-dong, breathing hard, lay on a narrow bunk. Matco was stretched on the floor, apparently unconscious. ”

“ Dayton and his companions rode back up the trail while Al. Jeffries started off for the hotel.
As soon as their footsteps grew faint Nat galvanized into action.
"We've got a lot to do in a very short time," he announced excitedly. "Come on, Joe! Shake a foot! We've got to beat Mr. Al. back to the hotel."
"How?" inquired Joe amazedly, but not doubting in his own mind that Nat had already thought the matter out thoroughly.
"We'll skirt along the mountain-side above him. If we are careful he won't hear us."
"That is, if Ding-dong can muffle that nasal gatling gun of his," grunted Joe. ”

“ Still clutching his rifle he rose to the surface, puffing and blowing, and scrambled out.
“Well, here’s a fix,” thought Ding-dong, “just like my luck. I’m always getting in bad.”
All this time he had quite forgotten about the two dark, moving objects, to whom he owed his present predicament. But their existence was rudely recalled to him as, out of the darkness, something rushed at him, snorting loudly and angrily, and advancing like an express locomotive.
CHAPTER XXIII.
OVERBOARD!—1950 FEET UP! ”

“ Here you," to Herr Muller, "hustle around and git all ther wood you can. A big pile of it. We'll keep up a monstrous fire all night in case the lad might happen to see it."
"It will give us something to think about anyhow," said Joe, catching the infection of Cal's brisk manner; "come on, Herr Muller, I'll help you."
They started off to collect wood, while Ding-dong Bell and Cal busied themselves with the supper dishes and then cleaned up a variety of small jobs around the camp. ”

“ Together the rescue party had hastened forward, too late however, to find Dayton and his companions. They naturally heard Nat's story with deep interest and attention.
"Good thing them varmints didn't know that you two weren't armed," said Cal, turning to Joe and Ding-dong, "or they might hev stayed. In which case the whole bunch of us might have been cleaned out."
"I think it will be a pretty good rule never to leave camp in future without a revolver or a rifle," said Nat, painfully rising to his feet and steadying himself by gripping Bismark's mane. ”

“ They had plenty of water in the tank, but preferred, if they could get it, to drink the fresh product. Water that has been carried a day or two in a tank is not nearly as nice as the fresh, sparkling article right out of the ground.
"Look," cried Joe, as they scattered in search of a suitable spot, "there's a little hut up there."
"M-m-m-maybe a h-h-h-hermit l-l-lives there," suggested Ding-dong in rather a quavering voice.
"Nonsense," put in Nat, "that hut has been deserted for many years. See the ridge pole is broken, and the roof is all sagging in. Let's go and explore it." ”

“ Moreover, in the tumblefication in the engine room, a big can of black grease had torn loose and Sam, in his struggles, had come in contact with it, plentifully bedaubing himself with the inky stuff.
"We look like a lot of drowned rats," laughed Nat.
"And I f-f-f-f-f-f-feel like one," sputtered out Ding-dong ruefully.
"Well, get below and into dry clothes," ordered Captain Akers, "and then brew some good hot coffee. In the meantime we'll see what damage has been done and then get into dry togs, too." ”