Wild Western Scenes Part 10

"Do not enter!" cried Joe, throwing his arms around Glenn.

"It is too late, now--you have knocked, and it is opened unto you--your mission must be accomplished before you turn back. Mine is not yet effected--I am the one who dared to face the magic swan--and like me, all who come hither must remain until it shall be the pleasure of the fire-wizard to release them," said the old attendant.

"Lead me to this fire-wizard!" said Glenn, firmly, stepping into the inclosure. When they entered, the gate closed after them without any apparent agency of the old hunter, and with such force that Joe sprang several feet forward.

"Oh, goodness! we are nothing but poor rats in the trap, now!"

exclaimed he.

"I pledged myself for your safety, and will keep my word," said Glenn.

"But what will the wizard care about your veracity?" asked Joe.

"Follow!" said the old porter, leading the way towards the house.

After pa.s.sing several small buildings, Glenn found himself in a s.p.a.cious area, over which were scattered various and strange implements, and divers nondescript machines. Some half dozen men were also observed, their sleeves rolled up, and intently plying the chisel, the file and other tools. These men cast a momentary and sullen glance at the visitors, like convicts in the penitentiary, and resumed their labours in silence. The party soon arrived at the door of the main building, when the old porter entered alone, and after remaining a few moments within, came forth and announced his readiness to conduct our hero into the presence of the fire-wizard. Glenn motioned him to lead on, and after following through a short hall, and turning into a large chamber, the mysterious lord of the island was confronted, reclining before them on a couch of furs. He appeared to be an emaciated and decrepit old man, his long white beard extending down to his breast; and when he motioned our hero to a seat, his hand seemed to tremble with feebleness. Yet there was something in his eye that indicated no ordinary spirit, and instantly impressed Glenn with the respect that he conceived to be due to superior genius; for notwithstanding all the miraculous things told of the fire-wizard, he rightly conjectured the personage before him to be nothing more than a human being, a recluse, perhaps, and, like himself, seeking in solitude the enjoyments which (for peculiar reasons) could not be found among mankind.

"What brings thee hither?" demanded the aged man, after a few minutes'

silence, during which his brilliant eyes were closely fixed upon the composed features of Glenn.

"That which induced thee to seek such a solitary abode," replied our hero.

"Have you no fears?" continued the old man.

"None!" replied Glenn, firmly.

"Give me your hand!" exclaimed the old man; "you are the only being that ever confronted the fire-wizard without feeling terror--and for those who know not fear there is no danger. Instead of a menial, or a victim, I will make you my companion."

"Thank him, Mr. Glenn," whispered Joe, "and perhaps he won't hurt us."

"I am seeking amus.e.m.e.nt," said Glenn; "and as long as I am pleased, it matters not with whom or where shall be my abode. But the moment I desire it, I will go hence."

The fire-wizard motioned the attendant to withdraw, who instantly obeyed, leading Joe out at the same time, the poor fellow evincing great reluctance to be separated from Glenn.

"Before exhibiting to you the mysterious objects which have acquired for me the name of magician," said the old man, "I will briefly give you my history. I was, in youth, they termed an idle dreamer--ever on the alert for new discoveries--and was more laughed at than encouraged in my pursuit of rare inventions. More than fifty years ago I ascertained that steam might be made to propel machinery. I attempted to explain the principles of this discovery to my fellow-men, and to convince them of the vast benefits that might result from it. I was not heeded--nay, I was insulted by their indifference--and made a solemn vow that its advantages should never be reaped through my instrumentality. In secret I constructed a small steamboat, and having placed on board such materials as might be required, and secured the a.s.sistance of a requisite number of artisans, I came hither, resolved to prosecute my experiments to my own satisfaction in solitude, where the taunts of skeptics could not reach me. Follow, and you shall behold what has been the result of my unrestrained researches." The old man arose, and conducted our hero across the yard to a curtained shelter on one side of the inclosure.

"La! if that ain't its foot!" exclaimed Joe, who joined our hero, and observing a large foot, resembling in shape that of the swan, under the folds of the curtain, while the old wizard paused a moment before unveiling the curious object. It was as Joe surmised: when the canvas was withdrawn, an artificial swan of monstrous dimensions, though perfect in all its proportions, was revealed to their wondering gaze.

A little beyond, another curtain was drawn aside, and an eagle, holding in its beak a b.l.o.o.d.y crown, and in its talons a silken banner of stripes and stars, stood before them in the att.i.tude of springing up in the air.

"Which will you try first?" demanded the fire-wizard, while a proud smile played on his lips.

"Can _either_ of them be set in motion by your art?" asked Glenn.

"Both!" exclaimed the wizard. "If you will tarry till the ice is gone, the swan shall rush through the strongest current as swiftly as the wild horse careers over the prairie; or the eagle shall even now dart beyond the clouds, and transport you in a few brief hours to where you will see the briny waves rolling against the distant Atlantic coast!"

Glenn was incredulous, and his unbelief was betrayed by a smile, in spite of his efforts to the contrary.

"Bring hither a lamp!" said the wizard to the attendant and was quickly obeyed.

"Oh, don't make him mad! He's going to do something now!" whispered Joe to Glenn. The wizard touched a spring; the breast of the eagle flew open, and within could be seen polished wheels and other portions of a complicated machinery. The old man next applied the blaze of the lamp to some spirits within, and in a very few minutes particles of steam could be seen to escape from the eagle's nostrils. The wizard touched another spring, and the enormous bird strode out and paused in the centre of the area.

"If you would behold the home of your youth, be it whithersoever it may, so that you name it, follow me, and your eyes shall gaze upon that spot within a few hours," said the sage, as the wings of the stupendous eagle slowly unfolded, and rising to a horizontal position, uncovered a transparency in the side of the chest, through which could be seen a gorgeous couch within, sufficiently ample to contain two men, and separate from the fire and machinery by a part.i.tion of isingla.s.s.

"Come!" exclaimed the sage, opening the tortoise-sh.e.l.l door under the wing, and stepping into the couch.

"Don't do any such thing!" said Joe.

"Ha! ha! ha! Do you think it can fly, Joe?" remarked Glenn, laughing.

"It _will_ fly!" said the old man, emphatically; "and I charge you to be prepared to ascend beyond the clouds, if you have the courage to occupy a portion of my couch."

"Though I cannot believe it will rise at your bidding," replied Glenn, "yet, should it do so, I must be permitted to regard you as being only flesh and blood, and as such, I do not hesitate to venture as much as another mortal will;" Baying which, our hero seated himself beside the reputed fire-wizard.

The old man closed the door, and drawing forth a small compa.s.s (his companion intimating the course,) adjusted several screws within convenient reach, accordingly; he then pressed a small lever with his foot, and the wings, after quivering a moment, flapped quickly, and the great eagle darted almost perpendicularly up in the air, and was beyond the reach of vision in a very few seconds!

When a certain height was attained, the wizard turned the bird in the course indicated by his companion.

"What think you now of the fire-wizard!" demanded the sage, with an air of triumph.

"Still that he is a man--but a great one--and this, the perfection of his art, the greatest extent the Supreme Being has permitted the mind of a man to attain!" replied Glenn, gazing in admiration at the countries far below, which he was pa.s.sing with the velocity of a hurricane.

"And still you fear not!" demanded the wizard.

"And shall not!" replied Glenn, "so long as your features are composed." The old man pressed his hand and smiled.

"Yonder is St. Louis!" cried Glenn, running his eye along the valley of the Missouri, down to its confluence with the Mississippi; and a short distance beyond, descried the town in question, though it did not seem to be larger than one ordinary mansion, with its garden and customary appendages.

"We are far above the reach of vision from the earth," said the wizard, bounding forward to endeavour to regulate a part of the machinery that had for some time attracted his attention, and which Glenn believed to be not altogether right, from the abrupt movement of his companion.

"How far above the earth are we?' asked Glenn.

"About twenty-five miles--but should this screw give way, it may be less very speedily!" exclaimed the old man, almost incoherently, and applying all his strength to the loosened screw to keep it in its place.

"Let me a.s.sist!" exclaimed Glenn, springing forward.

"It's gone!" cried the old man; "you have knocked it out! we are falling--crushed!"

"That's just what I expected," said Joe, addressing the fawn, which had been playing with the dogs, and at length ran against Glenn's chair so violently as to push it over.

"Oh! oh! oh!" exclaimed Glenn.

"Goodness! Are you hurt?" asked Joe.

"Is it possible? Am I alive, and _here_?" exclaimed Glenn, staring wildly round, and doubting his own ident.i.ty.

"Well, I never heard a dead man talk, as I know of, before; and as to our being _here_, if your own eyes don't convince you, I'll swear to it," said Joe.

"Did I not go up to the island this morning?" inquired Glenn.