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Five Thousand Miles Underground - Or, the Mystery of the Centre of the Earth by Roy Rockwood
page 49 of 205 (23%)
Suddenly Mark, who was looking through a telescope at the expanse of
water stretched out under them, gave a cry.

"There's a ship! She's on fire!"

"Where?" asked the professor, stretching out his hand for the glass.

"Just to the port of the forward tube. See the smoke!" exclaimed Mark.

Mr. Henderson looked. Through the lens he saw a column of black vapor
rising skyward. Mingled with it were red flames.

"Lower the Mermaid!" he cried. "We must save those on board if we
can!"

Mark ran to the conning tower, where Washington was, to give the
order. The colored man, who was looking ahead, intent on guiding the
ship, did not at first hear what Mark called.

"Lower us! Send the Mermaid down!" Mark cried again.

The sudden shout, and the excited voice of Mark so startled
Washington, that, fearing some accident had happened, he pulled the
lever, controlling the gas supply, with more force than necessary.

There was a loud explosion, followed by a crackling sound, a flash of
light, and the Mermaid came to a sudden stop.

"What's the matter?" cried Mark, feeling that something was wrong.

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