Over his head
he was swinging a sledge hammer, which he brought down with great
force upon the Etherium motor.
"I'll smash it! I'll stop this machine! I'll send us all to the
bottom of the universe!" the man was muttering.
"Quit that!" cried Jack, springing forward.
The man paused and turned.
"The crazy machinist!" shouted Jack. "Hell break the engine all
to pieces!"
"That's what I will!" replied the infuriated man. "I'll end this
voyage now!"
Once more he brought his hammer down on the machine, and the
motor, with a hissing of gas and a shower of sparks, stopped
working.
Jack and Mark were brave lads. They sprang upon the man, though
he was large and strong, and his strength was added to by his
insane fury.
In an instant they were in the midst of a fierce fight. The
maniac tossed them aside as if they were mere infants, but they
returned to the attack. They sought to hold his arms to prevent
him from doing any further damage with the hammer. Fortunately
for the lads, the man was forced to drop the weapon, to enable
him to grapple with his two assailants.
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