Professor Bumper
Fairly fascinated by the spluttering fuse, neither Tom nor Mr.Titus moved for a second, while the deadly fire crept on through the black string-like affair, nearer and nearer to the bomb itself.
Then, just as Tom, holding back his natural fear, was about to thrust the thing overboard with his foot, hardly realizing that it might be even more deadly to the ship in the water than it was on the deck, the foot of the newcomer was suddenly thrust out from behind the deck-house, and the sizzling fuse was trodden upon.
It went out in a puff of smoke, but the owner of the foot was not satisfied with that for a hand reached down, lifted the bomb, the fuse of which still showed a smouldering spark of fire, and calmly pulled out the "tail" of the explosive.It was harmless then, for the fuse, with a trail of smoke following, was tossed into the sea, and the little man came out from behind the deck-house, holding the unexploded bomb.
For a moment neither Tom nor Mr.Titus could speak.They felt an inexpressible sense of relief.Then Tom managed to gasp out:
"You--you saved our lives!"
The little man who had stepped on the fuse, and had then torn it from the bomb, looked at the object in his hand as though it were the most natural thing in the world to pick explosives up off the deck of passenger steamers, as he remarked:
"Well, perhaps I did.Yes, I think it would have gone off in another second or two.Rather curious; isn't it?""Curious? Curious!" asked and exclaimed Mr.Titus.
"Why, yes," went on the little man, in the most matter of fact tone."You see, most explosive bombs are round, made that way so the force will be equal in all directions.But this one, you notice, has a bulge, or protuberance, on one side, so to speak.Very curious!
"It might have been made that way to prevent its rolling overboard, orthe bomb's walls might be weaker near that bulge to make sure that the force of the explosion would be in that direction.And the bulge was pointed toward you gentlemen, if you noticed.""I should say I did!" cried Mr.Titus."My dear sir, you have put us under a heavy debt to you! You saved our lives! I--I am in no frame of mind to thank you now, but--"He strode over to the little man, holding out his hand.
"No, no, I'd better keep it," went on the person who had rendered the bomb ineffective."You might drop it you know.You are nervous--your hand shakes.""I want to shake hands with you!" exclaimed Mr.Titus-- "to thank you!""Oh, that's it.I thought you wanted the bomb.Shake hands? Certainly!"And while this ceremony was being gone through with, Tom had a moment to study the appearance of the man who had saved their lives.He had seen the passenger once or twice before, but had taken no special notice of him.Now he had good reason to observe him.
Tom beheld a little, thin man, little in the sense of being of the "bean pole" construction.His head was as bald as a billiard ball, as the young inventor could notice when the stranger took off his hat to bow formally in response to the greeting of some ladies who passed, while Mr.Titus was shaking hands with him.
The bald head was sunk down between two high shoulders, and when the owner wished to observe anything closely, as he was now observing the bomb, the head was thrust forward somewhat as an eagle might do.And Tom noticed that the eyes of the little man were as bright as those of an eagle.Nothing seemed to escape them.
