Captain Future 02 - Calling Captain Future (Spring 1940) by Edmond Hamilton

Author:Edmond Hamilton [Hamilton, Edmond]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Published: 2012-09-05T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11: In the Ice City

CAPTAIN FUTURE felt a sharp dismay as he discovered that Grag had sunk. He was not worried about the robot’s life, for Grag did not breathe and could live under water for a long time. But it would be a difficult task to get him out of the depths.

Treading water, hampered by his furs and chilled by the icy sea, Curt turned and saw the little fleet of boats bearing down upon them in answer to Tharb’s cries. The boats were small copper craft, propelled by sails of sewn hides. They were filled with hairy Plutonians like Tharb, staring at them across the moonlit waves.

The boats dropped their sails and came gliding to them. Hairy arms reached out and hauled Captain Future and Tharb aboard. Curt saw that these Plutonians had been fishing — there were masses of queer, silvery fish and coils of leather lines in the bottom of this boat.

Tharb had been talking swiftly to one of the Plutonians in this boat — a big, hulking individual.

“This is Gorr, chief of my people.” Tharb told Captain Future. “They were fishing and heard our fight with the bibur.”

“You are a brave man to have slain a bibur. Earthman,” the chief, Gorr, told Captain Future, his phosphorescent eyes respectful.

“One of my comrades has sunk — he’s down at the bottom now.” said Captain Future. “I need your help to get him out!”

Tharb goggled. “But he is drowned, by now!”

Captain Future laughed. “Grag can’t drown.”

Captain Future had already devised a simple plan for getting the robot out of his predicament. At his request, the Plutonians gave him the strong hide anchor-ropes from all their boats. Rapidly, Captain Future fastened them together in a strong, long line of double strength.

His drenched clothing was like a shroud of ice around him, for the wind was blowing stronger. The six copper boats tossed uneasily on the surface of the silver ocean, while their hairy crews puzzledly watched this big, red-haired young Earthman working by the light of the three moons.

“I do not like this wind,” said Gorr, looking uneasily at flat clouds coming up across the western sky. “We cannot, stay here long.”

“I’m almost done,” Captain Future said quickly. “This rope should be long enough to reach bottom.”

He took from his belt his little atomic lamp, turned it on, and tied it to the end of his long leather rope. Then he lowered the brightly-burning little lamp down into the moonlit sea.

He had paid out almost all his rope before he felt the lamp reach bottom. He waited, then. Grag, down there, should be able to see the lamp and go to it.

“A blizzard-storm is coming up,” Tharb said anxiously. “It will be dangerous out here on the sea.”

There came a sudden strong tug at the leather line, and Captain Future uttered an eager exclamation.

“Grag has the line now! Help me haul him up.”

Making sure that the robot understood his plan and was holding the leather rope, Captain Future and the Plutonians in the boat started to hoist Grag.

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