04 Volcano Adventure (17 page)

‘My friend,’ said Dr Clark, ‘don’t forget that we are all weak in the head and a bit insane. And as for epileptics, some of them have been men of unusual mental ability.

Julius Caesar, Petrarch, Peter the Great, Mohammed, Napoleon - every one of them an epileptic, and a genius. Some forms of epilepsy are very terrible. Since you don’t say anything about convulsions, I assume that this is the mild form, petit mal. Don’t be deceived by the word mild. It is mild compared with the extreme form called grand mal, but even petit mal can be fatal.’

‘But what could have been the cause of it?’

‘There are many possible causes. Mental shock could do it, or a physical injury. In his line of work, I would guess that some time he might have had a nerve-racking experience, or an accident, or both.’

‘He once began to tell our captain about some terrible experience he had had, but then stopped. He evidently didn’t want to talk about it.’

‘Did he ever complain of chronic pain in any part of his body?’.

‘Nothing but a headache in his left temple. He didn’t seem to attach much importance to it.’

‘Ah, but it may be very important. I think we’ll take an X-ray of that head.’

The patient was still unconscious when brought back from the X-ray room. The physician closeted himself with two other doctors and together they went over the negatives. Then Dr Clark returned to Hal, still carrying the pictures. He held one up to the light.

‘There’s the cause of the trouble,’ he said. ‘That dark wedge - it’s an internally broken piece of the skull and it presses upon a nerve centre. At some time or other he has suffered a blow on the head as well as severe psychological shock. That wedge must come out and it is important that the operation be performed at once or he may never regain consciousness. Can we get the consent of his nearest of kin?’

‘I don’t know anything about them.’ said Hal. ‘He’s employed by the American Museum of Natural History in New York. They would know.’

‘We’ll cable them at once. But there’s no time to be lost. While we’re waiting for a reply we’ll go ahead with preparations just as if we were sure the answer would be yes.’

Dr Dan was already on the operating table and the surgeon standing by when consent came from the scientist’s father in New York. The operation proceeded at once.

In the corridor outside the operating room was a row of chairs for anxious friends - ‘worry row’ as Roger called it. He and Hal waited there for word from within. They realized now how fond they had become of the young scientist, in spite of his sick suspicions. Brain surgery was a delicate and dangerous business. The patient, already weakened by shock, might pass out under the strain.

Half an hour, and still no word. Then a nurse came out of the operating room and scurried down the hall. Hal was after her in a flash. ‘How’s it going?’ The girl shook her head and hurried on.

Hal went back and sat down heavily in his chair. Now what did that shake of the head mean? That the nurse wasn’t allowed to talk - or that the worst had happened? A full hour went by. The boys were out of their chairs

now and pacing up and down the corridor, as anxious as expectant fathers.

Then the operating room door opened and a body covered by a white sheet was wheeled out and down the hall. The boys waited impatiently for the doctors. At last Dr Clark and the surgeon came out and hurried past.

‘Wait a minute!’ demanded Hal, and the physician turned back.

‘Is he all right?’

‘He’ll do,’ the doctor said. ‘The operation was successful. We got the wedge out but of course the whole area is inflamed. Your friend will need a long rest - six months or so before he goes poking into any more volcanoes. Now, if you’ll excuse me…’ and he was off.

With mixed feelings Hal and Roger walked back to their patient’s room. Their chief feeling was of relief that the operation had been a success. But they were unhappy to learn that their volcano expedition was ended.

Again they sat beside Dr Dan’s bed. He was still unconscious, but it was different now, and better. The staring eyes had closed and the breathing was slower and relaxed.

‘Just a good, normal sleep,’ the doctor said. ‘Why don’t you boys go and get something to eat?’

Roger went out while Hal stayed beside the patient. When Roger returned Hal set forth, but as he passed the reception desk on the main floor he heard a man asking for Dr Dan Adams.

Hal stopped. ‘I heard you inquiring for Dr Adams,’ he said.

‘Yes. I’m a reporter for the Honolulu Advertiser. I wanted to interview him about the bombing.’

‘Sorry, he’s in no shape to be interviewed. He’s just had an operation and now he’s asleep.’

‘Could you be his assistant, Hal Hunt?’

‘That’s right.’

‘Then perhaps you could give me the story.’

Hal hesitated. ‘I’d rather he’d do it - but I don’t know when he’ll be able to. Very well, I’ll tell you what I can.’

Hal had hardly finished with the reporter when two more men came inquiring for Dr Adams. The reception clerk told them he could not be seen and they were just turning away when Hal introduced himself.

‘I’m Dr Adams’s assistant,’ he said. ‘Can I do anything for you?’

This is Mr Sinclair and my name is Scott. Like Dr Adams, we work for the American Museum. The museum has just cabled us that Adams is in this hospital and we came to see if there is anything we can do.’

‘That’s very good of you,’ said Hal. ‘He’s asleep now,

and I was just going out to get a bite to eat. Perhaps you’ll join me and we can talk about it in the restaurant.’

Over pancakes and bacon with coconut cream and coffee, Hal told the scientists of the stirring events of that day - the bombing of the lava flow, the escape from the forest fire, the flight to Honolulu, and the operation. ‘The doctor says he’ll have to take six months’ rest.’

‘Where does that leave you?’ said Sinclair.

‘At a loose end, I guess,’ said Hal. ‘But it doesn’t matter about us. The important thing is for him to get well. You haven’t told me what sort of work you are doing for the museum.’

‘It’s an interesting job,’ said Sinclair. ‘They are trying to collect some information about whales and whaling. It’s easy enough to learn about modern whaling methods - what they want to know is how whaling was done in the exciting days of sailing ships and whaleboats. There are just a few of those famous old ships still on the seas. We’ve discovered one that still goes after whales and we’re going to go with her.’

Hal’s eyes sparkled. ‘You are in for some fun,’ he said. ‘I’d like to hear more about that - but just now I want to get back to our patient. How about dropping around again tomorrow morning? He may be awake then and able to see you.’

Dr Dan slept all the rest of the day and all night. The boys would have liked to stay by him but hospital rules did not permit it. They went to a hotel and came back in the morning.

Dr Clark met them in the lower hall. ‘Your man is awake,’ he said, ‘and anxious to see you. I think you will find him much changed.’

The nurse let them into the room. Dr Dan lay with eyes closed and in his hand was a copy of the morning paper.

‘You won’t stay too long, please,’ the nurse warned. ‘He’s still quite weak, you know.’

‘Weak, nothing,’ said Dr Dan, opening his eyes - and the boys noticed that there was none of that bright hardness in his look to which they had become so unpleasantly accustomed. ‘I feel like a new man. Everything looks different to me this morning. Boys, sit down, I have something to say to you. It’s in the nature of an apology.’

‘That isn’t necessary,’ Hal said. ‘Wouldn’t you do better just to lie quietly and let us talk?’

‘No, I must tell you this. I’ve been very unfair to both of you, and to Captain Ike and Omo, too. I wish they were here so I could tell them so/

‘They’ll be coming,’ said Hal. ‘I sent them a telegram last night.’ The doctor has been telling me a lot of things I didn’t

know,’ went on Dr Dan. ‘He says I haven’t been normal for a long time. And I can see now that he is right. IVe been a perfect stinker, but I hope you won’t blame it on me but on that wedge in my head. He tells me I’ve been having lapses of memory and any one of them could have done me in if you hadn’t been there to look after me.’ He reached out and gripped Hal’s hand, and Roger’s. ‘And all the time I thought … I’m very much ashamed of what I thought. Especially when I saw your interview. Of course you’ve seen it.’

‘No, we didn’t stop to get a paper.’

Hal took up the newspaper. The whole first page was devoted to the story of the bombing of the lava flow. There were pictures of the explosions, photographed from the observation planes. There was a statement by Dr Janno, and an expression of gratitude from the mayor of Hilo. There were reports by the bombardment officers and a general military report by the Chief of Staff who stated:

‘The total cost to the army of this operation was $25,000. It saved from destruction buildings and property worth at least $51,000,000. Therefore from a purely financial standpoint the operation appears to have been justified. More important was the saving of the lives and homes of thirty thousand people. Those who witnessed the bombing declare that the execution of the mission was superb and that the bombs were placed exactly where they should have been. This aerial bombing of a lava flow made history for science in performing a great geological experiment with success.’

Then there was the interview with Hal, one paragraph of which ran as follows:

Tn spite of Dr Janno’s statement that the bombing was originally the idea of Mr Hal Hunt, Mr Hunt, when interviewed, refused to accept the credit. He attributed the success of the operation to the careful and brilliant plans laid by the visiting volcanologist, Dr Dan Adams.’

‘I felt pretty cheap when I read that,’ said Dr Dan. ‘And after all my crazy notions that you were out to discredit me and take my job. I can’t understand now how I ever got such ideas. Of course the bombing plan was yours, and you’re going to be stuck with it as soon as I’m able to talk to reporters. They’re going to get the real story.’

‘Don’t bother about that,’ said Hal. ‘Your job now is to take a good long rest and get well. Then there’ll be some more volcanoes to be conquered.’

‘And I’ll be ready for them! I won’t be afraid any more. I’m not afraid now.’

‘Afraid!’ said Roger. ‘I never noticed that you were afraid.’

‘I’m glad I was able to conceal it. Every time we came near an eruption I was all nerves, ready to jump out of my skin. It all began…’

He stopped, and smiled. ‘I never wanted to talk about it. It was one of those horrible things you want to forget. Now I don’t care whether I remember it or not. It was at the volcano Paricutin in Mexico. I slipped and fell several hundred feet down the inside slope of the crater and gave my head an awful whack on a rock. It knocked me unconscious, and when I did come to I found the slope was too steep to climb. I was roasted by the heat from the boiling lava and weak and giddy from the blow on my head. I spent all night in that crater and every hour worse things happened in my head. It was like torture in the dungeons of the Inquisition. Every moment it seemed I couldn’t stand it an instant longer. Then I had my first lapse of memory and during it I got out of there, I can never tell how. But ever since then I have had a deadly fear of volcanoes.- Now, thanks to the operation, my fear is gone. After a few months I’ll go back to volcanoes and they’ll be just a job to me, like any other. But that’s enough about me - how about you? I’m afraid I’m leaving you rather up in the air.’

‘Honolulu is a busy place,’ Hal said. ‘Well probably find something to do here.’

‘Well, I have a suggestion. Before you came this morning I had a short call from two of my colleagues at the American Museum. I believe you met them yesterday -Sinclair and Scott.’

‘Yes, I talked with them,’ Hal said. ‘Their project sounds pretty exciting.’

‘They liked you,’ Dr Dan said. ‘And what I told them about you and Roger didn’t make them like you any the less. They’re looking for some young fellows to help them on their whaling expedition. How would it appeal to you?’

Roger’s eyes began to pop with excitement.

‘After all,’ went on Dr Dan, ‘you’d still be working for the American Museum. Just a change of bosses.’

‘We don’t want a change of bosses,’ Hal said. ‘We’d rather go on with you. But since we can’t - the whaling sounds great. We’ll think about it. Now we’re leaving so you can have some rest.’

‘Well, don’t think about it too long. They’re leaving in a few days.’

The boys walked down the hall, strange emotions churning in their chests.

‘What a chance!’ exclaimed Roger. ‘A few days to decide! A few minutes is enough for me.’

But Hal, as the older and wiser, felt that the matter must not be decided hastily. In fact, he did not make up his mind until they were out of the front door.

And what the decision was is told in a book called Whale Adventure.