Edgar Rice Burroughs

The Lost Continent Edgar Rice Burroughs

What could it mean? I had left Alvarez in command. He was my most loyal subordinate. Itwas absolutely beyond the pale of possibility that Alvarez should desert me. No, there was someother explanation. Something occurred to place my second officer, Porfirio Johnson, incommand. I was sure of it but why speculate? The futility of conjecture was only too palpable. The Coldwater had abandoned us in midocean. Doubtless none of us would survive to knowwhy. The young man at the wheel of the power boat had turned her nose about as it becameevident that the ship intended passing over us, and now he still held her in futile pursuit of theColdwater."Bring her about, Snider," I directed, "and hold her due east. We can't catch the Coldwater, and we can't cross the Atlantic in this. Our only hope lies in making the nearest land, which, unless I am mistaken, is the Scilly Islands, off the southwest coast of England. Ever heard ofEngland, Snider?""There's a part of the United States of North America that used to be known to the ancientsas New England," he replied. "Is that where you mean, sir?""No, Snider," I replied. "The England I refer to was an island off the continent of Europe. Itwas the seat of a very powerful kingdom that flourished over two hundred years ago. A part ofthe United States of North America and all of the Federated States of Canada once belonged tothis ancient England.""Europe," breathed one of the men, his voice tense with excitement. "My grandfather used totell me stories of the world beyond thirty. He had been a great student, and he had read muchfrom forbidden books.""In which I resemble your grandfather," I said, "for I, too, have read more even than navalofficers are supposed to read, and, as you men know, we are permitted a greater latitude in thestudy of geography and history than men of other professions."Among the books and papers of Admiral Porter Turck, who lived two hundred years ago, and from whom I am descended, many volumes still exist, and are in my possession, which dealwith the history and geography of ancient Europe. Usually I bring several of these books with meupon a cruise, and this time, among others, I have maps of Europe and her surrounding waters. Iwas studying them as we came away from the Coldwater this morning, and luckily I have themwith me.""You are going to try to make Europe, sir?" asked Taylor, the young man who had lastspok