"It's just a lot of circumstantial evidence that's what it is," said Tom. "I admit it might look suspicious to anyone who didn't know us, but Andy Foger has certainly done the most mischief3 by his conclusions. Burglar tools! The idea!"
"I think I shall sue the bank for damages," declared Mr. Damon. "They have injured my reputation by making this accusation against me. Anyhow, I'll certainly never do any more business with them, and I'll withdraw my ten thousand dollars deposit, as soon as we get back."
"Mr. Sharp doesn't seem to be accused of doing anything at all," remarked Tom, reading the article for perhaps the tenth time.
"Oh, I guess I'm a sort of general all-around bad man, who helped you burglars to escape with the booty," answered the balloonist, with a laugh. "I expect to be arrested along with you two."
"But must we be arrested?" inquired Tom anxiously. "I don't like that idea at all. We haven't done anything."
"This is my plan," went on Mr. Sharp. "We'll get back to Shopton as quickly as we can. We'll arrive at night, so no one will see us, and, leaving the airship in some secluded4 spot, we'll go to the police and explain matters. We can easily prove that we had nothing to do with the robbery. Why we were all home the night it happened! Mr. Swift, Mr. Jackson and Mrs. Baggert can testify to that."
"Yes," agreed Mr. Damon. "I guess they can. Bless my bank book, but that seems a good plan. We'll follow it."
Proceeding5 on the plan which they had decided6 was the best one, the Red Cloud was sent high into the air. So high up was it that, at times it was above the clouds. Though this caused some little discomfort7 at first, especially to Mr. Damon, he soon became used to it, as did the others. And it had the advantage of concealing8 them from the persons below who might be on the lookout9.
"For we don't want to be shot at again," explained Mr. Sharp. "It isn't altogether healthy, and not very safe. If we keep high up they can't see us; much less shoot at us. They'll take us for some big bird. Then, too, we can go faster."
"I suppose there will be another alarm sent out, from those negroes having sighted us," ventured Tom.
"Oh, yes, but those colored fellows were so excited they may describe us as having horns, hoofs10 and a tail, and their story may not be believed. I'm not worrying about them. My chief concern is to drive the Red Cloud for all she is worth. I want to explain some things back there in Shopton."
As if repenting11 of the way it had misbehaved over the forest fire, the airship was now swinging along at a rapid rate. Seated in the cabin the travelers would have really enjoyed the return trip had it not been for the accusation hanging over them. The weather was fine and clear, and as they skimmed along, now and then coming out from the clouds, they caught glimpses below them of the earth above which they were traveling. They had a general idea of their location, from knowing the town where the paper had given them such astounding12 news, and it was easy to calculate their rate of progress.
After running about a hundred miles or so, at high speed Mr. Sharp found it necessary to slow down the motor, as some of the new bearings were heating. Still this gave them no alarm, as they were making good time. They came to a stop that night, and calculated that by the next evening, or two at the latest, they would be back in Shopton. But they did not calculate on an accident.
One of the cylinders13 on the big motor cracked, as they started up next morning, and for some hours they had to hang in the air, suspended by the gas in the container, while Mr. Sharp and Tom took out the damaged part, and put in a spare one, the cylinders being cast separately. It was dusk when they finished, and too late to start up, so they remained about in the same place until the next day.
Morning dawned with a hot humidness, unusual at that time of the year, but partly accounted for by the fact that they were still within the influence of the southern climate. With a whizz the big propellers14 were set in motion, and, with Tom at the wheel, the ship being about three miles in the air, to which height it had risen after the repairs were made, the journey was recommenced.
"It's cooler up here than down below," remarked Tom, as he shifted the wheel and rudder a bit, in response to a gust15 of wind, that heeled the craft over.
"Yes, I think we're going to have a storm," remarked Mr. Sharp, eyeing the clouds with a professional air. "We may run ahead of it, or right into it. We'll go down a bit, toward night, when there's less danger of being shot."
So far, on their return trip, they had not been low enough, in the day time, to be in any danger from persons who hoped to earn the five thousand dollars reward.
The afternoon passed quickly, and it got dark early. There was a curious hum to the wind, and, hearing it, Mr. Sharp began to go about the ship, seeing that everything was fast and taut16.
"We're going to have a blow," he remarked, "and a heavy one, too. We'll have to make everything snug17, and be ready to go up or down, as the case calls for."
"Up or down?" inquired Mr. Damon.
"Yes. By rising we may escape the blow, or, by going below the strata18 of agitated19 air, we may escape it."
"How about rain?"
"Well, you can get above rain, but you can't get below it, with the law of gravitation working as it does at present. How's the gas generator20, Tom?"
"Seems to be all right," replied the young inventor, who had relinquished21 the wheel to the balloonist.
They ate an early supper, and, hardly had the dishes been put away, when from the west, where there was a low-flying bank of clouds, there came a mutter of thunder. A little later there was a dull, red illumination amid the rolling masses of vapor22.
"There's the storm, and she's heading right this way," commented Mr. Sharp.
"Can't you avoid it?" asked Mr. Damon, anxiously.
"I could, if I knew how high it was, but I guess we'll wait and see how it looks as we get closer."
The airship was flying on, and the storm, driven by a mighty23 wind, was rushing to meet it. Already there was a sighing, moaning sound in the wire and wooden braces24 of the Red Cloud.
Suddenly there came such a blast that it heeled the ship over on her side.
"Shift the equilibrium25 rudders!" shouted Mr. Sharp to Tom, turning the wheel and various levers over to the lad. "I'm going to get more speed out of the motor!"
Tom acted just in time, and, after bobbing about like a cork26 on the water, the ship was righted, and sent forging ahead, under the influence of the propellers worked at top speed. Nor was this any too much, for it needed all the power of the big engine to even partially27 overcome the force of the wind that was blowing right against the Red Cloud. Of course they might have turned and flown before it, but they wanted to go north, not south—they wanted to face their accusers.
Then, after the first fury of the blast had spent itself, there came a deluge28 of rain, following a dazzling glare of lightning and a bursting crash of thunder.
In spite of the gale29 buffeting30 her, the airship was making good progress. The skill of Tom and the balloonist was never shown to better advantage. All around them the storm raged, but through it the craft kept on her way. Nothing could be seen but pelting31 sheets of water and swirling32 mist, yet onward33 the ship was driven.
The thunder was deafening34, and the lightning nearly blinded them, until the electrics were switched on, flooding the cabin with radiance. Inside the car they were snug and dry, though the pitching of the craft was like that of a big liner in the trough of the ocean waves.
"Will she weather it, do you think?" called Mr. Damon, in the ear of Mr. Sharp, shouting so as to be heard above the noise of the elements, and the hum of the motor.
The balloonist nodded.
"She's a good ship," he answered proudly.
Hardly had he spoken when there came a crash louder than any that had preceded, and the flash of rosy35 light that accompanied it seemed to set the whole heavens on fire. At the same time there was violent shock to the ship.
"We're hit! Struck by lightning!" yelled Tom.
"We're falling!" cried Mr. Damon an instant later.
Mr. Sharp looked at the elevation36 gauge37. The hand was slowly swinging around. Down, down dropped the Red Cloud. She was being roughly treated by the storm.
"I'm afraid we're wrecked38!" said the balloonist in a low voice, scarcely audible above the roar of the tempest. Following the great crash had come a comparatively light bombardment from the sky artillery39.
"Use the gliding40 rudder, Tom," called Mr. Sharp, a moment later. "We may fall, but we'll land as easily as possible."
The wind, the rain, the lightning and thunder continued. Down, down sank the ship. Its fall was somewhat checked by the rudder Tom swung into place, and by setting the planes at a different angle. The motor had been stopped, and the propellers no longer revolved41. In the confusion and darkness it was not safe to run ahead, with the danger of colliding with unseen objects on the earth.
They tried to peer from the windows, but could see nothing. A moment later, as they stared at each other with fear in their eyes, there came a shock. The ship trembled from end to end.
"We've landed!" cried Tom, as he yanked back on the levers. The airship came to a stop.
"Now to see where we are," said Mr. Sharp grimly, "and how badly we are wrecked."
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1
accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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2
perusal
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| n.细读，熟读；目测 | |
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3
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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4
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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5
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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6
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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7
discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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8
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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9
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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10
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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11
repenting
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的现在分词 ) | |
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12
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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13
cylinders
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| n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物 | |
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14
propellers
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| n.螺旋桨，推进器( propeller的名词复数 ) | |
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15
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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16
taut
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| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
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17
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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18
strata
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| n.地层（复数）；社会阶层 | |
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19
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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20
generator
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| n.发电机，发生器 | |
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21
relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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22
vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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23
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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24
braces
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| n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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25
equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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28
deluge
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| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
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29
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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30
buffeting
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| 振动 | |
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31
pelting
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| 微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的 | |
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32
swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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33
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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34
deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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35
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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36
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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37
gauge
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| v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器 | |
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38
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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39
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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40
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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41
revolved
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| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
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