Part 10 (1/2)

CHAPTER VIII

SURROUNDED BY EAGLES

There was a sudden tremor all over the airs.h.i.+p as Was.h.i.+ngton, in the engine room, in obedience to the signals, turned off the power. Then sounded a hiss as the captain let some gas from the bag. The s.h.i.+p began to sink toward the earth.

The black cloud that the professor had been gazing at came nearer. It grew larger and seemed to be made up of a number of small moving objects.

”Quick, Andy!” cried the old inventor. ”We shall need your services now!”

”What's the matter?” exclaimed the old hunter, as he hurried forward with his gun in readiness.

”Eagles!” cried Amos Henderson.

”Eagles?”

”Yes! A whole flock of them. Just ahead! See that dark cloud! They are coming this way! They think the s.h.i.+p is a rival bird and they will attack it. Strong as the _Monarch_ is, the silk in the gas bag is frail. If the birds tear that we will fall to the earth and be killed!

Use your gun! See if you can drive them off!”

Andy kneeled down on the forward part of the s.h.i.+p. He aimed at the black ma.s.s, in which scores and scores of birds could now be seen. Then his gun sent out fire and lead.

Bang! Bang! it spoke, and two birds dropped toward the earth. Again the gun belched forth, and more of the eagles were killed. As fast as Andy could pull the trigger he fired.

”We must all get guns!” cried the professor. ”It is the only way to save the s.h.i.+p! Come on, boys! You'll find weapons in the dining-room lockers!”

Mark and Jack hurried after the rifles. The professor was greatly excited. Bill and Tom came running forward. The inventor rapidly handed out the guns.

In the meanwhile the s.h.i.+p was slowly settling toward the ground. The captain hoped to get low enough to escape the onward rush of the big birds, but he had counted without the anger of the eagles. They thought the airs.h.i.+p was a rival in the realms of s.p.a.ce and were determined to destroy it.

On and on they came in spite of the number among them that were killed.

Every one on the s.h.i.+p, except Was.h.i.+ngton, who had to attend to the engines, was firing. The birds never stopped or swerved from their course.

Then with a rush and roar, a flapping of wings that sounded like thunder, and shrill cries and screams that almost drowned the noise of the guns, the eagles surrounded the _Monarch_. They struck at it with their talons. They opened wide their sharp beaks and snapped at the wood and iron.

Some of the fierce birds even attacked the men, and boys, and were beaten off with the b.u.t.ts of the rifles. Others of the eagles rose higher in the air and struck at the oiled silk bag. At first the yielding surface offered no resistance and was not damaged. Then one fierce bird, with wide-opened beak, struck at the thin cloth and tore a hole in it as large as a man's hand.

The sudden settling of the airs.h.i.+p told that something was wrong. Then the professor, glancing aloft, saw what had happened, and hastened to his helper.

”Quick, Was.h.i.+ngton!” he shouted. ”Start the gas generator at full speed!

We must pump lots of the gas in to keep us afloat! We are in great danger!”

”Why not try the machine gun on the eagles?” shouted Jack.

”Good idea!” exclaimed the inventor. ”You two boys work it!”

At last the eagles, alarmed by the number killed, and frightened by the noise of the guns and the shots, halted in their rushes at the airs.h.i.+p.

Some of the wounded ones wheeled away. Then others followed until, finally, the whole colony of birds sailed off.