Part 23 (1/2)

The afternoon pa.s.sed quickly, and it got dark early. There was a curious hum to the wind, and, hearing it, Mr. Sharp began to go about the s.h.i.+p, seeing that everything was fast and taut.

”We're going to have a blow,” he remarked, ”and a heavy one, too.

We'll have to make everything snug, 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 strata of agitated 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 generator, Tom?”

”Seems to be all right,” replied the young inventor, who had relinquished 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 ma.s.ses of vapor.

”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 airs.h.i.+p was flying on, and the storm, driven by a mighty wind, was rus.h.i.+ng to meet it. Already there was a sighing, moaning sound in the wire and wooden braces of the Red Cloud.

Suddenly there came such a blast that it heeled the s.h.i.+p over on her side.

”s.h.i.+ft the equilibrium 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 cork on the water, the s.h.i.+p 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 partially 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 deluge of rain, following a dazzling glare of lightning and a bursting crash of thunder.

In spite of the gale buffeting her, the airs.h.i.+p 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 pelting sheets of water and swirling mist, yet onward the s.h.i.+p was driven.

The thunder was deafening, 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 s.h.i.+p,” he answered proudly.

Hardly had he spoken when there came a crash louder than any that had preceded, and the flash of rosy light that accompanied it seemed to set the whole heavens on fire. At the same time there was violent shock to the s.h.i.+p.

”We're hit! Struck by lightning!” yelled Tom.