She may not be what she was at the start--
granted; but we shouldn't say a word against her. She
has done us good service, and it would break my heart to
desert her."
"Be at your ease, Joe; if we leave her, it will be in
spite of ourselves. She'll serve us until she's completely
worn out, and I ask of her only twenty-four hours more!"
"Ah, she's getting used up! She grows thinner and
thinner," said Joe, dolefully, while he eyed her. "Poor
balloon!"
"Unless I am deceived," said Kennedy, "there on the
horizon are the mountains of which you were speaking,
doctor."
"Yes, there they are, indeed!" exclaimed the doctor,
after having examined them through his spy-glass, "and
they look very high. We shall have some trouble in
crossing them."
"Can we not avoid them?"
"I am afraid not, Dick. See what an immense space
they occupy--nearly one-half of the horizon!"
"They even seem to shut us in," added Joe. "They
are gaining on both our right and our left."
"We must then pass over them."
These obstacles, which threatened such imminent peril,
seemed to approach with extreme rapidity, or, to speak
more accurately, the wind, which was very fresh, was
hurrying the balloon toward the sharp peaks. So rise it
must, or be dashed to pieces.
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