"
"No harm in the world, Mr. Dick! We are lucky
that we didn't scatter them along the road."
"My rifle!" said the sportsman. "I hope that I shall
never be separated from it!"
And so saying, Kennedy loaded the pet piece with the
greatest care, for he had plenty of powder and ball remaining.
"At what height are we?" he asked the doctor.
"About seven hundred and fifty feet; but we no longer
have the power of seeking favorable currents, either going
up or coming down. We are at the mercy of the balloon!"
"That is vexatious!" rejoined Kennedy. "The wind
is poor; but if we had come across a hurricane like some
of those we met before, these vile brigands would have
been out of sight long ago."
"The rascals follow us at their leisure," said Joe.
"They're only at a short gallop. Quite a nice little
ride!"
"If we were within range," sighed the sportsman, "I
should amuse myself with dismounting a few of them."
"Exactly," said the doctor; "but then they would
have you within range also, and our balloon would offer
only too plain a target to the bullets from their long guns;
and, if they were to make a hole in it, I leave you to judge
what our situation would be!"
The pursuit of the Talabas continued all morning;
and by eleven o'clock the aeronauts had made scarcely
fifteen miles to the westward.
Pages:
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420