Frank Reade Library No. 73: Six Weeks in the Clouds — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SIX WEEKS IN THE CLOUDS. 9 och A The third night of the fourth week was a memorable one. None in ‘« Pity the poor souls in the basket,” rejoined Frank. ‘ Why, will the party even forgot it. they not freeze to death?” When it came time to turn in, Frank Reade, Jr., made the remark: ‘« Ah, the fires of the gas generators will prevent that,” said Warden. ‘¢T think there is a storm about to burst over us. The barometer ‘« If they allow them to burn, of course the balloou will float indefi- indicates it, and the wind has freshened.” nitely,” said Frank. ‘* Yet I suppose they could divert the gas and This was true. Quite a gale was blowing from the northwest. utilize the heat.” It was Barney’s first watch as usual. The nights were bitter cold ‘‘ Exactly,” agreed Warden. ‘‘ They would be exceedingly foolish ic this part of the world, and the Celt was warmly wrapped up in furs. | if they did not.” He walked the platform until midnight. At intervals he had been “You are right.” directed to listen, and if anything was heard to at once investigate. ‘‘] hope we shall overtake them before another day. It is possible ‘* Begorra, it’s mesilf as thinks we are on a fool’s errand!” he mute | that we may run acro3s them at any moment.” tered. ‘‘Shure we'll niver foind that balloon:” ‘‘T done fink we can’t do much so long as dis storm lasts,” declared The words had barely left his lips when a startling thing occurred. | Pomp. Suddenly from the gloom far distant there appeared a star of light. ‘It is not safe to travel fast in the clouds during the storm,” af. The clouds had party rollea away to show it. firmed Frank, ‘‘ for if we struck the balloon it would beall up with those on board.” But Warden looked wistful. ‘I begrudge the loss of time,” he said. ‘‘I cannot help but realize that it is all exceedingly precious.” ‘‘So it is!” agreed Frank, ‘‘ yet I can see nothing to be gained by Noundering around in these rain clouds.” ‘Tf we could only get in speaking distance we would direct them to generate more gas and send the balloon above the clouds.” ‘That would settle the whole difficulty,” declared Frank. ‘‘How- ever, the balloon ought not to keep afloat much longer of itself; ought not the gas to be exhausted soon?” Warden shock his head. ‘* Humph!” he said, ‘the gas bags are so economically arranged that the balloon might float for months yet. Of course it will come down in time.” ; ‘‘ And jast when those in the basket might not want it to. Into the ocean for instance.” Warden drew a deep sigh and knitted his brows. The delay was to him a most galling feature of the quest. But a change af programme was at hand. Barney had gone into the pilot-house. He had been engaged in studying the tumbling clouds beneath. And borr 3 upon the wind Barney heard voices. There was no mistake. Human voices came from the clouds. ‘* Mither ’ave mercy!” he gasped, ‘‘ phwat iver will I do? Shure, I know!” The Celt sprang to the electric search-light and turned the lever. Instantly a pathway of light shot up into the clouds. Ana there, dancing along the verge of a mighty white cloud, the Irishman saw a@ monster ba!loon. He rubbed his eyes a moment to make sure that he could see aright. Then with thrilling impulse, he cried: ‘¢ Och, hone, an’ who the divil are yez?” For a moment Barney saw the fizure of a man at the netting, and a voice came faintly to him: ‘¢ For the love of God gave us! We are adrift in a balloon!” ‘¢Shure, howld on as tight as iver ye can!” cried Barney. ‘‘ It’s to gave yez we're afther being here!” And Barney rushed into the pilot-house. He pressed the alarm gong and then set the propeller at work. The air-ship shot forward. The alarm gong roused everybody on board the air-ship. Up onto the deck came Frank Reade, Jr., and Warden, half dressed and half awake. ‘¢ What's the matter, Barney! What has happened?” __ ‘Shure, sor, see fer vesilf!” replied Barney ag he shot the rays of the search-light up into the cloud. CHAPTER VIII. | And there, plainly, Frank aud Warden saw the balloon. <A voice FROM THE BALLOON TO THE AIR*SHIPs came down: AND as Barney watched the warring of the elements so far below, ‘Who are you?” he was suddenly givep a powerful start. ‘Tt is me!” yelled Worden, hysterically. ‘‘ Your father come to ‘‘Whurroo!” he yelled. ‘‘Shure an’ there it is!” gave you. Have courage! do not give up. We will save you!” He had seen a dark object emerge for a moment from one cloud Then the shrill note of a woman's voice was heard, and the words: only to pass into another. ‘It is my dear father. Heaven be praised?” It was the top of the balloon. The air-ship was rapidly nearing the balloon. It seemed a certainty At that moment it was less than a quarter of a mile distant from that the rescue would be made. the air-ship. Barney acted quickly. But just at that moment a fearful dismaying thing happened. He kuew that to hunt up his companions and acquaint them with As if by magic, a mighty blast of wind swept through the sky. A |} the fact would be a loss of time. fearful inky cloud shut down almost instantly between the air-ship He did not wait for that. and the balloon. But he sprung to the rotascope lever and set it back. At the same The balloon instantly went out of sight. The air-ship plowed through | moment he started the propeller. the cloud but the balloon had vanished. Down shot the air-ship. No reply came back to repeated hails. The next moment it was deep in the rain clouds. A perfect deluge This was most disheartening. Doubtless the balloon had been | descended upon the decks. whirled away like a puff ball by the blast of wind. To find it now was Astounded beyond measure, Frank and Warden sprang into the & gigantic task. pilot house. The disappointment of Warden can hardly be imagined. ‘s What on earth are you doing, Barney?” cried the young inventor. Until daybreak the qiest was kept up. Butin vain! The balloon ‘s Sure sor, it’s the balloon!” cried the excited Celt. was not seen again. ‘©The balloon?” Words cannot express the dismay of all in the party. ‘¢ Yis sor!” But Frank Reade, Jr. was resolute. ‘* Where?” ‘My blood is up now!” he declared. ‘‘ We will find that balloon But both Frank and Warden at that moment beheld a thrilling or die!” : sight! The young inventor meant what he said. He did not intend to be Below them a thousand feet and halfgubmerged in the clouds was balked in his purpose. the balloon. There was no doubting their eyesight. Quite o snarp breeze had sprung up from the southwest and it was ‘‘ Upon my word, there it is!” cried Frank. believed that the clouds would be driven away. ‘¢ You are right,” agreed Warden. ‘* Give us a clear sky!” declared Frank, ‘‘ and I believe it will be an The voyagers in the balloon had seen the air-ship and were making easy matter to find the balloon. signals. It was an exciting moment. But it seemed as if disappointment and deferred hopes were yet to The balloon was drifting and gyrating forcibly but the air-ship eas- be the fate of the party. ily kept pace with it. The wind, instead of dispersing the clouds, seemed only to multiply ‘¢ Lower the ship, Barney!” cried Frank. ‘‘ Let us talk with them!” them and make them more dense. °* All roight, sor!” As the day waned, rain began to fall. For some time the decks of The Thunderbolt settled down until its deck was nearly on a level the air-ship were heavily deluged. with the basket. Frank finally concluded to get out of this, if such a thing was pos- Not a hundred yards separated the aerial crafts but now an obsta- sible. So he openeu the electric key and let the ship shoot upwards. ;{ cle of serious sort arose. Up went the Thunderbolt, until the clouds seemed to envelope her Warden had seen no reason why the air-ship should not hitch to the in one mighty sheet of water. car and the aeronauts be transferred. Up, and then of a sudden, sunlight was all around. It was the first But Frank Reade, Jr., cried: time in many days that they had seen aught but black clouds. ‘*No, no—that can never «de done!” It was really a relief to get into the glare of the sunlight, though the ‘¢ And why not?” cried Warden. air was very raw and cold. ‘‘ Don’t you see? The bag and ropes of the balloon will foul the Below the storm could be heard raging. The voyagers all congre- | rotoscopes. We cannot risk that.” gated in the cabin about the electric heaters. This was true. These enabled them to keep warm. Indeed, such a contingency would be likely to precipitate the air- And gathered here a general discussion became in order. ship to the earth and kill all on board ‘‘ Begorra, we’re sure of wan thing!” crted Barney. ‘‘ It’s no wild Here was a problem. goose chase we're on.” How were the aeronauts to be got aboard the air-ship? Even they ‘¢That is settled,” agreed Wurdea. ‘‘ We have seen the balloon | themselves saw this point. and know that it is still afloat.” The aeronaut, Prof. Denham, shouted: COMICOOOKS:€O > \|