New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-01-14
should like to half the man thatis in

lie 1snb coming down., said Will.
"He doesn't like the looks of the
place, Now we shall see him go over
the lake. I mean to get under him,
Impossible"
Clear the eagles screamp' obrvrv-
ed Belle. II don't wonder they're
surprised to see such a monster in
the air.
Will pulled as hard as possible to
head off the balloon, but soon found
that he would not be able to 10 so.
1t would pass nearly a mile from
the skiff, in spite of all that he could
Go.
1t was now well up in the air and
sailed slowly along, with the single
voyager looking very comfortable
in his basket. r.
But all at once the scene changed.
From somewhere, as if out of the
very sky itself, appeared two
broad-winged birds, screaming in
wild, shrill tones, as they wheeled
furious sweeps close to the strange
object which had intruded upon their
airy domain. s~.e
''Eagles!'' cried Will; "and they
are going to pitch battle with the
balloon.
In few minutes two other eagles
joined the first pair, and the attack
was continued with increased vio-
lence, the whole four making fright
ful plunges at the helpless balloons
and seeming to strike the basket
with their beaks and wings. E
The imperilled aeronaut was now
we'll out over the lake, and what was
he to do in the emergency.
Should he go higher, the eagles,
no doubt, would follow him; while on
the other hand, were he to descend,
he would be left foundering in the
water. with the enraged birds of prey
swooping down upon his head and
having him still more at their mercy
than now.
AS if to make his situation the
more perilous, he had by this time
struck current of air which carried
him directly away from the skiff, so
that he got further and further from
her. notwithstanding all Willis et-
forts to overtake him. -.
"Look!' cried Belle, presently.
"They have attracked the balloon
itself. They must have torn it, too,
for the cloth is Tapping, as if they
had made giant rent in it?''
Will looked over his shoulder as he
rowed, the torn silk was indeed
Tapping, and the balloon was rapid
ly coming down.
The collapse, however, was not so
complete but that the air offered
considerable resistance to the de-
scending mass, SO that the balloon
ist was seen to be alive and strug-
Cling after striking the water. 81 e.
Will, with the PRECIPITATION fairly
rolling from his flushed face, pulled
from the wreck with might and main,
while Belle directed him in his course
and reported the state of things
ahead.
1.-THE balloon is lying fat on the
water" she said, at LENGTH" and the
eagles keep flying at it, but I can't
see the man now. I'm afraid he has
sunk" -
The skiff was fast nearin the scene.
and soon the sound of those great
rushing wings could be plainly heard
as the ferocious birds wheeled abont
the spot, diving viciously at the
basket-car where it foated bottom
up. III,
Belle was so anxious for the I'M
lucky balloonist that the thought of
danger to Will and herself was quite
out of her mind.
''We are close to the place." she
said, 'sbut he isn't to be seen any
where. And look, look!' she added,
"yonder came two more eagles!''
Sure enough, another pair of the
birds now began to circle about the
spot, making six in all.
Will turned his head to take in
the situation; then, giving a few
more vigorous strokes, he resigned
the oars to Belle.
Just keep her where she is" he
said, as he took up his gun: "this
is near enough. And the young
girl, though pale and full of sup
pressed excitement, obeyed with q
steady hand.
For a moment Will hesitated with
the gun at his face in order to
catch the most favorable oppor-
tunity-then ''bang! bang!" rang
out the reports of both barrels.
Two big eagles fell splashing in
to the water.
''Wc:l done, boy!" cried a voice, as
the overturned basket was lifted suf-
ficiently to reveal human head.
"You are thinning 'em out nicely
only take care and not fire too low. .
The smoke and the loud reports
attracted the attention of the four
remaining eagles to the skiff, and
Will had barely time to replace his
empty shells with loaded ones when
they were close upon him.
S# Seponr9 ho nS.1S3@ sS.,>1n ~ $500 ~