The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-08
woo WANG, THE FAIRY.
BY Harry Baxter Mason.
CHAPTER VIII.
A TRAIN IN MID-AIR.

Will w W lIldl OCAOIC CllAlCl loA ACoi~
lied it the balloon had drifted over
the mainland and slowly settled on the
summit Of high cliff overlooking the
sea.
What was their terror to suddenly
behold the well-known features of
Capt Weber and Bill Rice grinning
cheerfully at them over the edge of
the basket. I'VE thought it was you!"
remarked the Captain. rubbing his
hands. We've been watching this
ere air-ship floating toward us for
near an hour. If we'd only known
before hand we should ave advertised
your arrival The famous boy ami
NAL trainers and bareback performers
will enter the town in balloon. Wit
ness the glorious pageant free'-some-
thin like that would a sounded WE'LL
But we. are through with you and
your circus business declared Woo,
winking slyly at Willie,
Nov look a-herei" said Weber
with an ominous shake of his head,
you young fellers are mighty clever
and tricky; but some day. you'll mon
key once too often with Captain Ho-
ratio X Weber"
While the man was speaking Rice
had been tying the drag ropes to some
bushes so that there should be no dan
ger of escape. But sly Woo had also
kept busy by quietly dropping out the
sand bags which weighed down the
balloon. .
A brisk breeze suddenly sprung up
from the northwest, and the balloon
tugged savagely at the ropes. which,
however. held fast.
+ Crafty Woo had a sudden inspiration.
well. see here. gentlemen he re-
marked with the air of a chap who
intends to make the best of a bad bar
gain, IF YOU insist on our doing a few
more stunts in your old circus get
aboard this balloon with us and Wen
sail right up to the tent. tn just be
time for, the afternoon performance,
and it will make hit with the peo-
ple-our appearing from the sky
rs it perfectly safe?" asked Weber
doubtfully.
Sure" spoke up Rice, who was a
fairly brave man. though a mighty
mean one"
Each of you cut one of the ropes and
Chamber aboard as fast as you can,
and then away we GO said Woo 10
cosely.
What happened as the ropes were cut
was precisely what the jolly fairy boy
Woo had planned. The anchors on
the ends of the drag ropes hooked
llCilloClNGo III Tue tlOlIIlHS Oh Tile Two
men as the balloon, relieved of so
many sandbsgs, fairly jumped sky
ward
Twisting and turning around excit-
eddy and helplessly the two showmen
were carried higher and higher, until
it looked to a few spectators below
that nothing could possibly save them
from being killed.
Woo. with a comical smile on his
face. said he thought the two men I'M
derneath were not getting all that was
due them. He thought Willie should
make it a little more lively for them,
in order TO teach a little lesson.
Just at that moment he couldn't
form any very good plan for tortur-
ing the showmen, but simply to worry
them he began to swing the ropes to
which the men were attached.
Now it must be remembered that
these ropes were more than so feet
in length and that when a rope like
that is swung in circle it is possible
for it 20 go around a distance of a
trifle more than 100 feet The boy GER
tainly didn't spare any pains to make
the, men whizz around as fast as he
could. How long he would have kept
this up no one knows, for it gave him
a great deal of pleasure.
Then he tried another scheme He
would draw the ropes UP so the men
could almost clutch the bottom of the
car. Then he would let go and down
they would drop with a rush. Each
time the men came. near the car they
begged to be placed once more on earth,
but as Willie. knew they, wouldn't be
injured he kept the fun going until
he was tired hauling the men up to
the car.
Woo suggested at least twenty ideas
as to the correct manner in which to
dispose OF the two circus men, but
they were all too weird to suit Willie,
and he was just beginning to grow dis
couraged when he saw on the river be-
low the pretty white yacht which
seemed to be sailing down toward the
mouth of the river as though it had
been ordered to go there and meet
them
Willie at once decided to go down
on the yacht but he must first dispose
of the two men who were swinging
back and forth. clutching about in the
air, vainly seeking something on which
to hang.
Willie had intended to sail the bal
loon up. to Treetown and land either
in the town square or the school yard
He thought this would surprise his
young friends much more than If he
were to sail all the way up the creek
to the town. but when he, saw the
pretty white sails tapping in the
breeze he hesitated.
Woo told him to step out of the car.
The idea OF stepping on nothing made
even Willie a little nervous. But Woo
Wang stepped out first and floated
gently along with the, gas bag. So the
other lad quickly followed. Once out
i'm the open air and with the balloon
I half mile up the party sank to where
the showmen were struggling and still
attached to the anchors which looked
like immense fish hooks
As they sailed. alongside of the show
men those strong men actually began
to cry like little babies and big tears
rolled down their bronze cheeks.
20, save us, please save us" whim-
pered Capt. Webber
I'VE shall be killed" moaned Bill
Rice. please save US"
Woo said: You two big men tried
to play us a trick last Saturday. AMI
now we intend to play one on you.
Eleven miles from here YOU will land
safely but you will be IL miles from
a railroad or any kind Of thing TO
bring you back. and II you ever re-
join the circus you will have TO walk
those IL miles And while you are do
ing the walking you can think about
two kinds Of tricks. those you play on
other people and those other people
play on YOU.
But can't walk II miles" moanei
capt. Weber.
A