The Washington times., 1910-01-28
CHAPTER XVI
A PRISONER OF THE AIR.

Z HAD dropped Almost lIlLo range
could see the afternoon sunlight
upon the barrel OF the upralseo
shotgun. And I felt that the rura-
virginia constable would almost CT
+zfn1v be able TO fulfil his threat OF
blowing hole through my oa-iooi1-
II the balloon was sinking that meant
.re sunniv Of gas was running low
had probably let out too much OF Il IT
nv descent from above the CLOUDS
Z baut ever the remaining sandoags-
With frantic haste I slit each open win
the sheath knife and dumped its con
tents overheard
I was sore tempted 10 let at least one
bag drop, unopened. 10 earth in the
chance o. its landing on the man with
the gun. II ever l. had struck him,
from that height. II would have ended
most summariiy his career as consla-
T,Izhtened OF the sands weight the
balloon halted in its gradual descent
and slowly. ma1eSJiCally rose LedFeH-
The gunner fred both barrels al me
then Shook his fist upward IN Iutl-e
rage
air current tthe upper air Is as fui or
currents as the BAY Of Blscay itseif)
and began TO roll nOTthward-
I could see some or the villagers now
small in The distance run along the
fields. after me. for half a mile or more
Then thev gave UD the chase and was
left unmOlested-
less spread by telephone the tidlngs that
the missing balloon, with its fugitive
passenger. was going north And l
should find a warm welcome awaiting
me wherever 1 might chance 10 aIghr-
7 was. literally, prisoner in the ar.
Nor was the balloD StiI rising IN
fact. after reaching q certain height
frl cd q a =
"a quarter mile perhap aps-abOve earth,
and 5OWIed along nOrJhWaTd at q
faster rate, as the fTeSheuing breeze
caught IT.
If anything. the great yellow bag
was sinking again
Across the wide Potomac once more.
abOve the city Of Washington, and
uorthward into the early twilight,
I kept an eye open for the fair
grounds. but did not come IN sight OF
them. The wind had shifted a point
10 westward and was carrying me over
a stretch Of wooded, hilly country
which, from above, I could not recog-
nize-
And as one wooded hill arose abrupt
" higher than its fellows, the bottom
Of the car passed bare ten feet above
the tODmOst tree
II vas now twilight 7 doubted If
any one could notice the vague yellow
shape that floated through the dusk
4
did not think. in that forest district.
any one was likely to be abroad at such
a time
The brisk air current before which
We were moving had either died down
or else We had sunk below Its bOunda-
ries. for the balloons pace had slowed
down, and il scarce moved at all But
Z was settling qUie tIy earthward-
Above a road we Crawlsd. then into
a new patch Of woodland
This seemed as good A time as any
20 descend to terra drma- ] might do
50 unObserved. and, leaving the telitale
balloon behind me. put many miles be
tween II and myself before d6ybrCalI-
I u0cCiled the frayed anchor rope
hitching one end 70 a staple IN the car
and paying out the other. with the dOu-
bic hook anchor attached. over the
side
Swish. The anchor struck against
tree top CIanki II smOte the bare limb
Of dead oak. Then
4 jerk. and the rope frightened The
crawling car iurched to a standstIll Ghe
double hooks had caught in the
crotched branches Of a tough hickory
tree.
Hand over hand. yet cautiously, as
one plays" a fish I drew the bal
loon and myself downward till the
car settled gently into the natural
cup formed by the crown OF the hick-
Ory-
I made fast the side of the car
with the rope then carefully let my
self down among the strong branches.
Easily made my way TO the lowest
limb Then I dropped TO earth.
No one who has not spent eight
hours or SO in the upper ether, as ]
bad done, can dream what untold de
light there IS in Aigging ones heels
into the honest steady, hard ground
and in walking once more upon a
firm nOn-sWayfng surface
Not that I did very graceful walk
ing Crouch all day IN a rickety lit
tie swinging basket. and your limbs
viii scarce be at their best by night
fall
But 7 hobbled along. growing
stronger and stesdier at every step,
making for the direction where. as
well as I could remember. the road
lay
The woods were by no means the
impenetrabIe forest they had seemed