The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-08-02
A COLUMBUS OF SPACE By eARgE5T ?. sERvIss


I And they did drop of with great
rapidly Their own strategy, which
Jack mad called attention TO, was
simply playing into our hands They
Iealiy NnouglL 10 catch US in the mid
/ die Of a gradually contracting circle
Whenl to their evident Amusement, we
rose into a region Of the atmosphere
where they knew that they could not
live Edmund fairly roared with
his ruse.
But. there was one thing that he
hao forgotten, and IL struck to our
hearts when We became aware OF IL
FOor JuDa- he could endure this rare
ar no better than our pursuers. Al
READY unuottCed in the excitement,
he had fallen upon the deck, whers
/ ne lay gasplng like newly landed
sturgeon At last he ceased to
Good HeaensFr cried Jack. "the
poor fellow is dying"
we must sac him." said Edmund.
BIT how? You wouldn't go back
If We drop down near the limit.
LnaL stops the others said Edmund
hell revive, and then we can dodge
Up and down enough TO keen our or
danger both ways"
NO sooner said than done, and we be-
AAn 10 descend ! reflected that here
was the only mistake that Edmund had
made during the whole trip-I mean the
/ LHls'aAe OF bringing along the natives
/ from the caVerns-
1t was their presence that had pre-
vented US from sailing triumphantly
over the crystal mountains, * an eIeva-
ZION where there would have been no
Qangers II was because OF them that we
mad wrecked the car and now II was
the presence Of Juba that prevented Us
from keeping IN a safe place. This
wrought upon my mind so that finally
1 spoke about L 70 Edmund. Instantly
Henry chlmed in:
Better let him die than lose our own
stop said Edmund. sternly. a
thousand times have cursed myself for
my error I thought that those fellows
would - OF use Instead. they were an
l1cuT, branCe- But IL was not their fault
mat they ne. Il is that am respon-
siDle Tor Z, II fate, and / shall never
IcIglEe myself neither shall l ever
ABANDON the last one that is left I'd
give Up my own life rather
That ended the discussion. We con
Lnle-s - drop until, with much chafin-
OF E1s hairy hands and body. and the
aid ~ 8 bttle stimulant poured into his
poor 7 aba around.
In tie meantime the crowd Of air
SHIPS watching us from below began 10
close N their circle. evidently under tbs
belief that We had been compeIIeI 20
descer on account Of the rarity CT the
atmosphere and thar at last they WOuI
nave US sure II was Impossible not L
admire their preparations Tor catching
the expected fish
There was such a multitude % the
craft that they were able 20 form them
selves INTO the sembIauCe OF q huge bag
net. tue edge carried as high as they
could go while the sides and bottom
were composed Of aigships packet as
close almost as meshes This great
laughed again as he looked down into IT,
No no. mesSieurE.' he shouted
We re no Sucgeons- YOuu have 70 do
better lhan that
See here. Edmund cried Jack sud
denly, w ny don't you make or and
leave thcfn2 By keeping Just out OF
theiT rea, D. as you have said, we can
and leave the carp was the reply
JoYe- said Jack. II never Thought
or that But see here. in that case.
what did you run away for az ALP
Because said Edmund. Quietly. L
{houEEhet Il better 10 Darley than 10 lie
~PParley. How are you going to par
That remains. 10 be seen. but I guess
well manage 81"
We were noTv, as estimated. about
ten miles high When we were highest
The great cloud dome that 7 have de-
scI1Ded was but a little above our heads
and we might have gone Up into il and
been lost from sight
Our Pursuers cIrcIed about 10 keen
lHelT POSITIONS a quarter OF z mile or
50 below US They We're evidently
parleyinE on their side. for waves OF
color flowed ali about them. and the
spectacle was so brilliant that we al
most forgot our situation while watch
ing It.
IT suppose you'll play them q pris-
!si7 nc symphony said Henry, mock
inEly-
Perhaps Who knows" replied Ed
mund- cOOly- We no doubt that the
materials are aboard ship"
A minute later he added:
IF I'd been here a month. I'd Go II
sure But I haven't had time TO study
that subject yet We must manage
otherwise"
While -ve had been talking Edmund
had not relaxed his vigilance and two
or three times he bafIeC a sudden dart
OF the enemy by circi.nZ deriSiveTv
high above their heads, each time re
turning 10 a lower lever as soon a.
JUba began 10 gasp