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That proved to be a pleasant meal, and yet a more pleasant evening there in the wilderness, the first, but by no means the last, partaken of, for, now they need no longer fear the heathen, Professor Featherwit was eager to more thoroughly explore that strange land. Still, the air-ship was inconveniently crowded, and that helped to cut explorations short.
"The man that mends the boats says I'll have an air-ship before I die, Aunt Kate." She gave Worth a sudden little squeeze, curiously jubilant at the possibility of his having an air-ship before he died. And she viewed the city of sky-scrapers adoringly tenderly mistily. "Oh Worthie," she whispered, "isn't it lovely to be getting home?"
Something was evidently wrong with the machine, for there was a wild look of desperation on the driver's face as he tugged excitedly at the pilot-wheel. But all his efforts only caused the air-ship to dart irregularly from side to side, and, now and then, to strike the rocks of the pit's mouth, to shoot up suddenly, or to sink dangerously down toward the fire.
The others had paid not the slightest attention to the professor's harangue. "And if we refuse?" demanded the professor. "If you refuse you will be shot, and do not, I beg, make the mistake of thinking that I don't mean what I say." There was nothing to do, under the circumstances, but to obey and, with sinking hearts, they advanced in the direction of the big air-ship.
But as the Golden Eagle shifted her course it became clear to those aboard her that the other air-ship did the same. "They have seen us," gasped Harry. "Yes, and mean to pursue us, too," was Frank's reply, through gritted teeth; "well, we'll give them a long chase of it."
The lighthouses no longer held up their fingers of flame to warn the mariner from the treacherous rocks. No air-ship, brilliant with many lights shining like innumerable eyes, and heavy with passengers, streamed past us with fierce swiftness, splitting the astonished and complaining air.
"What will you heat it with, and how long do you suppose it will be before your globe returns to the earth?" asked Denison. "Your questions are quite practical, and I am ready to answer them. This affords us two air chambers that materially prevent the radiation of heat. Once heated, a very little fuel will keep the interior of our great air-ship at the desired temperature.
For a moment or two it was thought that the opening apparatus had failed to work; but gradually the "umbrella" opened, and the gallant major had a gentle descent for the rest of the distance. This experiment was really made in order to prove the stability of an air-ship after a comparatively great weight was suddenly removed from it.
Surely it must be one of the Terrorist fleet, for there were no others in existence. And yet strict orders had been given that none of the fleet were to take the air until the Ithuriel returned. Was it possible that there were traitors, even in Aeria, and that the air-ship seen from Larnaka was a deserter going northward to the enemy, the worst enemy of all, the Russians?
We work too much WITH ourselves and OF ourselves." She paused, then added slowly and seriously "I have never done any work that way. I have always considered myself Nothing, the Force I have obeyed was and is Everything." "And so being Nothing you still made your air-ship possible!" said Rivardi, smiling indulgently at her fantastic speech. She answered him with unmoved and patient gravity.
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