“Bring five of ’em over!” he exclaimed. “Must think I’m Sandow. It’s all I can do to lift one. They weigh forty pounds a piece,” and, still grumbling, the little man tackled the bags.
It was evident that two, at the most, were all he could manage. Ned, who was watching him saw an opportunity.
“Come on, fellows,” he whispered to his chums. “We’ll give him a hand and maybe he’ll tell us something about the balloon.”
An instant later the four boys hurried to the pile of ballast.
“We’ll help you,” said Bart. “Where do you want ’em?”
“Oh!” exclaimed the little man evidently somewhat surprised at the offer of help. “Right over there where the boss is. Say, you boys are all right!”
The four chums each took hold of a bag. They found them about all they wanted to carry.
“How high up does the balloon go?” asked Fenn, determined to take advantage of the opportunity.
“Thousand feet,” the man replied. “It’s held fast by a thin wire cable that goes over a drum. You boys going up?”