CHAPTER XXIII
ABOVE THE CLOUDS
“What’s the matter?” called Fenn, his voice trembling a little.
“The matter with what?” asked Bart, whose tones were not overly strong just then.
“Why we seem to be standing still and the earth is going down.”
“That’s always the way in a balloon, I’ve read,” spoke Frank. “We can’t see ourselves move as there’s nothing to judge it by. You can’t see the air, and that’s what we’re moving through.”
“Well, it’s a little more scary than I thought it was,” came from Ned. “Still I guess we can get used to it.”
By the time they had been elevated five hundred feet they were accustomed to the strange and peculiar sensation. They were no longer frightened, and when they had gone up as far as the cable would let them they were almost wishing the journey was twice as long. As the manager had said, the country was spread out under them like a big relief map. They could recognize some buildings in town, and also pick out other hamlets surrounding Darewell. Bart even declared he could see the clearing where Sandy had stood on guard, and where the men had been observed acting so strangely that day, but the others were not able to make it out.
At the end of ten minutes the balloon was hauled down. The boys climbed from the basket, trying to answer the scores of questions that were asked of them by persons in the crowd. After that many made trips in the captive airship.
“It was great,” declared Bart.