“If we don’t find ’em I’m going to climb up and poke a hole in the bag,” declared Stumpy.
The boys took their positions one on each side of the big basket and began staring aloft, through the mist, for a sight of the cords. There was such a maze of ropes and netting that it was hard to distinguish anything. The mist too, bothered them.
There came a little puff of wind which made the big balloon sway so that the boys clutched the sides of the willow car. There was a peculiar sensation as though the bottom of their stomachs had dropped out.
“We’re going down!” cried Bart.
The mist seemed to break away. The bag could be plainly seen. Hurriedly Bart tore up some more scraps of paper and tossed them over. They remained stationary an instant and then began to settle earthward.
“False alarm,” said Bart with despair in his voice.
But they had gone down a few feet, or else the mist had lifted, for they were no longer in the cloud. They could see nothing of the earth, however.
All at once Fenn who had resumed his upward-gazing gave a cry.
“What is it, Stumpy?” called Bart.
“The cords! The cords! I see them!” the boy exclaimed.