Almost the whole of the island was under water. Only the high middle part, with its tower of rock, was out of the flood. Securely held by the anchor ropes, the Comet, as light as a chip on the surface of the waves, floated on the bosom of the flood. Her very lightness, due to the fact that the gas bag was partly filled, and the strength of the anchor ropes, had saved her. Then, too, the fact that she rested on hydroplanes, or pontoons, was in her favor. These were a new feature of the airship, which had only recently been added.
“Say, it’s lucky you thought to let the hydroplanes down,” spoke Bob, as he looked out at the flood sweeping past them.
“If he hadn’t, we’d probably be wrecked by this time,” was Ned’s opinion. The hydroplanes, I might explain, were light hollow boxes, made water tight, and attached to the Comet by long toggle-jointed arms. They could be raised or lowered at will, and allowed the Comet to float on the surface of water. If you boys have ever seen a water-spider, or bug, skimming along on the brook or lake, as you doubtless have, you will get a good idea of how the hydroplanes worked by recalling to mind the insect.
“Well, what are we going to do?” asked Ned, as he looked at the flood sweeping past. On the surface of the water floated all manner of débris, including much driftwood, and even whole trees. “We can’t stay here,” went on the lad, “for we may have a hole punched in us any minute.”
Even as he spoke there was a grinding sound, and a log scraped along the side of the Comet.
“Yes, we’d better get out,” agreed Jerry.
“I’ll get breakfast right away,” said Bob briskly, “and then——”
“No, you don’t!” cried Ned. “No breakfast until we’re out of danger. Why, we might be wrecked, and then I’d like to know how we could ever get out of this canyon,” and he looked up at the towering cliffs on either hand—cliffs that no mortal could scale. On each side—all around them—was the raging flood, in which no craft, save one as light as an airship, could have lived for a moment.
“It all depends on the airship,” agreed Jerry. “We must get away while we can.”
The words were hardly out of his mouth before there came a crash, and the craft trembled from end to end. There was a splintering noise, and Jerry sprang toward the stern.