The object, whatever it was, made a sudden change in its course, and came back toward the Comet. Bright metal wings could be seen flashing in the sun, and what looked like long steel legs or arms opened and shut, like the limbs of a kangaroo in full flight.
“It’s Abernot’s flying grasshopper!” cried Jerry. “He’s trying it! Look, here he comes!”
Sure enough, that curious form of airship was approaching at full speed.
“He may run into us!” cried Mr. Glassford.
It did seem as if there was some danger, but just as the clumsy machine was within twenty-five feet of the Comet the motor, with a sob and moan, ceased working, and the flying grasshopper came to a stop. Then it could be seen that a man was seated just where the big wings were fastened to the body.
“Does it work, Mr. Abernot?” asked Jerry, calling to his friend.
“Well,” replied the inventor dubiously, “the centrifugal plates are all that I could wish. The powerful springs in the legs seem to operate, but I can’t understand why I didn’t rise in the air. The wings are certainly large enough, and they vibrated very rapidly. I can’t understand it.”
“Perhaps your apparatus is too heavy,” suggested Mr. Glassford.
“Maybe it is,” agreed the inventor of the flying grasshopper machine, which, however, was more like a jumping frog. “I believe that’s the trouble. I shall make my next one lighter.”