“This is an airship—an aeroplane—a balloon!” yelled Jerry, as he signalled to Ned to volplane to earth. “You must have seen pictures of ’em—read about ’em!” he went on. “We’re only an airship!”
This served, in a measure, to calm the fears of most of those who were racing over the plain. They slowed up, and, as the Comet came to rest on the ground, rolling along on the wheels, the crowd saw that there was no danger. Some even ventured to approach closer.
“I have seen pictures of the contraptions,” said one man, slowly; “but they didn’t look nothin’ like this shebang!”
“Well, this is somewhat different,” explained Jerry, as he and his party alighted.
“I hadn’t no notion that they made as much racket as that, neither,” spoke another man.
“And they come on you lickity split,” spoke a third. “I thought hosses had t’ pull ’em, or suthin’ like that.”
By this time the throng had approached still nearer and even the most timid now ventured to inspect the curious craft that had so suddenly, and strangely, appeared in their midst. Later the boys learned that Bolton was so remote from the ordinary line of travel, and that its inhabitants had so few opportunities of looking at the newspapers or magazines, that few, if any of them, had a real idea of what an airship was like. Consequently the sudden appearance of the Comet was enough to startle even the bravest.
But the boys were made welcome, and were asked to partake of the hospitality of the place. There was in Bolton what passed for a hotel, but Bob whispered:
“We can get better meals ourselves than they can serve. Let’s stick to the ship.”