“One of the cylinders is cracked,” reported the merchant’s son.
“Then we’ve got to go down,” declared Jerry.
“We’re going down already,” exclaimed Bob, looking at the barograph. It had registered a little over two miles, but now the hand was rapidly swinging the other way as the motor of the Comet lost speed at every revolution.
[CHAPTER XVI]
STARTLING NEWS
There was no alarm among those aboard the Comet. Our heroes had, by this time, become used to accidents happening even higher in the air than they now were. In fact their machine was constructed purposely to render them safe in case of a breakdown, for they could instantly change from an aeroplane to a balloon, and thus float even with the motor motionless.
This was what they did in the present emergency. Jerry saw that it was useless, with one cylinder out of commission, to try to get any speed out of the engine.
“Shut down!” he ordered Bob and Ned, and the big propellers ceased revolving.
“It’s tough, just when we were after a record,” remarked Ned.