“That’s odd,” he remarked, “the motor is only set for about forty.”
“What can be the matter?” asked Bob.
Even as he spoke they noticed that the needle of the dial on the tractometer slowly swung around until it pointed to ninety miles. At the same time they were aware that there was a curious humming sound in the air outside.
“We must have struck a swiftly-moving current of air,” spoke Jerry.
Once more they looked at the tractometer. It now registered a hundred miles an hour, and the sound outside increased to a roar.
Suddenly the Comet gave a sickening dive, and almost turned turtle. Only the new fin-keels Jerry had put on, and the automatic equilibrium machine, saved them from being turned over.
“What’s the matter?” cried Professor Snodgrass, coming into the steering tower.
“It must be an upper-air hurricane!” gasped Jerry. “The same kind that caught the Manhattan! We’re in its power!”
The wind was now howling and roaring outside the motor-ship, which plunged and careened in the air like a ship in a storm on the ocean. Faster and faster she scudded along in the gale, more rapidly than her motors could take her, even at top speed.