“But we can’t get a sight of the Manhattan,” he concluded, “and we want to very much, for we wish to rescue the people aboard her, and it is very necessary for us to get Mr. Jackson’s signature to certain papers.”
“Well, that’s the greatest stunt I ever heard of,” declared the captain. “Using one airship to go to the rescue of another. But can’t you pick her up by wireless?”
“We’ve tried, but none of our signals are answered,” replied Bob.
“Their apparatus may be disabled,” said Jerry. “Well, if you haven’t sighted her, we’ll have to keep on hunting.”
“Wait a minute,” suggested the commander. “I’ll have an inquiry made among the crew and passengers. None of my officers have reported seeing anything like a runaway balloon, but it’s just possible that some one else may have sighted it, and said nothing about it.”
A steward was sent to make a general inquiry, and, while waiting, Jerry explained the nature of the Comet, and how she worked.
“Well?” asked the captain, as the steward returned, “did you learn anything?”
“Yes, sir,” was the unexpected answer; “last night, when Lars Porsen had the bow lookout, he said he saw, about midnight, several lights, close together in the sky, quite a distance up. They were moving rapidly, and, all at once, they seemed to come down toward the sea. He thought they were shooting stars, until he heard voices crying. Then he got frightened, being of a superstitious nature, sir, and he decided not to report it. But he thinks now, that it may have been the missing airship being blown along, sir.”
“That’s her, without a doubt!” cried Jerry excitedly. “In what direction was she?”
“A little to the north-east of here,” replied the steward, “and she was making rather a northerly course, according to Porsen.”