“Or dead,” thought Jerry grimly, but he did not say so. He would hope for the best.
“Let’s get there as fast as we can!” proposed Ned eagerly. “They may need help very much.”
“And they may be hungry!” added Bob. “I’ll go get things ready for a meal.” And this time his chums did not laugh at him. The occasion was too serious.
“We’d better be getting out the ropes and planks ready for a rescue,” suggested Jerry.
“Are you really going to take off those people, if there are any in that balloon?” asked the professor, laying aside his note-books.
“That’s the only thing to do,” said Jerry. “We can’t tow their disabled craft back, and the only thing to do is to rescue them in mid-air. Ned, suppose you and Mr. Snodgrass get out the planks and ropes, while Bob attends to the food, and I’ll get the Comet to the balloon as fast as the propellers will take her.”
“Sure!” cried Ned eagerly. “Oh, to think that at last I’ve really got Mr. Jackson where he can’t get away from me! I wish I could send dad a wireless message, telling him of our success!”
“Better wait until you get the signature,” suggested Jerry, for, somehow, he did not like the fact that there came no signal from the floating balloon. If the crew on board was alive, he argued, they would naturally give some indication when they saw a craft coming to their rescue. But there was not the slightest sign of life aboard the Manhattan.
More and more swiftly through the air rushed the Comet. She was now so close that many details of the balloon could be made out, and the boys at once recognized it as the one they had seen leave the aviation grounds as they approached. It was the missing Manhattan beyond a doubt.
Ned and the professor were busy laying out the planks; Bob could be heard rattling about in the galley, and Jerry was doing his utmost to get the top limit of speed from the motor. The Comet was now on a level with the balloon, and was rapidly approaching.