“Our gas-machine? No, but—I have it!” he cried suddenly.
“What is it?” demanded Ned, catching a gleam of hope in Jerry’s tone.
“It is gas! It’s gas escaping from the disabled balloon! That’s what has made the crew of the Manhattan unconscious. Perhaps they’re not dead at all, but overcome by gas. We must keep on to the rescue!”
[CHAPTER XXX]
THE RESCUE—CONCLUSION
The smell of escaping gas from the bag of the big balloon became more pronounced as the Comet approached. Eagerly the boys and Professor Snodgrass looked toward the disabled craft which was slowly drifting ahead of them, but which they were rapidly overhauling.
“We hadn’t better go too close; had we?” suggested Bob.
“Why not?” asked Jerry. “We’ve got to get pretty close or we can’t rescue them. The planks are about fifteen feet long, and we’ll have to come within that distance, anyhow, to make a bridge from the Manhattan to our deck.”
“I was thinking of the gas,” went on the stout lad, who seemed to have some difficulty in breathing. “It might—we might be overcome,” and he coughed raspingly.