“What’s the matter?” he heard Ned and Bob crying from the cabin.
Jerry rushed out on deck, and, as he emerged a glare of light caught his eye. A fear of fire entered his mind, but, as he watched it, the glow seemed to die away. Not before, however, Jerry had noted that the gas bag, which was partly inflated, was intact. Nothing had happened to it.
“What was that?” demanded Ned, emerging from the main cabin, followed by Bob and the professor.
“Just what I’m trying to discover,” replied the widow’s son. “It sounded like——”
“There it goes again!” yelled Bob, as, with a whizz and a roar, a streak of fire passed by the airship, and burst into balls of vari-colored light just beyond the craft.
“Meteors!” shouted Ned.
“Falling stars, perhaps,” agreed the professor.
Jerry looked down, over the edge of the rail. Below him there was a great illumination.
“Look!” he cried to his companions. “We’re over some city.”