“Who are you, and why are you here?”
“I am your cousin, Uriah Snodgrass,” was the reply, “and we have come in this airship to save you and all the others!”
[CHAPTER XXVI]
PLANNING THE ESCAPE
The announcement of Professor Snodgrass seemed to add to the confusion of the aged man who stood and stared at the airship. He made no motion to return the greeting of the scientist.
“Don’t you understand?” repeated the little bald-headed man. “We’ve come to save you, Amos. You are Amos Deering, aren’t you? I recognized you at once, though it has been many years since I have seen you. We all gave you up for dead.”
“I might better be dead—I and all the rest of us, than captives as we are,” was the despairing answer.
“But you are going to be saved!” cried the professor.
“Saved?” repeated Mr. Deering, for it was indeed he. “I can scarcely believe that. All hope of escape was given up years ago. We thought one of our number—Loftus by name—would bring aid, but we have heard nothing from him these three years.”