“Maybe some one has fallen in,” suggested Ned.
“Speed her up, and we’ll soon find out,” directed Jerry, and Ned yanked over the propeller lever.
As the airship came nearer, it could be seen that there were two good-sized towns, one on either side of a swiftly flowing river, that appeared to be swollen from floods. Gathered on the banks of the stream were two large crowds, and they appeared to be signalling to each other.
“I wonder what’s happened?” came from Ned.
“We’ll soon find out,” answered Jerry. “Go a bit slower.”
“There’s trouble of some kind; that’s sure,” was the opinion of Professor Snodgrass. “The people in the larger town seem to be in distress.”
Hardly had he spoken than from the midst of the larger crowd there came a flash of fire, and a volume of white smoke rolled out. Then came a dull boom.
“They’re firing! Firing a cannon!” cried Bob. “The people on one side of the river are shooting at those on the other side! What can be the matter?”