They had dropped into the very center of a little lake in the midst of the forest. Down they went, with the burning balloon settling over them. Both knew enough to leap from the basket and dive under. It was well they did so; otherwise they would have been caught in the folds of the ignited monster and drowned like rats in a trap.
Leo took a long dive, and when he came up he was fully fifty feet away from what was left of the once valuable balloon, now partly above and partly below water, and still burning and hissing.
“Larry, where are you?” he called out.
He received no reply, but a moment later perceived his assistant puffing and blowing not a dozen feet away.
“This is awful!” spluttered Greson. “We’ve escaped from fire to be drowned.”
“Nonsense! Come, let us swim ashore.”
“How can we do that when the fire is on all sides of the lake?” was Greson’s dismayed answer.
“I’ll find some spot to land, never fear,” was Leo’s confident reply.
He led the way, and Greson, being a good swimmer, easily followed.
The firebrands were thick about them, and often they had to duck to get out of the way of being burned. It was with difficulty that they could get any fresh air.