Crack!
The weapon spoke and the ball pierced the silken sides of the floating monster.
Leo heard the sound of the rifle and he at once felt that something was wrong.
Suddenly Mart Keene gave a cry of terror.
“Oh, Mr. Dunbar, look out. There is a man in one of the buildings who is aiming a gun at the balloon!”
Crack!
The rifle spoke again, and the people, looking upward, saw Leo make a leap.
The trapeze had been struck.
Leo had leaped to where hung his parachute.
He caught it with his left hand.