“Who let that balloon go?” stormed Professor Aireo, as he came rushing from his tent. “Who did it?” And he stormed around wildly.
“She got away, Bill, that’s all I can tell,” said one of the attendants.
“I’ll make somebody pay damages,” stormed the professor, who in private life was plain Bill Jones.
“Better get the balloon back first,” put in a man standing near.
In the meantime the balloon went up higher and higher, until it was a good six hundred feet in the air. Then the wind caught it and sent it whirling over the town and some green fields beyond.
“Wh—where are we going to?” asked Pepper, still clutching the basket with a deathlike grip.
“Don’t ask me,” answered Jack. “I’ll be thankful if we are not upset and cast out!”
“We won’t be upset, so long as we remain in the air,” answered Andy, who, now that the first excitement was over, was quite cool. “I must say I rather enjoy this.”
“Then go ahead and enjoy it,” grumbled Pepper.
“Do you feel dizzy?” asked the acrobatic youth.