Then Ivanta gave a series of orders in sharp, commanding tones, and some of the crowd of officers went off to execute them. The doors of the chamber were closed, and a moment later the conning-tower sank down, and all became dark save for a fiery image which was now to be seen upon a large screen. This gave a view of the comet as it would have appeared if they had still been looking direct at it. From the apparent size of a moon it had now grown to twice as large as our sun looks to us. Its shape was no longer round, but was changing each second, the continual explosions sending out irregular masses of fire upon all sides in turn.
Even as seen upon the screen it was an awful sight to look upon. It seemed like some gigantic, fiery monster bent upon devouring them.
Armeath put a hand affectionately upon each of his wards. He could see that the position of the aerostat was critical, and that they were all in terrible danger. It was not a moment for talk or comment, but he bent down and whispered a few words in the ears of the two lads. 'We are in the hands of God, my boys,' he said devoutly. 'Such things as these are but some of the smallest and most puny of His great works! If He so wills it we shall pass the danger safely, and live to remember it with admiration and wonder in place of fear!'
The fiery shape grew in size till it covered the whole screen, and in intensity till, even as thus reflected, the light from it was almost blinding. Then there came a close, stifling feeling, and the chamber grew so hot as to become almost intolerable. They were conscious of something which whizzed past them with a frightful roar. In a second it was gone, and the heat and light grew perceptibly less.
'It has passed!' murmured Armeath; and he breathed a prayer of thankfulness.
Monck, who had remained alongside them, gave a gasp of relief.
'That's the nearest brush we've ever had since I 've been on board!' he muttered.
'Has it really gone? Are we safe now, do you think, sir?' Gerald asked in a whisper. Both lads had held their breath at the critical moment. Though they had shown no signs of panic, the strain had been pretty severe, and they breathed more freely now.
'Yes, it has gone—shot past us like a flash. And now'——
Suddenly the aerostat gave a lurch, and then swerved from its course so abruptly as almost to throw the voyagers off their feet. To them it felt as if it had swung round in a great half-circle, and was now flying along in the opposite direction to that in which they had been going.