Hickey ran his hands over the mechanism, finally discovering a lever on the outside of the basket.
"Here it is. Here's the brake. Now you'll see me steer the old tub. I'll make a landing that would make our quartermaster green with envy."
"Be careful. We are nearly at the bottom now, Sam. I think it will slow down without any effort on our part. That evidently is the way the basket always comes down."
Sam gave the lever a shove.
"Shut it off! What have you done?" yelled Dan.
The basket shot forward, as if impelled by some sudden force.
"I—I can't. The—the thing won't work."
"You've done it this time," groaned Davis.
"You've killed us both——"
"Wow!" howled Hickey.