There was a tearing and rending, a series of tremendous jerks, and then a bump against the ground; which threw them all into the bottom of the car, from which the next jerk threw them out on to the ground. Fortunately the ground was even, and the soil had lately been plowed; but the shock was so violent that it was some minutes before either of the boys recovered consciousness. When they did so, they found that two or three gentlemen were leaning over them; while several peasants were endeavoring, under the direction of Monsieur Teclier, to hold the balloon--which was thrashing the ground with great violence.
"Thank God, you are all alive," one of the gentlemen said.
A peasant now came running up, with some water. The gentleman who had spoken dashed a little in their faces.
"I do not think any of your limbs are broken," he said. "Do you feel any pain?"
"I feel sore and bruised, all over," Ralph said, getting up with some assistance; "but I don't think that anything serious is the matter.
"How are you, Percy?"
"I don't think I am hurt seriously, Ralph; but I would rather lie still, for the present."
Ralph explained to the gentleman--who again leaned over Percy, and felt his pulse--that his brother had been recently ill, and was still weak.
"Ah, that accounts for it," the gentleman said. "I do not think that he is seriously hurt. I am a doctor; and was luckily out riding with these gentlemen, when we happened to look up and saw your balloon falling, like a stone, from the clouds. We thought at first that you must be dashed to pieces; but when we saw that the speed was being a little checked, we had some hope, and galloped in the direction in which it was falling. We were within five hundred yards when you fell, but we hardly expected to see anyone alive.
"Do not try to move," he said to Percy. "We sent a man for a vehicle, and a few necessaries, before we set off ourselves."