“I thought, sir, that men and air machines had flown as high as the tower yonder.”
“Don’t you believe in anything of that kind, Warner. Why, a fortune could be made if they could cross and re-cross the North Tower.”
“Then, you don’t believe in directing balloons, sir, or in flying?”
“I have already shown you this morning that balloons, by the combined aid of air and water, can, to some extent, be guided on the ocean, and I shall some day try my plan on a larger scale, at sea, perhaps.”
“I should like to assist in that work, Mr Goodall.”
“Well, strange things happen. You may, for all we know, be able to render assistance in a trial of that sort. It is my desire to show while I am here the possibility of using balloons for one or two novel experiments, and to show that they are still, if skilfully handled, of more value than flying men, and machines which cannot fly.”
CHAPTER III
MESSRS GOODALL BROTHERS
For a short time we will leave the amateur aeronaut, in order to make the acquaintance of his uncle, Mr William Goodall, who was a merchant and shipowner in London.
His brother, Mr Henry Goodall, superintended the Sydney branch of the firm, and was Harry Goodall’s father.
Both uncle and father were very averse to ballooning, and they were unanimous in desiring that Harry should not only give up that pursuit and settle down to a mercantile calling, but that he should conform to their wishes as regards a young heiress, the only daughter of Squire Dove of Wedwell Hall, Sussex, who was a friend of theirs. The brothers, indeed, both desired that Harry should make Miss Dove’s acquaintance, with a view to future matrimony; but he was obstinate, and could not be persuaded to fall in with their views, of which he had been duly apprised.