“Do you mean at game, squire?” asked the aeronaut, smiling.
“It is not to be supposed that he would fire on a fellow-creature.”
“Yet he has fired at one when greatly exasperated,” said the aeronaut.
“Indeed!” exclaimed the squire, as they rounded a clump of lofty trees in the vicinity of a fish-pond, near to which the gas house was located, close to a lane.
“Now, pilot,” said the aeronaut, “will the balloon lift three, including Squire Dove?”
“She has ample power, sir, for four.”
“My daughter will not be able to join us just yet,” added the squire. “Can the balloon ascend by moonlight?”
“Oh, yes,” replied the aeronaut.
On the strength of these assurances, the squire, Harry Goodall and the captain ascended to the length of a long rope, and had a splendid bird’s-eye view of the park and the surrounding country. Afterwards, at the squire’s request, his neighbour, the Reverend Mr Penfold went up, the squire accompanying him. This induced many others to follow, and after a time some of the household went aloft, conducted by Tom Trigger, Lucy having set them the example, but she had to go back immediately afterwards to Miss Dove, who was soon going down for her moonlight trip; but the squire began to think that it was almost too late to continue the ascents. However, as Miss Dove was seen to be approaching in the carriage, he said,—
“Can you take the captain besides yourself and my daughter?” adding that he would himself see to the working of the windlass.