The engines were failing; the airship was falling more and more rapidly.
“Can’t screw the planes any further!” cried Tom.
Oliphant wrenched at the lever; Tom put the whole force of the second engine upon the ascensional screws; and the rapidity of descent was somewhat checked. The ravine was directly beneath; Tom succeeded in giving the vessel a last forward motion; then it came with a violent bump to the ground, just on the further edge.
“Out! Quick!” cried Tom to Schwab, who was bemoaning the shock he had suffered.
When all three stood safe on the ground, Tom caught hold of the rails of the car.
“I made it; I’ll break it; they shan’t,” he said, and he toppled the airship over into the gulf, where it was smashed to atoms.
Then, with Oliphant at his side, and Schwab labouring behind, with piteous entreaties that they would not desert him, he dashed towards the cliff, a mile away, beyond which was the sea.
CHAPTER XVII—COMPLIMENTS AND THANKS
While yet in the air, Tom had seen a boat putting off from the yacht. The vessel itself was no longer visible, concealed by the intervening cliff; but the top of its mast, with Mr. Greatorex’s ensign flying, could just be seen. Towards this Tom led the way at full speed. To go very fast was impossible over the rough ground, but moderate as the pace was it soon began to tell upon Schwab, who plunged heavily along, tripping over tussocks of coarse grass that grew here and there on the sandy soil. Fierce pants could be heard by the two running side by side in front of him, though, in spite of his breathlessness, he managed to give utterance every now and again to agonizing entreaties that the others would not desert him. Moved by these, and remembering the German’s game leg, the others waited for him, and catching each an arm, hurried him along between them.
Terror lent him strength and speed when the foremost of the pursuers, arriving at the brink of the ravine, which at that point they were unable to cross, began to fire upon the fugitives. Bullets whistled past, alarmingly near, and Tom and Oliphant instinctively released Schwab’s arms and moved apart, so as to present a smaller target to the enemy. Meanwhile some of the Moors had galloped up the bank of the ravine in search of a crossing. Glancing round, Tom was concerned to see that these horsemen had disappeared; presumably they had found a suitable crossing-place, and would soon again be on his tracks. In a few moments they reappeared on the nearer bank, and set off at a gallop.