“Er—yes, sir.” Lee’s answer was entirely absent-minded, his whole attention bent towards the radio instrument, as he leaned forward, listening to every click.
“Danger ahead—danger!” White to the lips, Renaud swiftly decoded the wild tap-tapping of wireless into understandable English. “Vast area of storms and tornado-twisters sweeping down upon us, moving at immense speed!”
“Orders for engine-rooms, quick! Switch to the gondola telegraphs,” roared Captain Bartlot. “Tap in orders, boy! Minutes may mean lives! Reverse flight! Turn the ship!”
Before a terror-twister of the skies, man can only flee down the wind.
CHAPTER XV
SHAGUN
Facing a storm, a vessel at sea would have reefed sails and laid low for the blow. But on this great elongated gas bag, there was nothing to reef. She could only turn tail and race the wind for her life.
Telegraph orders, rushed from control-room to engine quarters, brought the huge dirigible up short, rearing and plunging like a frightened steed. At touch of the engineers, the marvelous mechanism of drive-shaft and bevel gear tilted each propeller on its axis to throw the ship into reverse and back it around. For so huge a bulk, she wheeled in her tracks with amazing speed.
There was need of speed!
Even in that short time while receiving the wirelessed warning out of the air and plunging into retreat, great banks of cloud had reared themselves on the horizon, looming black and sinister. With every passing moment they rolled up, darker, heavier. With awful menace, a great droning roar filled the air.
The Nardak was turning back on the very fringes of an onrushing storm that seemed to leap out of the nowhere.