“Is everything ready?” I cried.
The men put themselves in readiness. A last glance told me that I might go.
“Attention!”
There was a movement in the crowd, which seemed to be invading the enclosure.
“Let go!”
The balloon rose slowly, but I experienced a shock which threw me to the bottom of the car.
When I got up, I found myself face to face with an unexpected fellow-voyager,—the pale young man.
“Monsieur, I salute you,” said he, with the utmost coolness.
