“Talk about speed-laws!” said Jim, after a moment; “dere ain’t no limit on dis geezer! What you got dere, pal—a balloon?”
“Something of that kind, I should say,” observed Jack quietly. In fact, the car drawn by the metal sphere was actually rising from the ground. They were soon several hundred feet aloft, and still on an up-grade.
“No doubt it’s all right,” Jack added; “he’s getting his bearings like a carrier pigeon; he’ll make a slant for home presently.”
The driver, however, was not following a straight course, but was bearing continually to the left. It soon became evident that they were mounting on a spiral. The planet was fast dropping away beneath them.
“What is the dumb beast doing?” muttered Jack in surprise. “Does he think he lives in the air? He must come to earth sooner or later.”
Jim had been taking observations on his own account. He now plucked Jack by the arm and reached up to whisper in his ear:
“Boss, dis slob ain’t comin’ down at all. D’yer know where he’s takin’ us? He ain’t no Sattum guy whatever. He’s one of Torpy’s gang, and he’s elopin’ wid us to where Torpy come from!”
At this startling suggestion Jack looked upward and beheld the red moon which was Torpeon’s habitation directly above them. He had been fooled again; it was a plain case of kidnaping! Had he been aware that Miriam was at the same moment being unwillingly borne in the same direction he would probably have been content to let the flight proceed; as it was, he thought it was time to take an active part in the transaction.
He seized the driver by the shoulder with a powerful grasp.
“Put about!” he shouted. “Get back to earth! Reverse your machine this instant or I’ll throw you out!”