"I will make a long glide if you can fix it in the meantime," said Ralph.
"No; I will connect the other tank," was the reply.
It required less than a minute to perform this operation, but despite the repair the engine would not turn.
After another examination the lieutenant looked up from the pit, and said: "It's all up now. The other tank is also empty."
The barometer now showed that they were only a little over three thousand feet above the earth. A landing must be made, that was evident; but where? Alfred pointed to a forest, directly east.
"That might be a good place to come down, because there doesn't seem to be any houses there."
"Just the place if we can find a spot big enough," said the lieutenant.
With his field glasses he scanned the forest.
"Do you see that strip of dark green a little to the left? That is a clear space, I am sure. Steer for that after circling around. We are still high enough to enable us to make a careful observation of the spot."
The machine descended in its regular glide, and they passed over the indicated spot.