Yet it would not do to remain where they were too long, or they might just as well abandon all hope of trying to ever find the steamer again.
Frank became desperate.
He did not wish to injure the savages, but saw that only by the most desperate measure could he hope to get the engine up into the air again.
Accordingly he went down to the ammunition-room.
There he loaded a bombshell with a high explosive powder, attached an electric wire to it and secured the other end of the wire to one pole of the dynamo.
“I’ll scare them away temporarily!” he said to his friends, “so when I give the word, complete the circuit in the wire.”
“Shure, I’ll attind to that!” volunteered Barney.
Frank opened the door and hurled the shell out.
It rolled down a declivity to a safe distance from the Pegasus, and Frank shouted:
“Now, Barney!”