The muscles of Captain Diavolo tightened spasmodically upon the handles so that he could not release them.
“Santa Maria!” he screamed, in hoarse tones of surprise, as he glared at his hands and wondered why he could not relax his grip. “I’m full of needles!”
“You don’t say!” laughed Frank, picking up his revolver and cocking it. “How strange!”
“By the fiend! I can’t let go!”
“So much the worse for you. That fact places you at my mercy!” said Frank, grimly.
“Oh, don’t shoot me. I haven’t done you any harm.”
“I will fire if you don’t stop struggling.”
As Frank said this, he started the big propellers.
With a loud, whirring sound they whirled around, and drove the airship ahead over the ground on her wheels.
The men in the back room became alarmed, and one of them rushed out the back door to see why the Jove was speeding along over the ground.