It was the wave of air coming from that direction which had given the motion to the Spectre. But this was not all.
From a cloud just above the air-ship blazing balls of fire suddenly shot downward.
A tremendous crash ensued on the air-ship’s deck, and she reeled and shot downward.
CHAPTER IV.
THE FIGHT WITH THE PUMA.
The air-ship was falling.
For a moment horror was upon all in the little party. It was a terrible realization, for below, thousands of feet, they might be dashed to atoms upon jagged ledges.
A powerful missile had fallen from the cloud and struck full and fair in the air-ship’s bow. The shock had thrown open the pilot-house door.
The helices had ceased to revolve but slowly and the air-ship was floating downward with speed. For one awful second the aerial voyagers knew not what move to make.
Then Frank Reade, Jr., acted.
Quick as a flash he sprang into the pilot-house. Barney, who was at the wheel, had been knocked half senseless to the deck.