“‘Jerusalem!’ he shouted. ‘I thought you war famil’ar with the hull thing or I’d have as soon thought of gwine up in a whirlwind.’
“‘I fancy I do know considerable about it,’ I ses.
“‘Then why can’t you stop her right here?’ he hollered, lookin’ up, pooty pale.
“‘I cal’late we’ve got to keep ascendin’ while the gas holds out,’ I answered.
“‘Thunder and lightnin’!’ he hollered, jest that way, ‘and what are you agwine to do arter the gas gins out?’
“‘I reckon,’ ses I, ‘we’ll come down agin.’
“‘A flukin’?’ he asked.
“‘Perhaps so,’ ses I. ‘I cal’late we’ll come down faster than we’re gwine up, but I’m hopin’ to catch an undercurrent of a’r that will sweep us along, and let us down sort of gently.’
“Just as we war talkin’ somethin’ gin a whoppin’ crack overhead, and she began to drop down by the run pooty lively.
“‘What’s that?’ shouted Spence. ‘I think I hear a sort of tearin’ noise up thar; ain’t somethin’ ginnin’ out?’