“Why—why, then we’ll be compelled to fly above the ocean?”
“It looks that way. I don’t see what else we can do.”
“But in that case we shall be in grave danger?”
“I don’t think the danger will be much greater than the one we have faced. We have plenty of gas still, and can keep in the air for a long time if need be.”
“A week?” asked Captain Andrews. “These hurricanes sometimes last as long as that.”
“I don’t know that we could hold out for a week,” admitted Jack; “but I do know that we cannot avoid being blown out to sea. If the storm does not abate we are likely to be compelled to spend some time above the water.”
“Well, the wind is coming out of the southwest now. If we keep on this way we ought to be blown clear across the Gulf of Mexico and on to the western shore of Florida.”
It was Captain Andrews who vouchsafed this last remark.
“I don’t know that that would be a bad idea,” commented Professor Chadwick.
“How long ought it to take us, going at this rate of speed?” inquired Abner Jennings.