“Well, for one thing, let me tell you he’s got a heap of grit,” said Billy softly, for he did not want the others to hear what he was saying as they came up. “You bet every man that goes up in the clouds has got to be full to the brim of nerve. If we let him rest every little while, you’ll see that he’ll make the riffle, all correct. I’ve sized him up already.”
Hugh and the aeronaut now came up.
“I want to shake hands with each one of you boys,” the gentleman began promptly, “and tell you how much I feel indebted to you all for what you’ve done for me this day. Only for your gallant work, the chances are ten to one I would have lost my life in this hazardous pleasure sailing of mine.”
He went from one to the other, and from the vigorous way he squeezed each hand that was extended to him frankly, it seemed that he must still have considerable stored-up energy left in him.
“Oh! that wasn’t so much, Professor,” Billy said in return. “We’re scouts, you see, and it is one of the rules of the organization never to refuse to put out a helping hand to any one in trouble. I guess it is getting to be a disease with some of us, because we’re on the lookout most of the time for a chance to do something that’ll satisfy a sort of craving to be useful. So if you feel that thanks are due, sir, the whole troop ought to share ’em.”
“The whole troop wasn’t on hand this time to climb trees and lower a poor chap who had a broken arm and would have fallen sixty feet if he worked loose from that crotch,” the gentleman remarked with kindling eyes, as though this modesty on the part of the khaki-clad boys aroused his admiration more than ever. “And if no one had happened to see me meet with my accident, I’m afraid I’d have remained in that treetop until the end came.”
“When you feel like walking, sir,” Hugh told him, “we’ll set out for town. I know of a fine spring of cold water only half a mile away, and you’ll be refreshed after you get a good drink of that.”
“Let me sit here about ten minutes, Hugh,” said the gentleman, and his mention of the young leader’s name showed that he had already asked questions and learned who they all were; “then I think I’ll be equal to the task of starting. Meanwhile, I’ll tell you who I am, and what I was aiming to do with my balloon when I met with a crowning disaster. I also want to hear all about your patrol, and why you came up here on this particular day, when it was fated you should be of such vital assistance to me.”
This suited the boys, for they had a natural curiosity to learn something about the ambitions of a daring aeronaut. Accordingly, they found as comfortable seats as they could, after fixing for Mr. Perkins, as he gave his name, a seat of hemlock browse that was hastily pulled from a neighboring tree.
“In the first place,” said the gentleman, “I’m not a professional aeronaut. That is, I never have made a flight for money, because I have not felt the necessity. But my fancy for such things has been gradually growing into a craze, and possibly my name is among a few who have worked hard to advance the sport of balloon ascents. I’ve taken part in numerous long distance races, and held the record for several years. Yes, they call me Professor, though I hardly deserve the title.”