Suddenly from where the three emergency helpers were working there came a cry of astonishment, mingled with fear. For the first time Andy Sudds, Tom Smith and Bill Jones, characters well known to Amos Henderson, had looked down into the shed, and caught sight of the tugging, swaying airship. The interior had been quite dark up to this point, which accounted for them not having noticed the ship before. But when they saw the strange affair so close beneath them they were startled.
"Jumpin' rattlesnakes!" cried Andy Sudds. "What have I struck?"
"It's a yellow elephant!" exclaimed Tom Jones.
"A sea serpent!" ejaculated Bill Smith.
They leaned over from the edge of the roof eaves to which they were clinging and peered down into the big balloon shed. Certainly the airship presented a queer sight to the three men.
"Is everything ready?" asked the professor of Washington.
"Eberyt'ing am circumulated to completeness," replied the negro.
"Jump in, boys! Untie the ropes, Washington. We'll start!"
"Hurry! Hurry! Perfessor!" cried Washington, as he looked out of a side window. "Here comes dat man we tied up in de shed! He's got anoder man wid him, an' dey got guns!"
"It's Taggert! He is after me!" exclaimed the inventor. "He must not be allowed to get on the ship! Come on, Mark and Jack! Never mine unknotting the ropes! Cut 'em! We have no time to lose! Jump in, Washington!"