"That's a whole lot easier said than done," Matt called back. "It was only by a happenchance that we got your drag-rope tied to the tree. If you've got an anchor-rope up there, throw it down and we'll make it fast to the car before we cast off the other."
"That's the only long rope we've got," answered the man.
"Well," went on Matt, "you ought to be able to see what sort of a job we're up against. Your motor is pulling hard on the rope, and the moment we take the rope from the tree it will be jerked out of our hands. Don't you know how to run a gas-engine?"
"I know how to start a gas-engine," was the amazing response, "but I don't know how to stop it."
"Py shiminy grickets!" whooped Carl, "you vas a nice pair to shtart off mit a gasolene-air-ship. You vas in luck nod to make some landings on Chupiter, Mars or to hit a comic."
Matt likewise thought it was an odd situation, but believed it would be well to get the two helpless aeronauts down on terra firma before asking for an explanation of their predicament.
"Do either of you know what the gasolene-tank is?" he asked.
The heads disappeared within the car for a moment, then one reappeared over the railing.
"Yes, we've found that, all right," said the man.
"And the carburettor—do you know where to look for that?"