Sounds from the earth always reach aëronauts with startling distinctness. The shouts of consternation which came from the throats of the spectators could be heard, and also the murmur of relief as the Comet righted herself, and the trapeze and the girl swung back under the machine.
Controlling the aëroplane was always more difficult when there was a weight suspended beneath, but Matt had counted upon this, and he forced the Comet back and forth over the show grounds, holding the machine fairly steady.
Three times he and Haidee circled over the "tops" with their gay streamers, cheer upon cheer following them from below.
Matt had been in the air more than fifteen minutes, and he was just manœuvring toward the starting and stopping point, when the cheers were suddenly turned to cries of fear and alarm. He could see the people below waving their arms and pointing upward.
For an instant the young motorist's heart sank. He felt sure that something had gone wrong with the girl.
This conviction had hardly formed before it was dissipated. A smell of smoke came to his nostrils, and to his ears a crackle of flames. Matt turned his head.
The left wing of the aëroplane was on fire!
A thrill of horror shot through him. In the air, he and Haidee, with a blazing flying machine alone between them and death! The very thought was enough to wrench the stoutest nerves.
"Haidee!" yelled Matt.
"Yes," came the stifled response, from underneath the Comet.