“Now, Bracebridge,” cried Ellis, who had worked the Silver Knight up almost as high, “let me have your line.”
“All right,” answered Bracebridge, hauling down his kite till it was within thirty feet of the ground. “Hook on.”
On this Ellis brought the end of his line up to Bracebridge, who fastened it to the string of the Squire, which immediately shot upward, while higher and higher flew the Silver Knight. He reached the Green Dragon, and floated proudly past him. Up he went, higher and higher, till a glittering spot could alone be seen in the blue heavens. Shouts of applause broke from the spectators.
“Now,” cried Bracebridge triumphantly, “has not our knight chosen his motto with judgment, Excelsior? See, up he goes higher and higher.”
Higher he did go, indeed; and in a short time the glittering spot was lost to view.
“We could easily get our Squire out of sight also, if we could find a line light enough and strong enough to bear the strain of the two kites together, but no string we have got here could bear the strain that would be put upon it,” observed Ernest to those who came round to observe the wonder which had been wrought.
Some declared that it was not fair, and that they had no right to fasten the string of one kite to that of another.
“Oh! that’s all nonsense, and you fellows know it well,” answered Ernest. “The question to be decided is, which kite can reach the farthest from the earth, and ours has done so. Unless another gets higher, we shall win the prize.”
No other kite got even so high as the Green Dragon, so the Silver Knight was most justly declared to be the winner of the prize.
“Froggy Malin’s and those fellows’ kites may fly high, but they will not be able to pull anything along,” growled out Blackall. “Before they think that they are going to carry off all the prizes, let us see what my kite can do. He looks like a strong, tough fellow, who can pull hard at all events.”