Book Description

"[...]been speaking to by wireless comes in sight. Then we'll take a chance. If the worst comes to worst we can float about till they pick us up.' "That seemed a good plan to me and I never gave the sharks a thought. But when you drew near and it seemed as if the bag was going to bust in a second's time and we tried to open the valve-we couldn't. The halliards that work it had got twisted in the gale that blew us out to sea and they wouldn't come untangled. "Melville takes a look at the pressure gauge. Then he gave a long whistle. "'If we don't do something she'll bust in five seconds, ' he says. "Then I suddenly made up my mind. Without saying a word to him I kicked off my boots and started to climb into the rigging. "'What are you going to do?' asked Melville. "Open that valve, says I. "We saw you climbing and could not imagine what you were doing," put in Billy. "Wall," continued the old sailor, "I managed fine at first, although that thar gas sausage was stretched as smooth and tight as a drum. The network around it gave me a foothold though, and once I was half-way round the lower bulge of the bag-where I was clinging on upside down, -I was all right. "I had the valve lever in my hand and was just going to open it when I felt everything cave in around me like something had been pulled from under my feet-or as if I had been sitting on a cloud and it had melted. "The dirigible had blown up. "Luckily I kept my wits about me and deliberately made a dive for the sea. It was a good height but I struck it clean. Down and down I went till I thought I'd[...]."