That he was in great agony of
fear, as well as in great pain from the terrific heat over his
head was evident. He shifted about on the trapeze bar, now
hanging by one hand, so as to bring his body a little farther
below the blazing end of the bag, then, when one arm tired, he
would hang by the other. If the balloon would only come down
more quickly it would get to within such a short distance of the
water that the man could safely make the drop. But the immense
canvas bag was settling so slowly, for it was still very
buoyant, that considerable time must elapse before it would be
near enough to the water to make it safe for the unfortunate man
to let go the trapeze.
"Oh, if we could only do something!" cried Tom. "We have to
remain here helpless and watch him burn to death. It's awful!"
The three in the boat continued to gaze upward. They could see
the man making frantic efforts to reach his parachute from time to
time. Once, as a little current of air blew the flames and smoke
to one side, he thought he had a chance. Up on the trapeze bar he
pulled himself and then edged along it in an endeavor to grasp the
ring of the parachute. Once he almost had hold of that and also
the cord, which ran to a knife blade. This cord, being pulled,
would sever the rope that bound it to the balloon, and he would be
comparatively safe, so he might drop to the lake.
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