It was unavailing and he had to drop back, hanging
below the slender bar.
Suddenly there came a puff of wind, fanning the faces of those in
the motor-boat, and they looked intently to observe if there was
any current as high as was the balloonist. They saw the big bag
sway to one side and the flames broke out more fiercely as they
caught the draught. The balloon moved slowly down the lake.
"Keep after it, Tom!" urged his father. "We may be able to save
him!"
The lad increased the speed of his engine and Ned, who was at the
wheel, gave it a little twist. Then, with a suddenness that was
startling, the blazing canvas airship began to settle swiftly
toward the water. It had lost much of its buoyancy.
"Now he can jump! He's near enough to the water now!" cried Tom.
But a new danger arose. True, the balloon was rapidly approaching
the surface of the lake and in a few seconds more would be within
such a short distance that a leap would not be fatal. But the
burning bag was coming straight down and scarcely would the man be
in the water ere the fiery canvas mass would be on top of him.
In such an event he would either be burned to death or so held
down that drowning must quickly follow.
"If there was only wind enough to carry the balloon beyond him
after he jumped he could do it safely!" cried Ned.
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