hem (such is the perversity of things) straight toward a
deep and dangerous lake. Carlotta saw where they were going, but was
powerless to prevent it. She could not throw Miss Aerial overboard like
a sand-bag to make the balloon go higher, although she did throw
overboard everything else that was movable, even to her jacket and
shoes. Then, having done all that was possible, she waited, clutching
the basket-sides with anxious fingers, and wondering if there was any
way to safety.

Suddenly an idea came to her, and she scanned the heavens for Tysdell's
balloon. No sight of it anywhere. Tysdell was three miles away, hidden
by clouds. Nevertheless she lifted her voice and sent forth a loud cry,
calling his name. Immediately the answer came, quite distinct. She
explained their peril, and asked Tysdell if he could come to them. He
said he would try, and questioned her where they were and what
wind-currents had borne them. Carlotta told Tysdell to what height he
must drop (she knew her own height by the barometer), and in a very few
minutes, being able to rise and fall as he pleased, he was near the two
other air-sailors, and got his balloon down by the lake-side in time to
help them ashore when they struck, as presently they did. The basket
splashed the water, then skipped along the surface under the drag of the
balloon, and was caught finally in the arms of a tree that reached out
from the bank. And the only harm done was the spoiling of Miss Aerial's
best frock!

Here was a case of conversation carried on easily between two balloons a
mile or so above the earth and three miles apart. But other experiments
made by Mme. Carlotta show that talking between balloons may go on over
much greater distances, a reach of nearly eight miles having been
accomplished on one occasion near Ogdensburg, New York. The explanation
of this phenomenon is perfectly simple. Each balloon, while it is
speaking, acts as a huge megaphone for the other, and each balloon,
while it is listening, acts as a huge sounding-board for the other; and
the tighter the balloons are kept under pressure of gas, the easier it
is to make these great silken horns (for such they are) throw forth and
receive the messages. It should be noted that this facility for voice
transmission does not exist at great heights because of the rarefied
air. At a mile above earth, however, this difficulty is not presented,
and it may be that a superior kind of wireless telegraphy will