drew near these foolish young men, marvelling
that they should behave in this way, and the older people looked cold
and unfriendly.

All round the coasts of Europe that morning banjos were ringing,
voices were bawling and singing, children were playing in the sun,
pleasure-boats went to and fro; the common abundant life of the time,
unsuspicious of all dangers that gathered darkly against it, flowed
on its cheerful aimless way. In the cities men fussed about their
businesses and engagements. The newspaper placards that had cried
"wolf!" so often, cried "wolf!" now in vain.

5

Now as Bert and Grubb bawled their chorus for the third time, they
became aware of a very big, golden-brown balloon low in the sky to the
north-west, and coming rapidly towards them. "Jest as we're gettin' hold
of 'em," muttered Grubb, "up comes a counter-attraction. Go it, Bert!"

"Ting-a-ling-a-ting-a-ling-a-ting-a-ling-a-tang
What Price Hair-pins Now?"

The balloon rose and fell, went out of sight--"landed, thank goodness,"
said Grubb--re-appeared with a leap. "'ENG!" said Grubb. "Step it, Bert,
or they'll see it!"

They finished their dance, and then stood frankly staring.

"There's something wrong with that balloon," said Bert.

Everybody now was looking at the balloon, drawing rapidly nearer before
a brisk north-westerly breeze. The song and dance were a "dead frost."
Nobody thought any more about it. Even Bert and Grubb forgot it, and
ignored the next item on the programme altogether. The balloon was
bumping as though its occupants were trying to land; it would approach,
sinking slowly, touch the ground, and instantly jump fifty feet or so in
the air and immediately begin to fall again. Its car touched a clump of
trees, and the black figure that had been struggling in the ropes fell
back, or jumped back, into the car. In another moment it was quite
close. It seemed a huge affair, as big as a house, and it floated down
swiftly towards the sands; a long rope trailed behind it, and enormous
shouts came from the man in the car. He seemed to be taking off his
clothes, then his head came over the side of the car. "Catch hold of the
rope!" they heard, quite plain.

"Salvage, Bert!" cried Grubb, and started to head off the rope.

Bert followed him, and collided, without upsetting, with a fisherman
bent upon a similar errand. A woman carrying a baby in her arms, two
small boys with toy spades, and a stout gentleman in flannels