ind to you, even if my life pays the forfeit! Now!"

Without further delay, he cast the heavy grapnel into that mass of
boiling vapour, then fell flat, as an awful jerk was given the aerostat.

CHAPTER V. THE PROFESSOR'S UNKNOWN LAND.

There was neither time nor opportunity for taking notes, for that
long rope straightened out in the fraction of a second, throwing all
prostrate as the flying-machine was jerked upward with awful force.

All around them raged and roared the mighty winds, while missiles of
almost every description pelted and pounded both machine and inmates
during those few seconds of extraordinary peril.

Fortunately neither the professor nor his nephews could fairly realise
just what was taking place, else their brains would hardly have stood
the test; and fortunately, too, that ordeal was not protracted.

A hideous experience while it lasted, those vicious currents dragging
the aerostat upward out of the air-chamber by means of grapnel and rope,
then casting all far away in company with wrecked trees and bushes,
and even solider materials, all shrouded for a time in dust and debris,
which hindered the eyesight of both uncle and nephews.

Through it all the brothers were dimly aware of one fact uncle Phaeton
was shrilly bidding them cling fast and have courage.

All at once they felt as though vomited forth from a volcano which
alternately breathed fire and ice, the clear light of evening bursting
upon their aching, smarting eyes with actual pain, while that horrid
roar of warring elements seemed to pass away in the distance, leaving
them--where, and how?

"We're falling to--merciful heavens! Hold fast, all!" screamed the
professor, desperately striving to regain full command of their
air-ship. "The tiller is jammed, but--"

To all seeming, the aerostat had sustained some fatal damage during that
brief eruption caused by the professor's little experiment, for it
was pitching drunkenly end for end, refusing to obey the hand of its
builder, bearing all to certain death upon the earth far below.

Half stupefied with fear, the brothers clung fast to the life-line and
glared downward, noting, in spite of themselves, how swiftly yonder dark
tree-tops and gray crags were shooting heavenward to meet them and claim
the sacrifice.

With fierce energy Professor Featherwit jerked and wrenched at the
steering-gear, uttering words such as had long been foreign to his lips,
but then--just when destruct