these gentlemen, when we happened to look up and saw
your balloon falling, like a stone, from the clouds. We thought at
first that you must be dashed to pieces; but when we saw that the
speed was being a little checked, we had some hope, and galloped in
the direction in which it was falling. We were within five hundred
yards when you fell, but we hardly expected to see anyone alive.

"Do not try to move," he said to Percy. "We sent a man for a
vehicle, and a few necessaries, before we set off ourselves."

"Where have we fallen?" Ralph asked. "We were astonished to find
ourselves over the sea, for the wind was north when we started."

"You have fallen upon Belle Isle," the gentleman said, "so the wind
must have changed materially, since you started."

Monsieur Teclier now came up.

"I must really congratulate you both," he said to Ralph, "upon your
coolness and presence of mind, in a very frightful position. The
oldest aeronaut could not have shown more nerve."

"You see," Ralph said, "we have been pretty often in danger, now;
and although the sort of danger was new, the degree of danger was
not."

The gentlemen smiled a little, as Ralph spoke. The Barclays had
come out in plain clothes, bringing their uniform in the balloon
for, in the event of the balloon having fallen among the Germans,
it was of course essential that they should be able to get off,
unobserved. They therefore looked mere lads; and their talk, of
having passed through as great a danger as that which had just made
the spectators of it feel faint and sick only to witness, appeared
to be a mere bit of exaggerated braggadocio.

A light cart now arrived, in which some mattresses had been laid;
some bandages, and other surgical necessaries had also been added,
together with a bottle of brandy.

"Fortunately we do not want any of these, except the brandy," the
surgeon said. "A little of that will do you all good.

"Now a few strips of plaster,"--this was to Monsieur Teclier, whose
face was cut a good deal--"and then you will do, till you get to
the town."

The three voyagers were now helped into the cart; for they were all
very stiff and greatly shaken, and were glad to stretch themselves
out on the mattresses, covered over with blankets, until they
reached the little town. Here they were met by the whole
population, cheering lustily. Another wagon had been sent off for
the balloon; and a number of people now set out to search for the
bags of d