st yet!"

The heat was felt less, now, and every minute was improving their
situation. Slowly the hand moved. The gas was being made in larger
quantities now that the heat was less. Ten minutes more of agony, and
their danger was over. They were still above the burning area, but
sufficiently high so that only stray wisps of smoke enveloped them.

"Whew! But that was the worst ever!" cried Tom, as he sank exhausted on
a bench, and wiped his perspiring face. "We sure were in a bad way!"

"I should say so," agreed Mr. Sharp. "And if we don't get a breeze we
may have to stay here for some time."

"Why, can't you get that motor to work yet?" asked Mr. Damon. "Bless my
gaiters, but I'm all in, as the boys say."

"I'll have another try at the machine now," replied Mr. Sharp.
"Probably it will work now, after we're out of danger without the aid
of it."

His guess proved correct, for, in a few minutes, with the aid of Tom,
the motor started, the propellers revolved, and the Red Cloud was sent
swiftly out of the fire zone.

"Now we'd better take account of ourselves, our provisions, and the
ship," said Mr. Sharp, when they had flown about twenty miles, and were
much refreshed by the cooler atmosphere. "I don't believe the craft is
damaged any, except some of the braces may be warped by the heat. As
for the provisions, you threw over a lot; didn't you, Tom?"

"Well, I had to."

"Yes, I guess you did. Well, we'll make a landing."

"Do you think it will be safe?" asked Mr. Damon anxiously. "We might be
fired upon again."

"Oh, there's no danger of that. But I'll take precautions. I don't want
a big crowd around when we come down, so we'll pick out a secluded
place and land just at dusk. Then in the morning we can look over the
ship, and go to the nearest town to buy provisions. After that we can
continue our journey, and we'll steer clear of forest fires after this."

"And people who shoot at us," added Mr. Damon.

"Yes. I wish I knew what that was done for," and once again came that
puzzled look to the face of the balloonist.

The airship gently descended that evening in a large level field, a
good landing being made. Just before the descent Tom took an
observation and located, about two miles from the spot they selected
for an "anchorage," a good-sized village.

"We can get provisions there," he announced.

"Yes, but we must not let it be known what they are for," said Mr.
Sharp, "or we'll have the whole popula