uld probably squirm through the
window while they were attempting it. And they were afraid to use a
gun, as, in the case of a miss or a little lurch of the airplane at the
moment of firing, the bullet might puncture the hollow wing or rear
fuselage and let helium escape.

It was Bob who solved the puzzle.

"Why not try a loop or two?" he asked.

Their hearts jumped with hope at this. So everything was made tight in
the cabin, with the straps and fastenings which had been provided when
the machine was made. Even Grandpa had to submit to being roped up in
one of the swinging hammocks. When the boys had buckled themselves
down to their seats, John gave Tom the word, and he began to rise
slowly. At close to two thousand feet he brought the Sky-Bird quickly
and smoothly upward until she stood almost on her tail end.

Then Tom threw the elevators and ailerons hard up, and held them there.
They were going at a rate of close to a hundred miles an hour at the
moment, and their velocity brought them around in a pretty loop. There
was no way for them to tell if the serpent had been dislodged, so, to
make as sure as he could of accomplishing his purpose, Tom kept his
controls as set, and they made another or double loop.

This time he straightened out his controls as he came up to the
horizontal, and they ran swiftly ahead again on a level keel.

His companions quickly unloosened their straps, and ran for the rear
window. A feeling of the greatest thanksgiving filled their souls and
joy lit up their faces. The python was gone! He had hurtled through
the air during one or the other of the loops, and his long sinuous body
was probably at that moment lying crushed upon the hard ground, or
impaled upon the sharp stub of some forest tree, far below.

It had been a night of intense excitement. Now that they began to beat
through the air in the old tuneful way, and there was nothing more to
claim their attention until they should arrive at Aden sometime in the
morning, Bob and Paul took to their hammocks for sleep, but first Bob
got Khartum on the wireless and delivered their position and a brief
description of their adventures. As may be imagined, however, the two
youths did not shut their eyes immediately. There was much to think
about and to talk about before even fatigue could get the better of
them.

Tom put the Sky-Bird through on a straight course for Aden as fast as
he dared run the night engine, which was ver