CHAPTER XXVI
THE WRECK
Despite the invitation of the captain to remain longer aboard the_Cinnabar_, Jerry and Bob insisted on going back at once to thefloating _Comet_. Lars Porsen was sent for and questioned, but he couldadd little to what he had told the steward. There seemed no doubt butthat he had sighted the missing _Manhattan_.
"This will be good news for Ned," remarked Jerry, as he and his chumwere being rowed back to their air-craft, and indeed the merchant'sson was delighted with it. He had begun to give up hope, and when hethought of his father waiting for the aid of Mr. Jackson, fightingoff his relentless business enemies, the heart of Ned was sad. Now hebrightened up.
"We'll get right on the trail!" he cried. "Come on, Jerry, speed the_Comet_ up as fast as she'll go."
"Yes, for if any one is left alive on the balloon, they must need helpby this time," observed the tall lad. "They may have given up hope ofever being rescued."
"I hope they have plenty to eat," remarked Bob, with a tragic air, ashe thought of the well-filled larders of the _Comet_.
"Oh, you cannibal!" cried Ned, as he hastened here and there, helpingJerry get ready to send the motorship on her way again.
The passengers and crew of the _Cinnabar_ cheered as the gallant littlecraft left the waves and flew into the air. Then, circling about, anddipping the airship down in place of lowering any colors, in responseto three hoarse blasts from the steamer's whistle, Jerry sent the_Comet_ off in the direction indicated by the sailor.
Soon the smoke of the big vessel was left far astern, and once more ourfriends were peering eagerly forward through the telescope for a sightof the disabled balloon.
Bob prepared the fish they had caught in so many different ways, and sooften, that Ned and Jerry declared they never wanted to see a hook orline again. But they also had good meals of other viands, for Bob gavehis whole attention to the task of cooking. Indeed, for the next fewdays there was little else to do. They kept on, moving slowly, so asnot to miss the big balloon, and travelling a few miles on either sideof the direct course, pursuing a sort of zig-zag way, in order to covermore space.
Professor Snodgrass had his note-books all written up--he hadclassified and arranged all his specimens, and then he sighed for newones. But none was to be had, for they were now well out to sea, beyondthe limits of birds or insects, and the water below them offered theonly dwelling-place of specimens. As they did not want to lose time,they did not go down again for some time.
One evening, after an uneventful day, when their eyes ached with thestrain of looking in vain for the balloon, the three boys were sittingon the forward deck, talking over matters connected with their trip.The automatic steering apparatus had been set, and there was no need ofany one being in the pilot house.
Suddenly Jerry, who had been listening to some banter between Bob andNed, jumped to his feet, exclaiming:
"I smell smoke! There must be something afire!"
"So do I!" added Ned.
It was enough to cause intense alarm to all of them, for a fire onboard the airship, with the tanks filled with the lifting gas, was aterror most to be dreaded.
Fairly running, Jerry made his way back to the stern, followed byhis two chums. The smell of smoke became stronger as they neared theafter-deck, and, once they were beyond the deck superstructures, theycaught fleeting glimpses of darting tongues of fire.
"Quick! Bring the extinguishers! They're in the main cabin!" criedJerry. Bob and Ned started back after them, while the tall lad kept on,to discover the location of the fire, which seemed to be in the verystern of the craft.
Jerry saw some dark object, from which the smoke seemed to be coming,and in the interior of which were seen the flames. He was about to rushat it, and toss it overboard, thinking fire might have been started byspontaneous combustion in some box or crate, when Bob and Ned ran upwith chemical extinguishers.
"There it is!" cried Jerry, pointing to the fire. "Play the hose there!"
Suddenly there was a yell, and from the midst of the dark object, whichthe boys could now see was a canvas shelter, like a small tent, theresprang Professor Snodgrass, all dripping from the chemicals.
"Here! What's the matter?" he shouted. "Stop! You're drowning me!"
"We're trying to put out the fire!" yelled Jerry. "What were you doingthere? Are you burned? Did the smoke make you unconscious?"
"Fire! There's no fire!" cried the little scientist, as he wiped thetrickling chemicals from his face.
"No fire! Why the smoke?" asked Ned.
"And the flames!" added Bob.
"And the smell!" came from Jerry.
"It was no fire," went on the scientist, as he kicked over the canvasshelter. "I had just made a little smudge on a piece of sheet iron. Iwas smoking one of the fish I had caught, to preserve the specimen. Ibuilt a fire out here on deck, where there would be no danger, and putcertain chemicals on it to preserve the fish skin. That's what made thesmell."
"It certainly _smelled_, all right," grimly remarked Jerry. "Are yousure there's no fire on the deck boards, professor?"
"Not a bit. Oh, I took good care there would be no danger. I put a panof water on deck, and on top of that I laid some sheet-iron. Then Imade a little fire of wood and old rags on the iron, sprinkled thechemicals in the flames, and held the fish over them. I'm sorry if Icaused you any fright."
"Well you did--a little," admitted Jerry, "but I guess----"
"I more than paid for it," interrupted the scientist with a smile."However, it's all done. I just got through as you squirted thechemicals on me."
As he had said, he had taken precautions against the little blazespreading, and now the charred wood and rags on the sheet of iron weredropped into the ocean.
"You never can tell what he's going to do next," complained Jerry tohis chums, with a smile, as they went into the cabin.
All the next day they watched. Several times they mistook low-lyingclouds, or a dark bit of mist for the balloon they sought, but, onincreasing their speed, and hastening toward it, they saw their error.
It was toward the close of the afternoon when Bob, who was on thelookout in the bow, cried:
"Hi, fellows, here's something!"
Jerry and Ned hastened forward. There, floating on the ocean, whichwas about a thousand feet below them, was a dark mass, slowly risingand falling on the swell.
"The balloon! Wrecked!" cried Ned. "We're too late!"
"It certainly is some sort of a wreck," agreed Jerry, as he adjustedthe telescope. He took a long look through the glass. Then he shook hishead.
"I can't make it out on account of the haze," he said. "We'll go downto it. Speed up the motor, Ned."