. The war in the air, and particularly how Mr. Bert Smallways fared while it lasted . away a trestle from under astall of haberdashery, made a cyclist soldier inknickerbockers leap like a chamois, and secured it-self uncertainly among the hind-legs of a sheep—which made convulsive, ungracious efforts to freeitself, and was dragged into a position of restagainst a stone cross in the middle of the balloon pulled up with a jerk. In anothermoment a score of willing hands were tugging itearthward. At the same instant Bert became awarefor the first time of a fresh breeze blowing abouthim.
. The war in the air, and particularly how Mr. Bert Smallways fared while it lasted . away a trestle from under astall of haberdashery, made a cyclist soldier inknickerbockers leap like a chamois, and secured it-self uncertainly among the hind-legs of a sheep—which made convulsive, ungracious efforts to freeitself, and was dragged into a position of restagainst a stone cross in the middle of the balloon pulled up with a jerk. In anothermoment a score of willing hands were tugging itearthward. At the same instant Bert became awarefor the first time of a fresh breeze blowing abouthim. For some seconds he stood staggering in the car,which now swayed sickeningly, surveying the ex-asperated crowd below him and trying to collect hismind. He was extraordinarily astonished at thisrun of mishaps. Were the people really so an-noyed? Everybody seemed angry with him. Noone seemed interested or amused by his arrival. Adisproportionate amount of the outcry had thequality of imprecation—had, indeed, a strong flavourof riot. Several greatly uniformed officials in cocked. HE DISENGAGED THE GRAPXEL-ROFE FROM THETOGGLE THAT HELD IT. [To face p. THE BALLOON 89 hats struggled in vain to control the crowd. Fistsand sticks were shaken. And when Bert saw a manon the outskirts of the crowd run to a haycart andget a brightly pronged pitch-fork, and a blue-cladsoldier unbuckle his belt, his doubt whether thislittle town was after all such a good place for alanding became a certainty. He had clung to the fancy that they would makesomething of a hero of him. Now he knew that hewas mistaken. He was perhaps ten feet above the people whenhe made his decision. His paralysis ceased. Heleapt up on the seat, and, at imminent risk of fall-ing headlong, disengaged the grapnel-rope fromthe toggle that held it, sprang on to the trail ropeand released that also. A hoarse shout of disgustgreeted the descent of the grapnel-rope and theswift leap of the balloon, and something—he fanciedafterwa
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