Page:My Airships.djvu/23

 of. All he did was to demonstrate the impossibility of directing a balloon through the air." "The only way would be to build a flying machine on the model of the bird," spoke up Pedro with authority. "Pedro is a very sensible boy," observed the old planter. "It is a pity Luis is not more like him and less visionary, Tell me, Pedro, how did you come to decide in favour of the bird as against the balloon?" "Easily," replied Pedro glibly. "It is the most ordinary-common sense. Does man fly? No. Does the bird fly? Yes. Then if man would fly let him imitate the bird. Nature has made the bird, and Nature never goes wrong. Had the bird been furnished with a great air bag I might have suggested a balloon." "Exactly!" exclaimed both captain and planter. But Luis, sitting in his corner, muttered, unconvinced as Galileo: "It will move!"