Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 1.djvu/241

 "I tell you I shall not."

At this moment the doctor entered the study where this conversation had been carried on. He looked towards Dick, who did not feel quite at his ease.

"Dick," said the doctor, "come with Joe, will you, I want to ascertain what you two weigh."

"But" began Kennedy.

"You needn't take off your hat–come along."

And Kennedy went accordingly.

They presented themselves at the workshop of Messrs. Mitchell, where a steel-yard had been got ready. It was absolutely necessary that the doctor should know the weight of his companions, so as to be able to ascertain the floating power of his balloon. He requested Dick to get upon the platform of the scales; he did so without resisting, but he muttered, "Very well, but this commits me to nothing."

"One hundred and fifty-three pounds," said the doctor, writing the weight on his note-book.

"Am I too heavy?" said Kennedy.

"Oh dear no, Mr. Kennedy," said Joe; "besides, I am so light that it will equalize the matter."

As he said this, Joe took his place with alacrity on the machine. He was very nearly upsetting the whole thing in his excitement, and he posed himself after the attitude of the Duke of Wellington as Achilles in Hyde Park, and was very grand even without the buckler. "One hundred and twenty pounds," wrote the doctor.

"Ha, ha!" cried Joe, with a radiant satisfaction. Why he smiled he never could have explained.

"Now it is my turn," said Ferguson; and he entered 135 lbs. on his own account. "We three," he added, "do not weigh more than 400 lbs."

"But, sir," said Joe, "if it were necessary I could starve myself a little, and come down twenty pounds or so."

"There will be no necessity for that, my lad," replied the doctor; "you may eat as much as you like, and here is half-a-crown, so that you may indulge your tastes a little."