Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 1.djvu/384

 flated the balloon, which mounted at once. But the falcons mounted with him, but little disposed to let him escape.

"They appear determined to have their own way," said Kennedy, taking up a carbine. The birds continued to approach; and more than one came within fifty paces of the car, as if to brave Kennedy's carbine. "I have a great mind to fire up at them," said Kennedy.

"No, Dick; do not, do not make them angry without reason. It would only incite them to attack us."

"But I can soon polish them off!"

"You are mistaken, Dick."

"We have a bullet for each of them?"

"And if they attack the upper part of the balloon how will you reach them? You imagine that you are dealing with lions on land, or with sharks in the open sea. For aëronauts, the situation is very critical."

"Are you serious, Samuel?"

"Quite serious, Dick."

"Let us wait, then."

"Yes; be ready in the event of attack; but do not fire without my orders."

The birds then collected at a little distance; the travelers could distinguish their bare throats extended with the efforts to scream; their gristly heads adorned with violet crests, which bristled with anger. They were of large size, their bodies being more than three feet long, and the under part of their white wings glistened in the sunlight. They have been termed air "sharks," to which fish they bore some resemblance.

"They are following us," said the doctor, as they rose with the balloon. "We have ascended well, and they can fly higher than we can go."

"Well, what is to be done?" asked Kennedy.

The doctor did not answer.

"Listen, Samuel," said Kennedy; "there are fourteen of these birds, and we have seventeen shots at our disposal, if we fire them all. Are there no means by which we can destroy or disperse them. I will account for some of them, I promise you."

"I don't question your skill, Dick, and I willingly look upon those birds as dead which fly across your range; but