Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 1.djvu/439

 grass, the fire was kept up by the doctor, and the balloon swelled visibly.

It was then a quarter to 1

At this moment, two miles to the north, the Talibas reappeared; their cries and the galloping of their horses were distinctly heard.

"In twenty minutes they will be here," said Kennedy.

"More grass, Joe! more grass! In ten minutes we shall be high in the air."

"There is the grass, sir."

The "Victoria" was two-thirds filled.

"My friends, hold on to the netting as before."

"All right," said Kennedy.

In about ten minutes some lunges of the balloon gave indication that she would soon be off.

The Talibas approached, they were scarcely 500 paces distant.

"Hold tight," cried Ferguson.

"Never fear," said his companions.

The doctor's feet pushed more grass into the fire. The balloon, completely filled by the increase of temperature, rose up, brushing the branches of the baobab as it went.

"We're off!" cried Joe.

A volley of musketry was the reply, one bullet even grazed Joe's shoulder; but Kennedy, holding by one hand, discharged his rifle with the other, and an enemy fell.

Cries of rage, impossible to describe, accompanied the ascent; the balloon rose to nearly 800 feet. A rapid wind then seized it, and it oscillated dangerously, while the brave doctor and his friends were obliged to contemplate the cataracts opening beneath them.

Ten minutes afterwards, not a word having been exchanged in the interval, the intrepid travelers descended gradually towards the other bank of the river.

There, surprised and alarmed, stood a group of men wearing the French uniform. Their astonishment may be guessed when they saw a balloon rising from the opposite bank of the river. They fancied it a miracle. But their officers, a lieutenant of marines, and a second lieutenant, were aware, from the accounts in the European papers, of the bold attempt of Doctor Ferguson, and they told the facts to their companions.