Leaving all that, however, Maskull's eyes immediately fastened
themselves on a small, boat-shaped object, about two miles away,
which was travelling rapidly toward them, suspended only a few feet
in the air.

"What do you make of that?" he asked in a tone of astonishment.

Corpang shook his head and said nothing.

Within two minutes the flying object, whatever it was, had diminished
the distance between them by one half. It resembled a boat more and
more, but its flight was erratic, rather than smooth; its nose was
continually jerking upward and downward, and from side to side.
Maskull now made out a man sitting in the stern, and what looked like
a large dead animal lying amidships. As the aerial craft drew
nearer, he observed a thick, blue haze underneath it, and a similar
haze behind, but the front, facing them, was clear.

"Here must be what we are waiting for, Corpang. But what on earth
carries it?"

He stroked his beard contemplatively, and then, fearing that they had
not been seen, stepped onto the highest rock, bellowed loudly, and
made wild motions with his arm. The flying-boat, which was only a
few hundred yards distant, slightly altered its course, now heading
toward them in a way that left no doubt that the steersman had
detected their presence.

The boat slackened speed until it was travelling no faster than a
walking man, but the irregularity of its movements continued. It was