"I am played out too," grunted the American, red in the face;
"but it looks like our only chance. Ugh! she made a big dip then.
We'd better let go. I'll count three, and three is the signal.
Now ready. One, two, three!"

Down shot the balloonists and up bounded the great liberated bag
of gas; the basket and dangling ropes swung wildly from side to
side. The aeronauts touched the water feet foremost at the same
instant, and in half a minute they rose, not ten feet apart.

"Now for it," sputtered Johnston, shaking his bushy head like a
swimming dog. "Look, the shore is not very far." Thorndyke was
saving his wind, and said nothing, but accommodated his stroke
to that of his companion, and thus they breasted the gently-
rolling billows until finally, completely exhausted, they
climbed up the shelving rocks and lay down in the warm sunshine.

"Not a very encouraging outlook," said Johnston, rising when his
clothing was dry and climbing a slight elevation. "There is
nothing in sight except a waste of stone. Let's go up to that
point and look around."

The ascent was exceedingly trying, for the incline was steep and
it was at times difficult to get a firm footing. But they were
repaid for the exertion, for they had reached the highest point
of the island and could see all over it. As far as their vision
reached there was nothing beyond the little island except the
glistening waves that reached out till they met the sky in
all directions. High up in the clouds they saw the balloon, now