"Heap sight worse than being in the soup, too, if anybody asks
you," declared Waldo, beginning to rally both in strength and in
spirit. "But--what's the matter with the old ship, uncle
Phaeton?"

For the aerostat was indulging itself in sundry distressing
gyrations, pretty much as a boy's kite swoops from side to side,
when lacking in tail-ballast, while the professor seemed unable
to keep the machine under complete control.

"Nothing serious, only--hold fast, all! I believe 'twould be as
well to make our descent, for fear something--steady!"

Just ahead there appeared a more than usually open space in the
forest, and, quite as much by good luck as through actual skill,
Professor Featherwit succeeded in making a landing with no more
serious mishap than sundry bruises and a little extra
teeth-jarring.

As quickly as possible, both Bruno and Waldo pitched themselves
out of the partially disabled aeromotor, the elder brother
grasping the grapnel and taking a couple of turns of the strong
rope around a convenient tree-trunk, lest the ship escape them
altogether.

"No need, my gallant boy!" assured the professor, an instant
later. "All is well,--all IS well, thanks to an over-ruling
Providence!"

In spite of this expressed confidence, he hurriedly looked over