Part 23 (1/2)
They walked down the cypress-bordered path of Mollie's first visit, and joined the strea the road, like theay and festive; everybody feht but not too hot, the grass was green, and the whole countryside was frothed with almond-blossom, white and pink Birds flew briskly about, indifferent to balloons, and horses with shi+ning chestnut coats trotted along the well-kept road, lifting their sliant way very different froait of London cab-horses
A balloon ascent was always a thrilling sight, Prudence explained, but the particular thrill about this one was that Hugh was going up
The aeronaut was a friend of Papa's, and, Maland, it had not been difficult to persuade easygoing Papa to give his consent Indeed, there was nothing that he would have liked better than to go up hiuson had shaken his head over fifteen stone of useless passenger
”If we could throw you out a pound at a time you would be most welcome,” he had said; ”but you must wait a bit, Professor; the day will come e shall not have to count every pound”
When they reached the field they found a deeply interested crowd already collected, and Papa had soood position The huge balloon towered up far above the under the netted mesh as it swayed with every breath of wind The wicker car looked very small and frail
”It's not so small as it looks,” Prue said to Mollie ”We were in it yesterday It is nearly as big as h's shoulder; he couldn't fall out unless he did it on purpose There are dear little cubby-holes and all sorts of cute fixings Its nao up too, but Papa and Mr Ferguson simply wouldn't hear of it Girls are never allowed to do anything”
”Aren't you nervous?” Mollie asked ”Suppose it suddenly burst when it was ever so high How high does it go?”
”Mr Ferguson has been up fiveup one to-day They won't be very long away”
”You would be just as badly smashed if you fell one mile as if you fell five, I should think,” said Mollie, with a shudder
”It isn't falling that they think about,” Prue explained, ”When you get very high you can't breathe, and you have all sorts of horrid feelings Once Mr Ferguson fainted, and if theout with his teeth they'd both have been killed”
”Why teeth?” asked Mollie
”Because his hands were frozen, and he couldn't use the on board--look, there's Hugh!”
Mollie saw a s into the car He was followed by two men, one tall and the other rather short As they clireat balloon swayed and treerous than a nice substantial aeroplane, Mollie thought; and there was no control, they si to the will of the winds Suppose they were blown against soreat rip in the side!
”I don't kno you _can_,” she said to Prue ”If it were dick-- where are dick and Jerry? Haven't they come?”
”Here we are, old bean, at your elbow My word, wouldn't I like to be going up too!”
”Saroaned Jerry
Prudence shook her head ”Mr Ferguson would never take , and you siht of a joke about larks and balloons, but decided that it was not a really first-class joke and merely shook an accusatory head at boys and their reprehensible ways
[Illustration: THEY STOOD AND WATCHED THE _KANGAROO_ FOR SOME TIME]
The ring of o the ropes; the band began to play, the men in the balloon took off their caps and waved farewell, people cheered--and the _Kangaroo_ was off She rose swiftly and buoyantly, reht by a southwest current of air and sailed away towards the hills As she rose the children could see Hugh at the edge of the car, waving his handkerchief
It was very exciting They stood and watched the _Kangaroo_ for soress was slow, and Papa remarked that they could see her just as well from the street as from the field, now that she was near the clouds He looked at his watch:
”There is just tio and have some lunch before your dinner
What would you say to cocoa and creaestion cheered away the left-behindish feeling that they all experienced as they watched that distant pear-shaped object floating in the sky As they walked along the road it was i the balloon, so that conversation was desultory, until Mollie thought she saw a bad wobble and gave a little scream