om, in obedience to the signals, turned off the power. Then sounded a hiss as

ing at came nearer. It grew larger and seemed t

old inventor. "We shall

the old hunter, as he hurried f

cried Amos

gle

p is a rival bird and they will attack it. Strong as the Monarch is, the silk in the gas bag is frail. If

med at the black mass, in which scores and scores of bir

th. Again the gun belched forth, and more of the eagles we

is the only way to save the ship! Come on, boys

sor was greatly excited. Bill and Tom came running

ugh to escape the onward rush of the big birds, but he had counted without the anger of the eagle

Every one on the ship, except Washington, who had to attend to the eng

screams that almost drowned the noise of the guns, the eagles surrounded the Monarch. They stru

les rose higher in the air and struck at the oiled silk bag. At first the yielding surface offered no resistance and was not

hing was wrong. Then the professor, glancing aloft

enerator at full speed! We must pump lots of the

chine gun on the ea

ed the inventor. "Yo

guns and the shots, halted in their rushes at the airship. Some of the wounded ones w

ey go!" c

s any good," spoke the professor.

be fixed?"

e Monarch is not under control, and if I attempt to make a landing I may smash her all to pieces. She may settl

other way?"

for a while yet. Another reason why I do not want to land is that we are over a thickly settled portion

Mark, suddenly, pointing to the

pport a man's weight,

to mend the silk bag

t why do

you'll let me I'll climb up an

d the old professor, h

me an

It was coated with a very strong and fresh cement. The silk was to be inserted in the te

his coat, and removed his shoes so his feet could b

"Now, Mark, try! I hope you succeed! Move c

sticky substance. Then he stood on the rail of the Monarch and began his climb aloft. Surely few ascents were made under such fearful cond

his weight to it. On and on he advanced. The frail gas bag swayed

Everyone on the ship held his breath. Up and up Mark went. At l

ixed the patch under the rent, and pressed it into place. The cement di

make it?"

't thi

st mak

we are

are r

ilk bag, and the patch was made fast. A shout from Washington in the e

volume of vapor in the bag, caused by the sudden stopping off of the vent. Up shot the airship, the accumulation of gas lifting it h

. He looked up to where his

the ship in a second,

haken Mark's hold, which was not of the best at any time,

for his hands, toppled over backward. His feet slid from the meshes of