They dared not descend, for fear of being drowned. Besides, to go down, they would have had to let the gas escape, and they had no means of making more. To keep afloat was their only hope, and they did, trusting to be rescued some time. Then they were blown out of the steamship lane, and did not know what to do.
Finally, when they had given up hope, and were going to descend, and try to make some sort of a raft to float on, there came a leak in the gas-bag, and, one by one, they became unconscious. A little longer and they would have been dead. But the _Comet_ came along in time.
“Well, I certainly am glad to see you again, professor; and also your young friends,” said Mr. Jackson heartily, when he was feeling somewhat stronger.
“Yes, my friend here has a request to make of you,” went on Mr. Snodgrass, “and, if possible, I wish you would grant it. He has had quite a chase after you.”
“I’d do most anything for you, Uriah,” declared the millionaire, with a smile, “for I haven’t forgotten the service you did me.”
“Then save Ned’s father from financial ruin,” was the request, and Ned at once brought out his papers, and made a plea for the rescue of his parent’s business. It did not take Mr. Jackson a moment to make up his mind.
“Of course I’ll help Mr. Slade,” he said; “not only for his own sake, but because of his plucky son and his chums, and also to beat that gang of men who want to ruin him. Here, I’ll sign at once, and you can be a witness, Uriah.” There was the scratching of a pen, and Ned knew that his father’s troubles were practically over.
Rapidly the _Comet_ sped on her way, being headed toward New York. Every hour the rescued ones recovered their strength, and soon all traces of the poisonous gas had vanished. Ned was eager to telegraph the good news to his father, and Jerry was soon able to get into wireless communication with a steamer below them. The operator, though much surprised to get a message out of the air, readily promised to relay it to New York and Cresville, as his apparatus had a wider range than that of the _Comet_.
“Well, I never expected to come so far over the ocean,” remarked Jerry the next day, when they were nearing the coast. “Our hydroplanes did us good service.”