THE AIRSHIP LAUNCHED AT LAST.
Frank came near following after the unknown member of the crew, when the
other made that flying leap over the side of the boat. Not that he
wanted to take a bath just then, but his forward progress had been
rapid, and he only saved himself by banging up against the taffrail,
which was unusually high for so small a vessel, and holding on sturdily.
He had heard the splash as the fellow reached the water. Doubtless he
was a good swimmer, as about all these natives seemed to be, and barring
his falling a prey to some loitering alligator or other reptile, he
would be able to gain the neighboring shore further down.
At any rate it was folly to think of looking for him.
"What's all the row?" cried Andy, as he came plunging forth from his
stateroom.
Some of the crew were even then looking over the side, and Frank
imagined they could give a pretty good guess as to what it meant. But
he heard not a word from even old Quito, and while the absence of a man
must be noticed in the morning, there would probably be no complaint.
When Andy heard about the attempt to injure the monoplane he was in a
tremble.
"Did you ever?" he exclaimed. "Why, it seems as though everything just
wants to knock us. When we give the government officials the merry ha!
ha! and even slip past the revolutionary army, after being bombarded by
their old cannon, here even our own men want to smash our precious
aeroplane, under the belief that it's an evil bird, come to bring bad
luck to the people.
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