They could see Skip Riley lift a large tin box into the basket from the
ground. As he was getting ready to start there was a shrill cry, and the
midget came waddling through the crowd and climbed over the side of the
car and up Riley's body until it clung to his shoulder like a monkey. A
great many of the thoughtless laughed at this. They did not understand
the significance of the move.
"Get ready to cut her loose," shouted Riley.
Two or three men stood by with sharp knives in their hands.
Riley saw Ted and the boys pushing rapidly through the crowd.
"Cut her loose!" shouted Riley, and the balloon shot upward, amid the
shouts of the people.
"Too late,'" said Ben.
"Not yet," cried Ted, spurring through the crowd.
A long guide rope was dragging from the car of the balloon.
"Follow me, Bud. The balance of you catch Creviss and the rest of them.
I'm going with Riley."
Before they knew exactly what he meant, Ted grasped the guide rope as it
passed over his head, and was swung out of the saddle and dangled in the
air, to the horror of the people, who expected to see him fall and be
dashed to pieces at any minute, for the balloon had shot up rapidly and
was now several hundred feet above the ground.
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