the Prince's cabin into the
chart-room and broke his ankle. Also we got our electric gear shot or
carried away--no one knows how. That's the position, Smallways. We're
driving through the air like a common aerostat, at the mercy of the
elements, almost due north--probably to the North Pole. We don't know
what aeroplanes the Americans have, or anything at all about it.
Very likely we have finished 'em up. One fouled us, one was struck by
lightning, some of the men saw a third upset, apparently just for
fun. They were going cheap anyhow. Also we've lost most of our
drachenflieger. They just skated off into the night. No stability in
'em. That's all. We don't know if we've won or lost. We don't know if
we're at war with the British Empire yet or at peace. Consequently, we
daren't get down. We don't know what we are up to or what we are going
to do. Our Napoleon is alone, forward, and I suppose he's rearranging
his plans. Whether New York was our Moscow or not remains to be seen.
We've had a high old time and murdered no end of people! War! Noble war!
I'm sick of it this morning. I like sitting in rooms rightway up and
not on slippery partitions. I'm a civilised man. I keep thinking of old
Albrecht and the Barbarossa.... I feel I want a wash and kind words
and a quiet home. When I look at you, I KNOW I want a wash. Gott!"--he
stifled a vehement yawn--"What a Cockney tadpole of a ruffian you look!"

"Can we get any grub?" asked Bert.

"Heaven knows!" said Kurt.

He meditated upon Bert for a time. "So far as I can judge, Smallways,"
he said, "the Prince will probably want to throw you overboard--next
time he thinks of you. He certainly will if he sees you.... After all,
you know, you came als Ballast.... And we shall have to lighten ship
extensively pretty soon. Unless I'm mistaken, the Prince will wake up
presently and start doing things with tremendous vigour.... I've taken a
fancy to you. It's the English strain in me. You're a rum little chap. I
shan't like seeing you whizz down the air.... You'd better make yourself
useful, Smallways. I think I shall requisition you for my squad. You'll
have to work, you know, and be infernally intelligent and all that. And
you'll have to hang about upside down a bit. Still, it's the best chance
you have. We shan't carry passengers much farther this trip, I fancy.
Ballast goes over-board--if we don't want to ground precious soon and be
taken prisoners of war. The Prince won't do that a