gine.
When this was given up, it was decided that they should inflate the
balloon, await a favorable wind and try their fortunes at drifting back to
the land whence they came.

Not one of them but knew the perils of such an undertaking. Should the
wind shift, they might be carried out over the sea. On the other hand,
they might be forced to make a landing in the heart of the vast, barren
lands, and in that case, they must surely starve. The balloon cabin would
carry them all, but there would be little room left for provisions.

Not one of them hesitated. Boldest of them all was the beautiful girl who
stuck close to Dave's side, watching his every move with big admiring
eyes, and, at spare times, learning to speak bits of his language.

The balloon was at last inflated. Provisions were loaded. The wind was
beginning to shift. They would be off in a few hours. All were expectant.
A tense nervousness gripped them, a sensation composed half of hope and
half of despair. They were eating the evening meal in the common mess hall
by the cliff when a sound utterly strange to the Russian's ears smote the
silent air. It was a thundering pop-pop-pop.

Dave turned white. Jarvis sprang to his feet with a wild howl on his
lips.

"The 'eathen! The bloody, bloomin' 'eathen. It's the engine."

He was right. It was the engine. It was thundering out its wild song of
power and speed, and its voice was growing more distant.

As they crowded from the mess cabin, they saw the balloon hanging in
midair. Watching they saw it move slowly southward. On the bridge by the
cabin stood two small figures.

"The 'eathen! The bloody, bloomin' 'eathen!" cried Jarvis.

"We might have known," groaned Dave. "They're oriental and so is the
engine."

CHAPTER XVII

KIDNAPPED

On entering the city, after leaving his cattle in safe keeping at the
farmyard, Johnny Thompson went directly to Red Cross headquarters to
inquire for Mazie.

"Mazie!" exclaimed the matron in amazement, "we thought she went with you.
We have not seen her since you left."

Johnny sank weakly into a chair. His head whirled. Mazie gone for five
days! What must be her fate? In this city of opposing factions, with its
dens of radicals, thieves and murderers, and, above all, the gang of
"yellow men" from the north, what chance could there be of ever seeing
her? Yet he would! At least he would give his life in a search for her!

Hurriedly sketching to the nurse his plan