ain turned toward it.

"The balloon is falling apart!" exclaimed Ned. "It's all up with him
now!"

Indeed it did seem so, for pieces of the burning canvas, blazing and
smoking, were falling in a shower from the part of the bag already
consumed, and the fiery particles were fairly raining down on the man.
But he still had his wits about him, though his perilous position was
enough to make any one lose his mind, and he swung from side to side on
the bar, shifting skillfully with his hands and dodging the larger
particles of blazing canvas. When some small sparks fell on his
clothing he beat them out with one hand, while with the other he clung
to the trapeze.

There was scarcely any wind or the man's plight might have been more
bearable, for the current of air would have carried the smoke and fire
to one side. As it was, most of the smoke and flames went straight up,
save now and then, when a draught created by the heat would swirl the
black clouds down on the performer, hiding him from sight for a second
or two. A breeze would have carried the sparks away instead of letting
them fall on him.

Nearer and nearer to the surface of the lake sank the balloon. By this
time the crowd on the bank had increased and there were excited
opinions as to what was best to do. But the trouble was that little
could be done. If the man could hold out until he got near enough to
the water to let go he might yet be saved, but this would not be for
some time at the present rate the balloon was falling. The performer
realized this, and, as the fire was getting hotter, he made another
desperate attempt to reach the parachute. It was unavailing and he had
to drop back, hanging below the slender bar.

Suddenly there came a puff of wind, fanning the faces of those in the
motor-boat, and they looked intently to observe if there was any
current as high as was the balloonist. They saw the big bag sway to
one side and the flames broke out more fiercely as they caught the
draught. The balloon moved slowly down the lake.

"Keep after it, Tom!" urged his father. "We may be able to save him!"

The lad increased the speed of his engine and Ned, who was at the
wheel, gave it a little twist. Then, with a suddenness that was
startling, the blazing canvas airship began to settle swiftly toward
the water. It had lost much of its buoyancy.

"Now he can jump! He's near enough to the water now!" cried Tom.

But a new danger arose. True,