ur, almost
out of patience.

"It seems to me, sir, he has a right to complain," said Phil Evans.

"Yes, and I have a right to look after my ears," replied Robur.

"Engineer Robur!" said Uncle Prudent, who had just appeared on deck.

"President of the Weldon Institute!"

They had stepped up to one another, and were looking into the whites
of each other's eyes. Then Robur shrugged his shoulders. "Put him at
the end of a line," he said.

Turner saw his meaning at once. Frycollin was dragged out of his
cabin. Loud were his cries when the mate and one of the men seized
him and tied him into a tub, which they hitched on to a rope--one of
those very ropes, in fact, that Uncle Prudent had intended to use as
we know.

The Negro at first thought he was going to be hanged. Not he was only
going to be towed!

The rope was paid out for a hundred feet and Frycollin found himself
hanging in space.

He could then shout at his ease. But fright contracted his larynx,
and he was mute.

Uncle Prudent and Phil Evans endeavored to prevent this performance.
They were thrust aside.

"It is scandalous! It is cowardly!" said Uncle Prudent, quite beside
himself with rage.

"Indeed!" said Robur.

"It is an abuse of power against which I protest."

"Protest away!"

"I will be avenged, Mr. Robur."

"Avenge when you like, Mr. Prudent."

"I will have my revenge on you and yours."

The crew began to close up with anything but peaceful intentions.
Robur motioned them away.

"Yes, on you and yours!" said Uncle Prudent, whom his colleague in
vain tried to keep quiet.

"Whenever you please!" said the engineer.

"And in every possible way!"

"That is enough now," said Robur, in a threatening tone. "There are
other ropes on board. And if you don't be quiet I'll treat you as I
have done your servant!"

Uncle Prudent was silent, not because he was afraid, but because his
wrath had nearly choked him; and Phil Evans led him off to his cabin.

During the last hour the air had been strangely troubled. The
symptoms could not be mistaken. A storm was threatening. The electric
saturation of the atmosphere had become so great that about half-past
two o'clock Robur witnessed a phenomenon that was new to him.

In the north, whence the storm was traveling, were spirals of
half-luminous vapor due to the difference in the electric charges of
the various beds of cloud. The reflections of these bands came
running along the waves in myriads