Prudent and
Mr. Evans managed to escape from the "Albatross" after a desperate
struggle. They even managed to cause an explosion on the airship,
destroying it, and involving the inventor and all his crew in a
terrific fall from the sky into the Pacific ocean.

Mr. Prudent and Mr. Evans then returned to Philadelphia. They had
learned that the "Albatross" had been constructed on an unknown isle
of the Pacific called Island X; but since the location of this
hiding-place was wholly unknown, its discovery lay scarcely within
the bounds of possibility. Moreover, the search seemed entirely
unnecessary, as the vengeful prisoners were quite certain that they
had destroyed their jailers.

Hence the two millionaires, restored to their homes, went calmly on
with the construction of their own machine, the "Go-Ahead." They
hoped by means of it to soar once more into the regions they had
traversed with Robur, and to prove to themselves that their lighter
than air machine was at least the equal of the heavy "Albatross." If
they had not persisted, they would not have been true Americans.

On the twentieth of April in the following year the "Go-Ahead" was
finished and the ascent was made, from Fairmount Park in
Philadelphia. I myself was there with thousands of other spectators.
We saw the huge balloon rise gracefully; and, thanks to its powerful
screws, it maneuvered in every direction with surprising ease.
Suddenly a cry was heard, a cry repeated from a thousand throats.
Another airship had appeared in the distant skies and it now
approached with marvelous rapidity. It was another "Albatross,"
perhaps even superior to the first. Robur and his men had escaped
death in the Pacific; and, burning for revenge, they had constructed
a second airship in their secret Island X.

Like a gigantic bird of prey, the "Albatross" hurled itself upon the
"Go-Ahead." Doubtless, Robur, while avenging himself wished also to
prove the immeasurable superiority of the heavier than air machines.

Mr. Prudent and Mr. Evans defended themselves as best they could.
Knowing that their balloon had nothing like the horizontal speed of
the "Albatross," they attempted to take advantage of their superior
lightness and rise above her. The "Go-Ahead," throwing out all her
ballast, soared to a height of over twenty thousand feet. Yet even
there the "Albatross" rose above her, and circled round her with ease.

Suddenly an explosion was heard. The enormous gas-bag