“We’re not trying to fool you,” said Jack disgustedly.  “Why can’t you be sensible.  You’ve our names and addresses on that paper I threw down to you.  If you like I’ll make a cash settlement right here for any damage we’ve done.”

“I’m goin’ ter git yer in ther court,” insisted the farmer sullenly.  “Las’ week some autermobubblists killed three uv my chickens, week afore thet I had a hog knocked off ther road.  I’m er goin’ ter git even on yer fer ther lot uv them.”

It was plain that the man was not to be moved by promises or persuasion.  He had conceived in his mind a hatred against automobiles, with which, in a vague way, he classed airships and all such modern inventions.  Jack thought, too, that Ezra Perkins was the kind of man who liked to shine out among his neighbors, and what better opportunity could he have to satisfy this ambition than by blossoming forth as a man who, single handed, had captured a great aircraft?

The boys looked down.  The farmer was pacing grimly up and down like a sentry, his eyes never leaving the Wondership.

“I’d like to drop a bag of ballast on his head, the same as those balloonists did on Si’s,” muttered Tom.

“Wouldn’t do any good,” said Jack.  “It would only bounce off again.”

“I guess it would at that,” agreed Tom with a grin.

“I’ve half a mind to take a chance,” said Jack suddenly.

“And get a hole blown in the balloon bag,” protested Tom.  “We wouldn’t be better off than before in that case.”

“I wonder if he’d really shoot or if he’s only bluffing,” mused Jack.

“Take a look at him,” advised Tom.

Jack did.  One glance was enough.  There was no bluffing about the grim, overalled farmer.  The very way in which he held his gun expressed positive determination not to let the boys escape.

But as it so happened, by no action of the boys’, matters were suddenly brought to a sharp crisis.  Over the patch of woods beyond the farm there came a vagrant puff of wind.  It was followed by a sharper gust.

The Wondership swayed and then, before Jack could check the motion, drifted off the roof like a piece of thistledown blown by the wind.  Instinctively, to check the downward motion, Jack’s hand sought the gas valve.  With a hiss the volatile vapor rushed into the bag.

The big aircraft shot up like an arrow.  For a second the farmer stood paralyzed at the suddenness of it all.  His farm hands lounged about, gaping and looking upward like country folks at a fireworks display.

Then, without any warning: 

“Bang!”

The farmer let loose with both barrels at once.  But the Wondership still rose.

All at once, from below, came a yell of surprise and terror.  The boys looked over the side.  As they did so they uttered simultaneous gasps of consternation.

The trailing grapnel, for Tom had forgotten to tie it back in place in the excitement, had caught the farmer by the waistband of his overalls and he was being carried skyward by the Wondership, dangling at the end of the anchor rope like some sprawling spider.