We darted upward, curving aside to avoid the pursuers. And then they
swooped after us. We rose so rapidly that within a couple of seconds we
were skirting the upper part of the great tower. Then others saw us, and
joined in the chase. Jack's spirits soared with the excitement:
"Sorry to take rogue's leave of these Venuses," he exclaimed. "But no
dungeons for us, if you please."
"We're not away, yet," said Edmund over his shoulder; and, indeed, we
were not!
The air ships swarmed out on every side like hornets; the atmosphere
seemed full of them. I gave up all hope of escape, but Edmund was like a
racer who hears the thud of hoofs behind him. He put on more and more
speed until we were compelled to hang on to anything within reach in
order to save ourselves from being blown off by the wind which we made,
or whirled overboard on sharp turns.
Crash! We had run straight into a huge craft that persisted in getting in
our way. She dipped and rolled like a floating log. I saw the fellows on
her tumble over one another, as we shot by, and I glanced anxiously to
see if any had gone overboard. We could afford to do no killing if we
could avoid it; for, in case of recapture, that would be another
indictment against us.
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