I saw no one falling from the discomfited air
ship, and I felt reassured. Occupied as he was, dodging and turning,
Edmund did not cease to address a few words to us occasionally.
"There's just one chance to beat them," he said, "and only one. I'm going
to try it as soon as I can get out of this press."
I had no notion of what he meant, but a few minutes later I divined his
intention. I had observed that all the while he was working higher and
higher, and this, as you will presently see, was the key to his plan.
Up and up we shot, Edmund making the necessary circles as short as
possible, and so recklessly did he turn on the speed that it really began
to look as if we might get away after all. Two thirds of our pursuers
were now far below our level, but none showed a disposition to give up
the chase, and those which were yet above tried to cross our bow. While I
saw that Edmund's idea was to hold a skyward course, I was far from
guessing the particular reason he had for doing so, and, finally, Jack,
who comprehended it still less, exclaimed:
"See here, Edmund, if you keep on going up instead of running off in one
direction or another, they'll corner you in the middle of the sky.
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