"
The vessel had sunk so low, and the vegetation was so crowded about it,
that we had no great difficulty in obeying his commands. He was the last
aboard, and instantly he grasped the controlling apparatus, and we rose
out of the tangle. We could hear the wounded monster thrashing in the
swamp, but saw only the reflection of its movements in the commotion of
the branches.
I had expected that Edmund would immediately fly at top speed away from
the dreadful place, but, instead, as soon as we were at a safe elevation,
he brought the air ship to a hover, circling slowly above the
comparatively open spot of dry ground at the edge of the swamp.
"We cannot leave the poor fellows who have fallen overboard," he said, as
quietly as if he had been safely aboard his own car. "We must stay here
and find them."
Soon their cries came to our ears, and turning down the light of the
lantern we saw five of them collected together on the solid ground, and
gesticulating to us in an agony of terror. Edmund swept the ship around
until we were directly over the poor fellows, and then allowed it to
settle until it rested on the ground beside them.
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