第44章

A DANGEROUS COMMISSION

"Look at that smoke!" yelled Ned, as he sent the airship about in a great circle on the backward trail.

"And there's plenty of blaze, too," added Tom."See the flames eating away! This stuff is as dry as tinder for there hasn't been any rain for months.""Much hot!" was the comment of the giant, when he felt the warm wind of the fire.

"Bless my fountain pen!" gasped Mr.Damon, as he looked down into the jungle."See all those animals!"The trail was now thick with deer, and many small beasts, the names of which Tom did not know.On either side could be heard larger brutes, crashing their way forward to escape the fire behind them.

"Oh, if you only had your camera now!" cried Ned."You could get a wonderful picture, Tom.""What's the use of wishing for it.Those Englishmen have it, and--" "Maybe they're using it!" interrupted Ned."No, I don't think theywould know how to work it.Do you see anything of them, Ned?""Not a sight.But they'll surely have to come back, just as you said, unless they got ahead of the fire.They can't go on, and it would be madness to get off the trail in a jungle like this.""I don't believe they could have gotten ahead of the fire," spoke Tom."They couldn't travel fast enough for that, and see how broad the blaze is." They were now higher up, well out of the heat and smoke of the conflagration, and they could see that it extended for many miles along thetrail, and for a mile or so on either side of it.

"We're far enough in advance, now, to go down a bit, I guess," said Tom, a little later."I want to get a good view of the path, and I can't do that from up here.I have an idea that--"Tom did not finish, for as the airship approached nearer the ground, he caught up a pair of binoculars, and focussed them on something on thetrail below.

"What is it?" cried Ned, startled by something in his chum's manner."It's them! The Englishmen!" cried Tom."See, they are racing backalong the trail.Their porters have deserted them.But they have my camera! I can see it! I'm going down, and get it! Ned, stand by the wheel, and make a quick landing.Then we'll go up again!"Tom handed the glasses to his chum, and Ned quickly verified the young inventor's statement.There were the two rascally Englishmen.The fire was still some distance in the rear, but was coming on rapidly.There were no animals to be seen, for they had probably gone off on a side trail, or had slunk deeper into the jungle.Above the distant roar of the blaze sounded the throb of the airship's motor.The Englishmen heard it, and looked up.Then, suddenly, they motioned to Tom to descend.

"That's what I'm going to do," he said aloud, but of course they could not hear him.

"They're waiting for us!" cried Ned."I wonder why?" for the rascals had come to a halt, setting down the packs they carried on the trail.One of the things they had was undoubtedly Tom's camera.

"They probably want us to save their lives," said Tom."They know they can't out-run this fire.They've given up! We have them now!""Are you going to save them?" asked Mr.Damon.