These sacks, with convenient loops on each for attaching the rigging
of the bag as it was being filled, had already been prepared by the
"greaser" laborers, but the placing of the two tons of dead weight
was not a joke, and the boys regretted that they had not kept a few
men around. But by noon this was done, and then the great
waterproof fiber trunk containing the silk bag was rolled out
between the retaining bags. The boys could not carry it, as the
balloon itself weighed seven hundred and twenty pounds, but they
improvised rollers and with many a laughing "yo he ho" finally
accomplished the task.
The bag had been made by one of the leading aeronautical engineers
of America, whose factory, strangely enough, was in one of the small
inland towns of New York State. In a spirit of humor the
manufactory had been termed the "Balloon Farm," and so famous was it
that Ned had even planned to spend a part of his summer vacation
visiting it. When Major Honeywell gave him the opportunity, Ned was
at once determined to utilize every advanced idea of the skilled
owner, whatever the cost.
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