The balloon had saved Elmer's life, and even before the lad
had made his way up the swaying ladder into the cabin it was a
thousand feet in the air.
CHATER XXIII
CAMP EAGLE IN THE MOUNTAINS
It seemed too wonderful to be true. But words were proof enough
that Ned Napier and Alan Hope had found a new use for dirigible
balloons. Faithful Buck's death was more than the loss of a
companion. In the short time the boys had known him he had shown
that under his rough frontier bearing he was a brave and honest man.
"We can't go back now," explained Ned, "and we can't afford to land
and wait for day. We can't all stay in the Cibola, and those of us
who are landed must be left in a safe place. Our work," he
continued turning to Bob, "is in the Tunit Chas Mountains, thirty
miles west of here. It seems as if you had to know it. We'll go
there to-night and land, if we can, on some isolated and inaccessible
plateau. We'll make that our new relief camp and you and Elmer must
take charge of it. To-morrow Alan and I will return in the Cibola to
our abandoned wagon, bury Buck and bring away such of our stores as
may be left.
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