"
"Amen," added Alan earnestly.
Until it was twelve o'clock, the time to take their observation, the
boys spent the next morning in last preparations and making
everything shipshape. The framework of the car was left intact, but
weighted by stones to prevent injury by the wind. Everything
movable was stored in the entrance room of the temple, including
three and one-half cans of gasoline. The engine was oiled and
covered with blankets. Underneath the smoothly folded balloon, in
the folds of which dry sand had been liberally sprinkled to prevent
possible adhesions of the varnish, lay nearly thirty-five thousand
dollars' worth of curiously wrought gold and silver. This was first
completely covered with sand.
The two provision packs for the retreat to civilization had been
carefully arranged. How long the journey might take the, could not
estimate. They had decided to their way east, in hope of falling in
with Elmer and Bob, and this meant the crossing of at least two
mountain ranges and thirty miles of barren foothills to Mount
Wilson. Then, if they turned south, they would traverse eighty-five
miles of sandy plain in which water was infrequent.
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