Now, in
addition to their packs, the two boys carried between them a section
of one of the pine trees, about six feet long.
As they stood, ready to leave, Ned raised his cap.
"Good bye, old Cibola," he said with moisture in his eyes, "until we
meet again, if ever."
"If ever?" added Alan quickly with as much gaiety as he could
summon. "You don't think we'll ever let anyone else lift that
little pile?" and he pointed to the well filled entrance room of the
temple.
"No," answered Ned, soberly, "if we have as good luck on the land as
we had in the air."
Ned and Alan meant to reach the earth by means of a rope ladder.
This they had constructed from the stout Italian hemp suspension
cords of the Cibola. These ropes, each thirty feet in length, were
knotted and then doubled to insure strength. For the last
twenty-five feet at the bottom the landing ladder of the balloon was
used. The rungs, two feet apart, were of pine from a felled tree,
and were thirty-eight in number.
For anchorage, the six-foot length of tree was dragged to the mouth
of the tunnel and, five feet from the opening, wedged between the
floor and roof of the tunnel, slightly inclined forward.
Pages:
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245