Ephraim, his feet twined among the cordage, slowly mounted towards the network. ] ‘Oh, yes,’ sobbed Lucius. ‘We’ll get home somehow, but not in this awful balloon.’ Old Blue Bag was now rapidly nearing the earth, and had the boys had the heart to consider it, a wonderful panorama lay stretched out below them. But earth in their regard held but one joy just then—it was a resting-place, a sure haven of safety, and for its beauties they had no eye. With one hand on the valve cord, and holding a bag of ballast in the other, Ephraim regulated their descent. The grapnel was out, and as the balloon slowly sank, dragged through the tops of the trees in a thick wood. Now they were past this, and floating over open spaces again. The grapnel swept along the ground, caught under the bole of a fallen tree—and they were safe. ‘Whoop!’ screeched Ephraim, flinging out a rope. ‘I reckon we’ve got thar. Over ye go, Luce.’ Lucius did not wait to be told twice. He simply flung himself upon the rope, and scrambling down, sank in a confused heap upon the ground. Ephraim followed quickly, saw that the balloon was fast and secure, and was just bending anxiously over his companion, when a sudden sound caused him to look up. From all directions men in blue uniforms, and guns with bayonets fixed in their hands, were running towards them. ‘Gloryful gracious!’ murmured Ephraim, straightening up. ‘Ef thet ain’t the peskiest kind er luck. We’ve been and tumbled right inter a nest er Yanks!’ [Illustration] CHAPTER V. FIRE-EATING COLONEL. ‘Surrender! You’re our prisoner!’ cried several of the soldiers, running up and presenting their bayonets at Ephraim’s chest. ‘Waal, I ain’t denyin’ it,’ said Ephraim coolly. ‘Reckon I kin master thet fact ’thout ye drivin’ it inter me with them nasty spikes. Take ’em away.’ The men laughed, and most of them dropped the points of their weapons; but an officer, who just then came up, demanded roughly: ‘Who are you? How and why do you come here?’ Ephraim considered the speaker earnestly before replying, and in that moment took his measure accurately. ‘He’s a hard un,’ thought Grizzly. ‘He’ll make things hum fer us ef he gits his way.’ Aloud he said, pointing to the balloon: ‘Ye see how we came; and ez fer why we came, it war because we couldn’t help it.’ ‘None of your insolence,’ said the officer threateningly. ‘What do you mean by you couldn’t help it?’ ‘Jest what I sez,’ returned Ephraim, ‘and I hadn’t no idee of bein’ insolent nuther. Ye don’t ’magine we came fer the pleasure er bein’ took prisoner.—I won’t rile him willin’,’ he added within himself. ‘Will we haul down this yer balloon, cunnel, and see if she carries anything?’ asked a sergeant at this stage. The colonel nodded. ‘Now then, you fellow,’ he said to Ephraim in a bullying tone, ‘tell me instantly what brought you here?’ ‘The balloon,’ replied Ephraim without a pause.