Five Weeks in a Balloon Page #5

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as that in those clothes.

Positively indecent.

In those clothes

I couldn't even give her away.

- Where are we now, Professor?

- Right here.

Most of our journey

is still before us.

And where would the slavers be?

I'd say crossing the mountains

of Kong, traveling slowly.

And I'd say proceeding

down the Niger, traveling fast.

Good day, Susan.

Good day, Mr. O'Shay.

Hop to it, everybody.

We've a long day of flying ahead of us.

Gather food and fuel first,

then we'll be on our way.

What about breakfast?

Don't you see I'm fading away?

You look terrible.

You'll never make it to prison.

- Very funny.

- The ladies will gather fruit.

Some of us will chop wood,

and someone will stand guard.

As for the slave trader, he will work

for his breakfast like everyone else.

Hand him an ax.

I've just lost my appetite.

- And what will you do, General?

- Reconnoiter, of course.

When on a military mission,

always reconnoiter.

Of course. How foolish of me

not to have known.

Come along, Jacques.

You too, Ahmed.

Working makes me nervous.

Pencil, please.

Thank you.

- Oh, Miss Gale?

- Yes?

May I talk to you for a moment?

What about?

I don't know.

I'm a boy. You're a girl.

There must be something

we can talk about.

Like what, Mr. O'Shay?

Like first, my name is Donald.

Secondly, you've been avoiding me

ever since you came aboard the balloon-

which isn't easy,

considering how small it is.

- Just because we had a little misunderstanding-

- "Little" misunderstanding?

Mr. O'Shay, I'm sorry we don't

share the same views about slavery.

Since I feel so strongly on the subject...

I'm afraid we have nothing to talk about.

Now, Miss Gale, you've got me all wrong.

I mean, just because

I said the slave trade...

was no concern of my uncle's newspapers-

- Coming, lassie?

- Coming, Professor.

Please excuse me.

Of course.

Young man? Young man?

Stand guard.

This is dangerous country,

teeming with, uh, danger.

It shoots from this end.

- This end?

- That is correct.

Hmm. What'll they think of next?

Come on, young woman.

Come along.

Hup, two, three, four.

Hup, two-

Hup, left, right.

Oh, lovely.

Hup, two, three, four. Hup, two.

Hup, left, right-

Can't you keep in step?

Come along.

Hup, two, three, four.

Come along.

Hup, two, three, four.

- Hup, two. Hup, left, right-

- You mean to Pasha Donald.

Him good man, but you not

treat him good.

Your pasha thinks only of himself.

Oh, not so.

Pasha have big heart.

Him save you from slavery.

Save me too.

He saved you? How?

Oh, in Zanzibar him fight, risk life.

Hit slaver over head.

Pasha not like slavery.

Pasha like you.

Well, perhaps I was too severe.

Help! Help!

There's a lion loose.

Help!

Professor! Jacques!

Help! Help!

Help!

Help! Hey!

Nice pussycat. You don't wanna eat me.

I-I'm too scrawny.

I'm skinny.

No meat. Help!

Help!

No! No, no, pussycat.

No. Shh. Go away. Go away.

Nice pussycat.

Help! Professor! Jacques!

Anybody.

Help!

Yeah. Thanks a lot, fellas.

Th-That was a l-lion. A lion.

Well, thanks anyway, but, uh-

You guys speak English? Huh?

Sprechen sie Deutsch?

Parlez-vous franais?

Can you get me out of here?

That's it. That's it.

Thanks a lot.

Thank you. Thank you.

You don't know how

uncomfortable it's been up in there.

My name is Donald O'Shay.

I'm happy to meet you all.

Help!

- Jacques!

- Professor.

- Professor.

- Help!

Run for your lives.

Hurry. Hurry.

Natives. Full pressure, Jacques.

Stand by to take her up.

Take the balloon up.

Let's go! Come on.

Up-Take it up, Professor, fast.

- General, don't shoot.

- Get it up!

Jacques!

Down, everybody.

Mr. O'Shay, as military

commander of the expedition...

I state flatly-

One more irresponsible action,

and we'll go on without you.

- Now, look, General.

- That is definite, sir.

Well, I suppose

you share his views too.

How can I, Donald?

Look at this.

Boy, it certainly is busy down there.

Bite?

You first.

Down. Hup.

Down, hup.

Down, hup.

Down, hup.

Down, hup.

Down, hup.

Down, hup.

Down, hup.

Down, hup.

Down, hup.

Down, hup.

Down, hup.

General, what's this-

a religious ritual?

Certainly not.

One must keep fit.

What, in this sun?

With this heat?

Oh, you English.

You're funny.

I cooked it myself.

- Gimme.

- You can't have any.

Donald, grab the anchor.

- Professor, do something!

- Grab it, Jacques.

Jacques!

Let go!

Jacques!

Bumbling bumbler.

- I'm terribly sorry.

- You fool! You blundering fool!

We are doomed.

Professor, do something.

I'm- I'm terribly sorry.

- You fool. You blundering fool.

- It's sabotage.

Are you in league

with the slavers?

Yes, I'm in league with the slavers.

Are you crazy?

Allah protect us

from our friends.

Look! It's caught in the tree.

- What a piece of luck.

- Heaven be praised.

How one man can get into

so much trouble, I'll never know.

Neither will I.

General?

An excellent idea. Thank you.

Hmm.

Gentlemen, I-

- I'd like you to know how sorry I am for-

- Being an idiot?

Young man, you nearly wrecked

our project back in Zanzibar.

Later, because of you,

we were attacked by natives.

And finally, we were almost

marooned in the middle of Africa.

Now wait a minute. You couldn't have

dragged me along in this flying circus...

if I'd known what it was about.

Now that you do know what it's about,

do you still wish to be out?

What's the sense of wishing?

I'm trapped.

Maybe not. Have a look out there.

Ahmed? Take a look at that

caravan, will you?

Tell me where you think

it's heading for.

Oh, to the Nile.

It's a three-month journey-

if they are lucky.

And for a proper remuneration...

do you think they'd consider

taking this young man along?

Take me along?

For a diamond of this size,

you could buy the whole caravan.

Maybe you could

take me along too.

You, sir, are going

to the west coast...

to stand trial for slave trading

and kidnapping an American.

I was only asking.

Now, look, you can't slough me off

on a camel ride.

- I represent Uncle Cornelius. We're using his money.

- You are wrong, sir.

When the plans were changed...

this became a British-financed expedition.

Oh, so Uncle Cornelius

became expendable.

And so did you- except as a witness.

A witness? To what?

The planting of the flag, sir.

- So that's why you dragged me along.

- Yes.

As an American, your testimony

will carry great weight...

but we have a much less

troublesome witness- Miss Susan Gale.

So fare ye well, Mr. O'Shay.

Stand by for landing, Jacques.

Sandstorm!

Aye! It's a desert wind.

Take her up, Jacques.

Take her up.

Secure cargo.

Quick! Inside.

Everybody inside.

Professor.

Come on, boy.

All right, Jacques. Keep the pressure up.

Yes, sir.

- I said everybody.

- Kismet! We are doomed.

- Professor?

- Steady as you can.

Great Scott!

Do something.

Can't you do something?

Lend me your teapot

and I'll make a cup of tea.

- What?

- Well, what exactly do you suggest, General?

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