Five Weeks in a Balloon Page #6

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Well, I-

I trust this postpones my camel ride.

Only for the moment.

At the first opportunity

we shall part company...

with great pleasure

and no regrets.

Oasis ahead!

Where?

There. Over there.

- Down there.

- Come down, lad.

Make ready to land.

Here am I

What a lucky guy

As the world goes floating by

In the open air without a care

Five weeks in a balloon

During the day

I will ride on a sunbeam

During the night

I will rest on a moonbeam

I'll be lulled to sleep No counting sheep

Five weeks in a balloon

- Here am I What a lucky guy

- What's wrong with you?

As the world goes floating by

In the open air without a care

Five weeks in a balloon

I wouldn't trade my place today

With the king of Mandalay

High and low and away we go

Five weeks in a balloon

With the wonders of nature below me

And the limitless sky up above me

I will touch the stars

and bow to Mars

Five weeks in a balloon

During the day I will

Never thought I'd welcome a sandstorm.

I guess you're stuck with me now.

For how long?

Sir Henry said it was

a reprieve, not a pardon.

Oh? Is that the way you want it?

Oh, Donald, I didn't want you to go.

I don't now.

But beating those slavers

has to come first.

You're just too big a risk.

Maybe when it's all over

we can meet again.

It's a date.

Professor. Professor, I protest.

I wasn't born to work.

I'm sorry, Ahmed.

We've a lot of catching up to do.

- But I don't like it.

- Jacques?

Jacques?

Yes, sir?

- Yes, sir?

- Get the heat up, Jacques. We'll be on our way.

Where would the slavers be, Professor?

Well, if I were asked

to make a guess...

I would say this jungle area here.

Speaking of dates,

would you like something to eat?

- What?

- Specialty of the house are Dates a la Sahara.

It's the only thing on the menu.

Donald, you're an idiot.

You're so right.

I don't know what they want.

I'm not a slave.

I sell them.

What are they going

to ask me to do next?

Aw, quit muttering, Ahmed.

Everyone has to do their share.

I'm not muttering.

Shh. Shh.

You don't have a chance.

Keep very quiet, O'Shay.

They don't know that you're up there.

Stay in the cabin, Jacques.

They're afraid of the balloon.

There's nothing you can do

for us now, O'Shay, so push on.

For once in your life,

do something right. Plant the flag.

Professor.

Have a care, sir.

There are laws of decency.

It might be wise

to do as they say, Professor.

Shh.

He says to untie us.

He's taking us to see someone.

Ah. The beggars must

have realized their error.

Probably taking us to the palace

to ask our forgiveness, eh?

- Highly unlikely.

- Why do you always argue?

I beg your pardon.

Nothing to fear.

That beggar can't hurt anyone.

Is this your idea of a palace, General?

I am a forgiving man,

but believe me...

I shall write a stinging

letter to the Times.

Yes, that'll be a great help.

Someone's coming.

- So, the white demons come to Timbuktu.

- What?

The jungle drums are

an efficient telegraph.

- I am the Sheikh Ageiba.

- Now, look here, my good man.

I trust you had a pleasant trip.

- You know about the journey?

- I know about your destination also.

The River Volta, is it not?

Jungle drums are very efficient.

Yes. They are speaking

from the west as well as the east.

The slave expedition is now

only two days from the Volta.

- Professor?

- They're ahead of their timetable.

I hardly think you'd have beaten them,

even if you'd survived.

What do you mean, sir?

We have survived.

- Merely a technicality.

- What does that mean?

It means that you are Christians- infidels.

You've dared to enter

the forbidden city of Timbuktu.

Dared? We were dragged here.

Look, sir, if you had

any regard for the law-

Being the chief magistrate of Timbuktu,

I have every regard for the law-

which is very clear, in your case.

If an unbeliever enters

the forbidden city...

he must die at sunset the same day.

- Insch'Allah. It is written.

- And what will the slavers...

pay for this service, Mr. Ageiba?

There may be some consideration...

but it hardly concerns you.

You'll be joining your ancestors

in exactly six hours.

- Not the lasses.

- The infidel, unfortunately, yes.

The little one will be sold at auction.

I myself shall be a bidder.

No.

No!

You, sir, are a villain.

In Timbuktu, it is safer

to be a villain than an infidel.

- Professor, do something.

- Any last requests?

Well, that's very nice of you.

I should like some hot water.

Beautiful merchandise, huh?

It's the sultan from Hezak.

What's he doing here?

It's not the sultan.

It's his cousin, Redbeard.

He's got cousins all over.

- Makia.

- Be quiet.

You want to get us killed?

That amorous piece

of elegance just offered 150.

- Why don't you offer-

- Shh!

You're rich, but you're not supposed to talk.

Say when.

He says she's a skinny chicken, but that-

- That's an old bargaining trick.

- Then we win?

Offer everything.

We-We must not seem too anxious.

We are supposed

to examine the merchandise.

Jacques.

Give him everything.

It wasn't that easy to steal, but-

She's ours.

Here are the horses.

Get on, quick.

Where you get horses?

- And ropes?

- We ran into some strangers and, uh...

we persuaded them

to lend us these things.

- Where are the others?

- Have they sold them yet?

- No. They are to die as infidels.

- Die? When?

At sunset, when the muezzin...

he call the evening prayer

from the minaret...

and all the faithful,

they bow toward Mecca.

- How are they to die?

- I do not know.

I'm afraid I do.

Is it now?

As soon as the holy man is finished.

It will be quick, Susan.

Be brave.

Donald!

Easy. Easy. Careful.

Susan!

Help me.

The anchor!

Drop the anchor.

Help me. Help me. Jacques, grab my hand.

- Let's go.

- Jump, Susan. Jump!

Jump, Donald. Jump!

Shoot, Ahmed! Shoot!

Hit him, Makia. Hit him!

Jacques, look out behind you.

Jacques, jump!

Hold fast, Jacques. Lend a hand there!

Look! We are doomed.

Into the cabin, quick.

Full pressure, Jacques.

- Get her up. Get her up.

- Take cover.

Into the cabin, everyone,

on the double.

Jacques?

Help me with the wood. Hurry.

Not now, Makia. Later.

- I'll help on control, Jacques, How's the pressure?

- Low, Professor.

Why can't the boy go up

and just pull that knife out?

Aye, a grand maneuver.

Pull out the knife and poof.

- " Poof'?

- Aye, poof.

- Oh.

- There's a slow leak, General.

The scimitar's wedged

in there like a plug.

Good, as long as

it doesn't unplug itself.

- Is there anything I can do?

- Haven't you done enough?

- That's the third time you've saved my life.

- Third time lucky?

Third time unlucky. I told you to do something

right for the first time in your life.

By disobeying orders, you've wrecked the

whole thing. The slaver'll get there first.

There's just no pleasing you people.

We can still win.

We have four days to go.

- Two.

- Less than two. The slavers are ahead of their timetable.

Then we've gotta risk flying at night.

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