An awful shower of blows now struck the door, and it went down with a splitting crash, and the detective and several policemen rushed in.
Just then the doors in the roof flew open.
Seeing the professor aboard the air ship, the officers made a rush for the Ranger to board her.
Frank grasped one of the levers and pulled it.
The gyroscopes flew around with a tremendous buzzing sound, and just as the officers reached the side of the boat she ascended into the air.
A yell of chagrin escaped the officers, for the Ranger shot through the now open roof and soared up into the dark sky.
“Escaped them, by thunder!” cried Frank, exultantly.
“Thank Heaven for that!” exclaimed Dr. Vaneyke.
Barney and Pomp had gone down below to attend to the machinery.
The rooms were magnificently furnished, and consisted of a cabin, a dormitory, dining-room, kitchen, storeroom and engine-room.
Each apartment was equipped with electric lights and an electric heating apparatus of Frank’s invention.
The motive power was derived from a dynamo which was driven by a small petroleum engine; there was a special machine for the electric lights, and the mechanism of the gyroscopes worked by a large number of storage batteries.
Any height could be reached in the air, according to the speed at which the gyroscopes were run, and the huge driving wheel drove the ice ship along at a prodigious rate of speed.
Upon reaching an altitude of 1,600 feet, Frank slackened the speed of the gyroscopes to conform to the height at which he desired to remain, and put the driving screw in motion.
The machine was then steered for the northeastward, and glided through the air like an arrow.
The machinery worked exactly as Frank had designed, and the ship of the air operated beautifully.
Barney and Pomp were so delighted over the professor’s escape that the former got out his fiddle and the latter his banjo, whereupon a lively tune was struck up and they played and sang until a late hour.
On the following morning the air ship was hovering over the Atlantic.
Pomp had taken charge of the cooking department, and the Irishman attended to the machinery when it became necessary.
The professor was a very much relieved man.
“Had I been incarcerated for that crime,” said he to Frank, as they went out on deck after breakfast, “I could not have gone with you, and might have been hung.”