Ifoundmyuncleinmysitting-roominanarm-chair，withhisfeetuponthefenderofthegasstove，whichhehadlit，andnowhewasfeeblydrunkenwithmywhisky，andverywearyinbodyandspirit，andinclinedtobecowardly。
“Ilef’mydrops。”hesaid。
Hechangedhisclothesslowlyandunwillingly。Ihadtobullyhim，Ihadalmosttoshovehimtotheairshipandtuckhimupuponitswickerflat。Single-handedImadebutaclumsystart；
wescrapedalongtheroofoftheshedandbentavanofthepropeller，andforatimeIhungunderneathwithouthisofferingahandtohelpmetoclamberup。Ifithadn’tbeenforasortofanchoringtrolleydeviceofCothope’s，asortofslipanchorrunningonarail，weshouldneverhavegotclearatall。
TheincidentsofourflightinLordRobertsBdonotarrangethemselvesinanyconsecutiveorder。Tothinkofthatadventureislikedippinghaphazardintoanalbumofviews。Oneisremindedfirstofthisandthenofthat。Wewerebothlyingdownonahorizontalplateofbasketwork；forLordRobertsBhadnoneoftheelegantaccommodationofaballoon。Ilayforward，andmyunclebehindmeinsuchapositionthathecouldseehardlyanythingofourflight。Wewereprotectedfromrollingoversimplybynettingbetweenthesteelstays。Itwasimpossibleforustostandupatall；wehadeithertolieorcrawlonallfoursoverthebasketwork。AmidshipswerelockersmadeofWatson’sAulitematerial，——andbetweentheseitwasthatIhadputmyuncle，wrappedinrugs。Iworesealskinmotoringbootsandgloves，andamotoringfurcoatovermytweeds，andIcontrolledtheenginebyBowdenwiresandleversforward。