But she was hesitating over a detail.
"Will you go down the rope for a moment ?" she said, with a sweet smile.
Little went down.

Presently she called to him.

She held something in her hand,--a wonderful invention of the seventeenth century, improved and perfected in this: a pyramid of sixteen circular hoops of light yet strong steel, attached to each other by cloth bands.
With a cry of joy Little seized them, climbed to the balloon, and fitted the elastic hoops over its conical end.

Then he returned to the car.
"We are saved." Lady Caroline, blushing, gathered her slim but antique drapery against the other end of the car..