When the breeze came skimming the earth the sledge seemed to be lifted off the ground by its sails.

Mudge, who was at the rudder, kept in a straight line, and by a turn of his hand checked the lurches which the vehicle had a tendency to make.

All the sails were up, and the jib was so arranged as not to screen the brigantine.

A top-mast was hoisted, and another jib, held out to the wind, added its force to the other sails.

Although the speed could not be exactly estimated, the sledge could not be going at less than forty miles an hour.
"If nothing breaks," said Mudge, "we shall get there!" Mr.Fogg had made it for Mudge's interest to reach Omaha within the time agreed on, by the offer of a handsome reward.
The prairie, across which the sledge was moving in a straight line, was as flat as a sea.