Miss Dermott retired to sleep beneath a shelter of boughs, where were strewn some pine and hemlock branches. Dr. O’Hagan covered her carefully with the blankets, and then the four men stretched themselves by the fire and fell asleep.

The conversation between the travellers must inevitably have had a good effect. The surest remedy for a morbid propensity to brood over our own troubles is to have our sympathy excited for the troubles of other people. After breakfast in the morning Mr. Crutter said:

“I have solemnly considered all that was said last night, and I have a proposition to make. Dr. O’Hagan, if you will return with Miss Dermott and Mr. Jarnville, you three may divide my fortune between you, and Mr. Winden can give a letter to his father to Mr. Jarnville, about the smoke-consumer; and dear Mr. Winden and I will continue this journey together. How will that do?”

“I am willing to drop off and return,” said Mr. Jarnville.

“I will go only on condition you will go also,” said Dr. O’Hagan. “I will make you a well man if you agree.”

“But,” said Mr. Crutter, “it would be a shame to leave Winden here alone with this balloon. No; I have had enough of life. I’ll proceed on the voyage.”

“There is a good deal of force in what the Doctor says, though,” remarked Mr. Winden.

“Why, you are not thinking about backing out, too, are you?” inquired Mr. Crutter.

“Well, I don’t know,” said Mr. Winden, looking half ashamed. “It seemed to me last night, when I got to thinking about it, that a woman’s scorn is hardly worth a man’s life, and I—”

“You’re right!” said Mr. Crutter. “It isn’t. Suppose we put the matter in this way: If Dr. O’Hagan cures me, I will pay him fifty thousand dollars in cash, and I will go into partnership with Mr. Jarnville in his invention. We can see your father about it, and you can return to him while I adopt Miss Dermott as my daughter!”

“I had thought,” said Mr. Winden, “of a slightly different plan, but possibly it could not be carried out.”

“What was that?” asked Dr. O’Hagan.

“Why,” said Mr. Winden, “I thought, perhaps—But, no! there is no use of mentioning it.”

“Out with it,” said Mr. Crutter. “We want the opinions of all hands.”

“I did think,” said Mr. Winden, “that possibly Miss Dermott instead of becoming your daughter would consent to become my wife. Would you entertain such a proposition, Miss Dermott?”

Miss Dermott hung her head, and seemed to be covered with confusion. “I will think about it,” she said.

“That means she will give her consent,” said Mr. Crutter, smiling. “Let her come with me while she is thinking the matter over. Are you all agreed to my plan?” Everybody expressed assent to it, and everybody seemed very happy.

“Why, what is that?” suddenly exclaimed Miss Dermott, pointing to a distant object above them.

“I verily believe that is our balloon,” said Dr. O’Hagan. “Yes, it is gone! it must have broken loose while we were at breakfast.”

“Oh, well,” said Mr. Crutter, “let it go! Who cares! I’ll pay Captain Cowgill for his losses. And now let us see about getting home.”