From the car the three men ascended to the interior of the envelope, climbing by means of aluminium rungs bolted to the flexible shaft. Once inside the rigid envelope, it was possible to walk the whole five hundred feet length of the airship along a narrow platform. From the latter crossways ran at frequent intervals so that access could be obtained to any of the ballonets.
The interior reeked of the strong but not obnoxious fumes of the brodium.
"Leak somewhere," remarked Kenyon, sniffing audibly.
"Yes," agreed Fosterdyke, "one of the supply pipes gave out this morning; otherwise you wouldn't know by the sense of smell that the envelope was fully charged."
He struck a match and held it aloft. It burned with a pale green flame.
"I wouldn't care to do this with hydrogen," he remarked.
