They pulled Rishaan to his feet, and then they guided him to a porthole near the nose of the airship, almost like the blowhole on the head of a whale. Rishaan immediately felt the warmth inside the craft as he entered the hull of the airship and climbed down the ladder. Inside the Zeppelin was a cavernous hulk, with huge air bags filled with hydrogen, and all around were crew working. Rishaan climbed down with the soldiers and they took him across a corridor between the gas bags to another ladder that descended into the belly of the airship. The airmen guided Rishaan carefully but firmly toward the captain’s gondola that was slung below the airship. The crew was busy controlling the ship, but all looked at Rishaan, fascinated.
“Where did you come from?” barked the captain. He was a tall m
