234 THE LAND OF PLUCK

“Oh! oh!” exclaimed Marie, with eager sympathy.
“That ’s it! They ’re both going to fall in a minute.
That ’s why they look so frightened. O Monsieur!” she
added, running up to an old gentleman who stood near by,
“don’t you think those monkeys are going to tumble ?”

The bonne caught her arm with an anery “Hist!” but
the kind old gentleman turned to look at the picture
with Marie.

“Yes, my little one,” he answered with a smile; “in
one instant more those poor fellows will be whirling down,
down, to certain destruction.”

“Tight upon the roofs?” Marie asked, with her eyes
very wide open.

“Right upon the roofs. You see the balloon is burst.”

Henri nodded wisely. He began to suspect what was
the matter.

“TI suppose, Monsieur, the monkeys tried to go up ina
balloon, and it hit against something and bursted, and —”

“Hit against what thing, my little man ?”

Henri and Marie peered into the picture. Marie, with
a questioning glance at Monsieur, pointed to the little
balloon in the corner; but he shook his head. At last
Henri said:

“T think it broke its own self.”

“Right!” said Monsieur. “If Mademoiselle will permit,
I will tell you all about it.”

The bonne looked troubled, wondering what Madame
would say when she heard that the children had been al-
lowed to talk with a stranger. But she nodded her head,
and the old gentleman seated himself on a chair that