&ldquo;Are we going up again?&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;No. On the contrary; we are going down!&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;Worse than that, Mr. Smith, we are falling!&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;For God&rsquo;s sake throw over all the ballast!&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;The last sack is empty!&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;And the balloon rises again?&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;No!&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;I hear the splashing waves!&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;The sea is under us!&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;It is not five hundred feet off!&rdquo;<br />Then a strong, clear voice shouted:&mdash;<br />&ldquo;Overboard with all we have, and God help us!&rdquo;