Jane Warrington held tight to the stays that ran between the balloon and the gondola. She squealed in delight at the spectacle of the city spread out beneath her, like a great brick and slate scab. "It's so big! I never thought it would look like this!"

Lord Coverton snorted. "It is a sight, but there'll be time to look at it later, what? I didn't bring you up here to act as deadweight." He reached into a knapsack that was strapped to the side of the gondola, and pulled out a brass telescope. "Here." His lordship passed the instrument to his companion. "Make yourself useful."

Miss Warrington put the telescope to her right eye and began to scan the clouds around them. "What am I looking for?"

"Damn me, have you forgotten? Lord Harris is up here somewhere." Coverton picked up a rifle from its rack and set it against his shoulder. "We can't let him get the drop on us. After all, there's a hundred pounds at stake. Not to mention my reputation."

Jane continued to survey the sky. "And what does his balloon look like?"

"It's red and ... ." Lord Coverton glared at the young lady beside him. "How many other balloons are going to be up here, what?"

There was a sharp report, followed by a sound like a pigeon taking flight. "In which case," Miss Warrington replied, "he's over that way."

"What?" Lord Coverton narrowed his eyes and glared down the sights of his weapon, the muzzle wavering slightly. "Sight me in, girl!" He squeezed the trigger. With a loud bang that set Miss Warrington's ears ringing, his gun spat a ball of lead towards the distant aircraft. "Well?" he demanded.

"I think you missed, sir." An answering shot passed through the wicker of the balloon's basket, narrowly missing its occupants.

"I can tell that!" Lord Coverton barked. "Now stop being bloody useless!"

The two balloons drifted serenely through the sky, driven by the winds a mile above the ground; in contrast to the frantic activity as their occupants exchanged volley of shots, each trying to wound the other. Desperate to finish the aerial duel, Lord Coverton took aim at the envelope of his rival's balloon and let fly.

Miss Warrington cried out in delight. "I say! You've torn the fabric! He's going down!" And indeed, Lord Harris's conveyance seemed to have lost buoyancy and was now in gravity's merciless grip.

Lord Coverton crowed in victory. "By God! Yes! I have him! And a hundred pounds too! That'll show them at the club, what?" He dropped his gun and reached out to embrace Jane. "Now, to celebrate."

Jane Warrington squealed once more - this time in indignant disgust. "My lord! What kind of woman do you take me for?" She pushed hard against the rampant lord, shoving him back against the basket. "Unhand me!"

Lord Coverton, teetering a mile above the earth, reached out to the lady for salvation; but she rebuffed him one last time.