Australian Tales - Setis

I drew out my purse, but found that it contained only fifteen shillings,
which I offered to the man, who shook his head, and scornfully declared
“he wouldn't take nineteen and sixpence — that it was dirt cheap at a
pound.”
“Jump in, gentlemen,” cried the captain of the balloon; “look sharp!
look sharp! take your seats.”
“Are you going to give me the pound, mister?” asked the nervous little
man, as he scrambled into the wicker car.
“I tell you again, I have but fifteen shillings with me,” I replied, “so I
cannot give you more; and you had better take my offer. I don't believe
the change of air will do you any good.”
“Now I tell you what I'll do with you,” said the man, “I will take fifteen
shillings and your umbrella — what do you say?”
At that moment, the men who were holding the ropes, which secured
the balloon to the earth, slackened them, when the machine ascended a
few yards, and swayed to and fro, as if impatient to be off among the
clouds.
The little man began to look sea-sick as he shouted out with a
considerable display of trepidation, “Well, here you are, sir; hand me the
fifteen shillings and take my place, we won't fall out about an old
umbrella.”
But it was not an easy matter to hand him anything, considering that he
was eight or ten yards above my head: so I replied, as I held up my purse,
“Here is the money; come down one of the ropes, and I'll climb up by the
same means.”
“Oh, I'm afraid to go down the rope — pull the concern down, can't
you,” shrieked the little man. And then, turning to the captain of the
balloon, he said, “Hoy, master, tell those fellows to pull the thing down
again; I want to get out — I'm not well, and I've sold my ticket.”
The captain made some testy reply, and called to the men below to get
ready to let go at the word of command.
“I want to get out, I tell you,” roared the little man, who was now as
pale as a white cat. “Hoy, you sirs; pull the concern down, and I'll give
you sixpence.
“Ha! ha! ha! ho! ho! ho!” laughed the unsympathising crowd, as the
poor excited fellow stood up in the car, and was rather roughly pushed
into his seat again by the irate aëronaut.
“Yah! You'll never come down again on this side of the world, unless
the balloon blows up,” roared one of the mob. “This is a fair wind for the
East Indies; you'll land in a jungle, and be bolted by a boa constrictor.”
“I wouldn't care if my wife knew where I am,” groaned the little man,
scarcely knowing what he said. “I say, you sir; just go and tell her, will
you? There she is yonder; that young woman in a red bonnet, with a baby
in her arms.”