The Wild Blue, Black and Tan Yonder (Not Necessarily in That Order)

Chapter 8

They all looked up at the blimp. It was now at an upward angle, and did not appear to be rising. But it wasn't falling, either.

Nervously, Easy asked,  "Why isn't it coming down?"

Without taking his eyes off the blimp, Snoopy said, "They're probably tail heavy. Squeaky Toy Tower to Badyear one, over!"

Nervously, Tasha said, "Go ahead, Snoopy."

"Above your head and to the left is a big panel with some silver knobs sticking out of it. They look like big mushrooms."

Tasha gazed up, and said, "I see them."

"Okay, listen carefully. We think that the snoot of the blimp is stuck because the ship is tail-heavy. Those buttons are the air ballast release valves. They're mounted on a cable, and you have to pull them out. The one you want is to the left."

Tasha grabbed it with her paws, and said, "I got it!"

"Okay, pull it out, slowly."

"Will do."

As they watched, Easy asked, "I see Snoopy pull those knobs all the time. What do they do?"

"They release air from the balonets", Ernie said.

"Balonets?"

"They're big rubber air tanks inside the hull. The air balances out the blimp in flight, and keeps it from going too high too fast. Right now, Snoopy is trying to get the nose down and level out the blimp. And it looks like it's working."

Everyone cheered as the blimp leveled out. Once it was on an even keel, Snoopy said, "Squeaky Toy Tower to Badyear One. Do you read? Squeaky Toy Tower to Badyear One. Do you read?"

Through the headset he heard only silence.

"Badyear One, do you read?"