When the night comes we will go into our cabin, and you shall see something that will surprise you." At six o'clock the colleagues dined together as usual.

Two hours afterwards they retired to their cabin like men who wished to make up for a sleepless night.
Neither Robur nor any of his companions had a suspicion of the catastrophe that threatened the "Albatross." This was Uncle Prudent's plan.

As he had said, he had stolen into the magazine, and there had possessed himself of some powder and cartridge like those used by Robur in Dahomey.

Returning to his cabin, he had carefully concealed the cartridge with which he had resolved to blow up the "Albatross" in mid-air.
Phil Evans, screened by his companion, was now examining the infernal machine, which was a metallic canister containing about two pounds of dynamite, enough to shatter the aeronef to atoms.

If the explosion did not destroy her at once, it would do so in her fall.