Schloß Heidelberg, Germany. September 25, 2009.

“Do you feel strong enough to tell us your story?” asked Captain Simon.

“I am strong enough,” said Professor Sherman, “and I want to first of all thank you three gentlemen for your kind attention. But, gentlemen,” he exclaimed, “as an honorary member of the Western American Explorers’ Club in San Francisco, I feel sincerely that I owe the first accounting of my extraordinary adventure to that illustrious fraternity!”

At this, of course, Captain John Simon was somewhat hurt. After all, he had ordered the rescue of Professor Sherman when he found him floating around almost dead in a maze of broken planks and empty balloons, he had saved his life. And the ship’s doctor had healed and tenderly nursed the Professor back on the road of recovery. The ship’s cook had gone out of his way to prepare special, delicate food for him. They were all three most disappointed. That also made them much more curious. They tried all sorts of ways to get him to tell his story. They tried arguing with, persuading, tricking, and agitating him. They tried to entice him with spirits. They gave him medicine which made him dopey. But he only seemed to become more and more firm as he exclaimed as loudly as his strength would permit, “This tale of mine shall first be heard in the auditorium of the Western American Explorers’ Club in San Francisco, of which I am an honorary member!”

“Will you at least give me your name?” asked Captain Simon. “So that I might make a proper entry and report of the rescue in the ship’s log.”

“That information I shall not withhold,” said the Professor. “My name is William Waterman Sherman.”

Excerpted from The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène Du Bois. Published by Penguin Books, multiple years.