The top of the crate has been opened. Still stapled to one edge of the top is a note saying: Terribly sorry about the accident. The weather to the North almost never goes wrong suddenly like that. In any case, hope you find the new one to your liking, it's got some interesting tricks to it. --your friends at Flying Fantasies, Inc.

In the crate is a lot of silk, in a rainbow of colors. Beneath the silk is a large cup, big enough to climb inside. The inside of the cup is made of steel, and has several dials on it, as if it is part of a precision machine. The outside has been decorated with woven pieces of wood.

On some examination, it becomes clear that the contents of the crate are a deflated hot-air balloon.

With some effort, it is possible to wheel the crate down the stairs and outside .