missed the sights and sounds of last evening.

"All arrangements are now completed, and day after to-morrow, weather favorable, Dr. Jones and party expect to sail at the hour of noon, away for the North Pole. Nothing has been omitted that could insure the success of the expedition, and we feel confident of all that could be hoped for, or desired by the enterprising Doctor and friends."

The hour set for sailing had arrived. The day was beautiful, and a moderate breeze was blowing toward northwest. With proud, happy hearts the party of navigators stood upon the balcony that ran about the four sides of the cabin. This balcony was one of the chief embellishments and conveniences of the cabin. It was five feet wide, and extended, as before said, about the four sides of the cabin. A balustrade four feet high was built along its outer edge. A more exhilarating promenade could not be conceived, and right well did our friends enjoy it during the notable voyage which we are about to record.

The party consisted of Professor J.Q. Gray, the scientific representative of the Smithsonian Institute; Miss Mattie Bronson; Professor Fred Marsh; our four friends with whom the reader is acquainted; and last, but not least, so far as bodily comforts were concerned, Ah Sing, the cook.

As the globe arose slowly to the length of its cable, five hundred feet, it seemed to the little company upon the balcony as if the universe had assembled to see them off. On the streets, public squares, housetops, decks of all ships upon the river, were crowds on crowds of people; people anywhere, everywhere; far as the eye could reach was one vast, countless host. What wonder that the heart of the Doctor swelled and quickened as he looked upon the ocean of upturned faces below, and realized that from his fertile brain had sprung the mighty object of all this attention. How it pulled and surged at its silver-like cable, as if it were a thing of life, and desired to be away toward its destination, the North Pole!

The hour of noon was announced by hundreds of bells and whistles. The Doctor waved a flag over the balustrade, the anchor was cut loose from its fastenings, and away bounded the colossal sphere toward the ethereal blue. Upward and still up it arose to the height of three thousand feet, trending slowly toward the northwest.

The voices of the multitude sounded like the roar of the sea, and as it grew fainter and fainter, the stout-hearted little party realized that they were effectually cut off from the world—off on a limitless sea, alone with God.

CHAPTER VII.

A Gunpowder Tea-party.

Nothing could be completer nor daintier than the cabin and its furnishings, divisions, and subdivisions. The rooms of necessity were small, but sufficiently large for convenience and comfort. A choice selection of best authors had been added by the Doctor. Mr. Will Marsh, the architect, had not forgotten a painting, sketching, and photographing outfit. Professor Fred Marsh had brought a good supply of vocal and instrumental music, and a small aluminum organ of exquisite tone and splendid volume. Professor Gray, as a matter of course, was abundantly supplied with books, charts, instruments, etc. The ladies did not forget to bring knitting, crochet, and sewing work with them. "For we cannot be continually craning our necks out of our little nest, sightseeing," said Mrs. Jones.

"And then I suppose that we shall be above the clouds a good share of the time, with nothing but a fog bank to look at," added Mattie.

Dr. Jones carried a plentiful supply of drugs and instruments. "I have not given up practice," said he. "There is no telling how many patients I may encounter outside of our little crowd, before we return."

But we cannot stop to enumerate all the conveniences and appurtenances of the wonderful sky-ship, now hastening toward its destination. More of that later on.

Washington and its crowds of excited people were fast disappearing in the distance. To say that no fear was experienced upon the part of any of the company would not be strictly true. The ladies were pale and silent, and stood with their arms about each other. Very little was said by any one, for the sensation of skimming through the air at the rate of more than twenty miles an hour at this elevation was too novel and thrilling to admit of conversation. All experienced more or less of vertigo and nausea, but the Doctor promptly controlled these disagreeable symptoms with medicines from his case. All stood at their post for something near an hour, Sing excepted. He was rattling about among his pots, pans, and kettles as unconcernedly as if in the best appointed kitchen in Washington. Finally a general conversation was entered into as the first qualms of fear and sickness began to wear off.

"I am delighted with the performance of our ship," said Will. (We shall take the liberty of using the given names of the two brothers hereafter, Will and Fred.)

"Yes," returned the Doctor, "how easily and smoothly we are going. When one looks inside, it is hard to realize that we are flying at the rate of nearly thirty miles an hour through the air, three thousand feet above the earth."

"And notice how steadily we are moving. Not a tremor nor movement of any sort appreciable. How decidedly superior to car or steamboat traveling. Here we have no jar, noise, nor dust," continued Will.

"Nor any kind of danger of shipwreck or collision," added Professor Gray.

"Well, I'm sure that we are a peculiarly favored lot of travelers," said Fred, turning to the organ and playing "Away with Melancholy," with great spirit.

"How does the temperature in the globe keep up?" asked the Professor of Will.

"I am astonished, Professor," he replied, "it has scarcely varied a degree since starting, now two hours, and we are burning no fuel at all at present."

"That is truly wonderful," answered the Professor. "At this rate we are not likely to run out of fuel."

"No," said Will, "we are safe on that score."

The Doctor and Will now ascended to the observatory. Professor Gray and Denison sat beside the ladies upon the balcony. Each was studying the topography of the country with the aid of their field glasses.

"See the people everywhere and all waving their handkerchiefs at us," exclaimed Mattie.

"How distinctly we can see their white upturned faces, and how they do shout," remarked Mrs. Jones.

"I can see photographers catching snap shots at us," said Denison.

"I dare say that the telegraph and telephone wires are being kept busy over us," said Fred, who had just joined the group.

"Not a doubt of it," answered the Professor, "not only in America, but all over Christendom."

Dr. Jones and Will now returned from their aerie, the observatory.

"Whew!" exclaimed the Doctor; "if that isn't exercise for you!"

"What is the temperature now?" asked the Professor.

"One hundred and thirty degrees," replied Will. "It has cooled off a few degrees."

"Yes, we have descended to the twenty-five hundred foot level," remarked the Professor, after consulting the barometer.

"She will skim along many hours before we need to fire up," returned Will.

"And how is the view from the observatory?" inquired Denison of the Doctor.

"That is the sight of a lifetime," cried Dr. Jones. "Language is utterly inadequate to describe it. With the vast, unobstructed view on all sides, far as the eye can reach, the great glistening rotund sides of the globe rolling away from beneath your feet, giving one a sensation as if about to slide off into the awful chasm below, I assure you that it is something fearful. But I cast my eye up the shining mast and saw the stars and stripes floating there so calmly and serenely, and I remembered our glorious mission, and instantly I felt the Everlasting Arms about me. I realized as never before in my life, the utter littleness of man, and the almightiness of