wder Te

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

he clouds a good share of the time, with not

ve not given up practice," said he. "There is no telling how many pa

and appurtenances of the wonderful sky-ship, now ha

e 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 cas

id Will. (We shall take the liberty of using the give

looks inside, it is hard to realize that we are flying at the rate of nearly

of any sort appreciable. How decidedly superior to car or steamboa

of shipwreck or collisio

t of travelers," said Fred, turning to the organ an

in the globe keep up?" a

scarcely varied a degree since starting, now two h

d the Professor. "At this rate we

, "we are safe

and Denison sat beside the ladies upon the balcony. Each was studyin

d all waving their handkerchi

white upturned faces, and how the

rs catching snap shots

hone wires are being kept busy over us,"

he Professor, "not only in Amer

returned from their a

Doctor; "if that isn

erature now?" ask

rees," replied Will. "It ha

ive hundred foot level," remarked the P

y hours before we need t

the observatory?" inquir

ne 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 inst

at a hush fell upon the company for a few moments. Then Mrs. Jones sat at the

he promises of

l ages let his

ighest, I can

the promis

he Doctor and Will and Denison sang bass; Fred and Professor Gray tenor, Mattie alto, and Mrs. Jones soprano. Mattie possessed an exceedingly rich contralto, while Mrs. Jones' soprano w

heap likee," w

of the Skies' to sing th

't that poetic and appropriate? The Children of the Ski

t, and clean they all were! The ceilings, walls, floors, and furniture, all of that marvelous metal, aluminum. Rugs laid about as required were the only covering upon the floors. At six o'clock, Sing announced dinner. As they repaired to the dining-room and sat in the dainty aluminum chairs about the aluminum table, set with a complete se

enses than one," remarked Fred

ones, "we have picked

the genial Doctor, from the lower end of

ly. "Your picnic is turning out to be a grande

out of the window. "I had my ideas up pretty high, but I must ad

of forty miles an hour or more. I have spent an hour at such a table more than once, looking out of the great windo

the meal. Mrs. Jones, who sat at the

hip," said Professor Gray. "Now, this tea is remarkably fragrant and delicious. It is

or no tannic acid, and is not nearly so deleterious to weak stomachs as other varieties. Speaking of teas, I suppose that you hav

ng expressed to hear

nstead of becoming a millionaire. But, by dint of hard work, grandfather prospered as well as his neighbors, and was content. In course of time, a hired man became a necessary fixture upon the farm, and for many years Pete Wiggs, an honest, hardworking German, was grandfather's right-hand man. But Pete, jewel of a farmhand though he was, possessed one serious flaw: he would have a periodical spree. But, so considerate was he, that he always chose a time for his sprees when 'Dere really vos notting else to do, U

Lois, so I vill

ed as usual, semi-intoxicated, and l

d I gif you dot Gunpowder dee

e reason the tea was so called was because part of it so much resembled gunpowder. So she thanked the thoughtful Dutchman most kindly, and set it away carefully. A few evenings later she

sted the new beverage. Each felt that a great event was at hand, and the fate of Gunpowder tea was about to be settled, once and forever, in that settlement. So Aunt Joanna, fully alive to a sense of her position and responsibility, with great deliberation took a generous sip of the candidate for social favor. Her eyes filled with t

ow do you like

would condescend to reply. She compl

ly screamed, 'What horri

ois,' said Aunt Joan with grim

ut this,' said grandmother. 'I'l

and said: 'Pete, what is the matter with this tea? It has nearly poi

r, and he roared with laughter. 'Dunder und blixen, Aunt Loish, but dot vos a goot chok

gunpowder, and had put the two packages into the same pocket before getting drunk. During

winkling lights of the towns and farmhouses began to appear. They were passing over the mountainous region of southeas

now, Doctor?

ling nearly due west. I shall seek a more northerly current to-morr

clock, when, by general consent, they retired, except Will, who rema