’Ay, ay, Bob. Theer be a lot in the way a ship be ballasted. But ’ow do she manage t’ keep up? That ’s what beats me! Them wings scarcely moves at all.’ ’Tom,’ said Reid, leaning over to speak almost in a whisper, ’don’t ye notice what queer sort o’ air this be ’ere? ’Tain’t a bit like ourn at ’ome.’ ’No, it ain’t. I notices that. What about it?’ ’It must be some o’ the liquid air I’ve read of, as scientific chaps thinks a lot of in our world. Depend on it, this is where it comes from!’ Tom slapped his thigh. ’Right ye are, mate! That explanations it. That ’s ’ow ’tis she floats like this ’ere. They be all a-livin’ ’ere in liquid air! An’ them wings bain’t wings at all! They be fins!’ Just then Monck drew Armeath’s attention to a comparatively large, heavy-looking airship which was just rising into the air from near where the _Ivenia_ lay. ’That,’ said he, ’is one of King Agrando’s war-vessels; or rather she was formerly a war-craft, but now she serves the purpose of a private yacht. She is just starting off to carry him and his people back to their own country.’ ’Is that far away, Mr Monck?’ Gerald asked. ’Yes. A pretty good distance as distances are reckoned on this globe.’ ’The farther away the better, I should say,’ muttered Jack. ’Good riddance go with him!’ A little while afterwards they neared a grand-looking mass of rock which rose abruptly from the plains below. It was a precipitous mountain, and upon its lofty summit, literally amongst the clouds, rose the noble towers and domes of the most stately building the strangers had ever seen. They realised at once that none of our earthly buildings could compare with this magnificent pile. As the yacht rose in the air, and they obtained a better view, their amazement increased, every moment exhibiting more clearly its vast proportions and revealing some fresh surprise. What it might be built of was a puzzle; for it shone through the rosy haze with a golden lustre, and looked a veritable fairy palace of the upper air. ’Wh-what is that wonderful sight? Is it another town—a real town—or an effect of sunlight among the clouds?’ gasped Gerald. ’That is King Ivanta’s palace,’ said Monck quietly. ’It is Alondra’s home—the place we are going to stay at.’ ’But how do you get to it?’ ’The way we are getting to it now; there is no other way. No person could climb up that mountain. There is no road, no path to it. It can only be approached by airship.’ Just then a hoarse shout was heard, and there came a loud clanging of bells and gongs. Amidst it all, Tom Clinch’s voice was clearly heard. ’Avast theer, ye galoots!’ he cried. ’Port yer helm, ye blunderin’ lubbers! Can’t ye see yer runnin’ inter us?’