"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.