"What!" roared J. T. Maston, "shall we not employ these remaining years of our life in perfecting fire-arms? Shall there never be a fresh opportunity of trying the ranges of projectiles? Shall the air never again be lighted with the glare of our guns? No international difficulty ever arise to enable us to declare war against some transatlantic power? Shall not the French sink one of our steamers, or the English, in defiance of the rights of nations, hang a few of our countrymen?" "No such luck," replied Colonel Blomsberry; "nothing of the kind is likely to happen; and even if it did, we should not profit by it. American susceptibility is fast declining, and we are all going to the dogs." "It is too true," replied J. T. Maston, with fresh violence; "there are a thousand grounds for fighting, and yet we don't fight. We save up our arms and legs for the benefit of nations who don't know what to do with them! But stop—without going out of one's way to find a cause for war—did not North America once belong to the English?" "Undoubtedly," replied Tom Hunter, stamping his crutch with fury. "Well then," replied J. T. Maston, "why should not England in her turn belong to the Americans?" "It would be but just and fair," returned Colonel Blomsberry. "Go and propose it to the President of the United States," cried J. T. Maston, "and see how he will receive you." "Bah!" growled Bilsby between the four teeth which the war had left him; "that will never do!" "By Jove!" cried J. T. Maston, "he mustn't count on my vote at the next election!" "Nor on ours," replied unanimously all the bellicose invalids. "Meanwhile," replied J. T. M., "allow me to say that, if I cannot get an opportunity to try my new mortars on a real field of battle, I shall say good-bye to the members of the Gun Club, and go and bury myself in the prairies of Arkansas!" "In that case we will accompany you," cried the others. Matters were in this unfortunate condition, and the club was threatened with approaching dissolution, when an unexpected circumstance occurred to prevent so deplorable a catastrophe. On the morrow after this conversation every member of the association received a sealed circular couched in the following terms:— "BALTIMORE, _Oct._ 3. "The President of the Gun Club has the honour to inform his colleagues that, at the meeting of the 5th instant, he will bring before them a communication of an extremely interesting nature. He requests, therefore, that they will make it convenient to attend in accordance with the present invitation.—Very cordially, Impey Barbicane, P.G.C." CHAPTER II. PRESIDENT BARBICANE'S COMMUNICATION.