"Yes. There are innumerable mechanical advances, of course. You'll enjoy them." We were near enough now to see the city clearly. "What a splendid water front!" I cried. "Why, this is glorious." It surely was. The wide shores swung away, glittering in the pure sunlight. Staten Island lay behind us, a vision of terraced loveliness; the Jersey shore shone clear, no foul pall of oil smoke overhanging; the Brooklyn banks were banks of palaces, and Manhattan itself towered royally before us, all bordered with broad granite piers. "'Marginal mile after mile of smooth-running granite embankment,'" quoted Nellie. "'Broad steps of marble descending for the people to enter the water. White-pillared piers----" "Look at the water!" I cried, suddenly. "It's clear!" "Of course it's clear," she agreed laughingly. "This is a civilized country, I tell you." "I looked and looked. It was blue and bright in the distance; it was a clear, soft green beneath us. I saw a fish leap----" "So far I'm with you, anyhow," said I. "That certainly is a big step--and looks like a miracle. New York harbor _clean_! . . . How about customs?" I asked as we drew in. "Gone--clean forgotten--with a lot of other foolishness. The air ships settled that. We couldn't plant custom houses in the air, you see--along ten thousand miles of coast and border." I was watching the shore. There were plenty of people about, but strangely gay of aspect and bright-colored in raiment. I could see amusement piers--numbers of them--some evidently used as gymnasia, in some there was dancing. Motor cars of all descriptions ran swiftly and quietly about. Air ships, large and small, floated off, to the north and west mostly. The water was freckled with pleasure boats. I heard singing--and music. "Some new holiday?" I ventured. "Not at all," said my sister. "It is afternoon." She watched me, quizzically. "It is afternoon," she repeated. "Let that sink in!" It sank in, slowly. "Do you mean that no one works in the afternoon?" "No one--except those who don't work in the morning. Some kinds of work can't stop, of course; but most kinds can. I told you before--no one has to work more than two hours a day; most people work four. Why?" She saw my unbelieving stare. "Because we like to. Also because we are ambitious," she went on. "I told you of the gain we've made in 'the civilized world.' Not all of it is civilized. We are still missionary-ing. And while there is need of help anywhere on earth, most of us work overtime. Also it lays up public capital--we are planning some vast undertakings--and gives a wider margin for vacations." I was thinking in a hazy way of a world that was not tired, not driven, no nose on any grindstone; of a people who only had to work two hours--and worked four! Yet there was every evidence of increased wealth---- Suddenly Nellie gave a joyous little cry. "Why, there's Owen!" she waved her veil. "And there's Jerrold and Hallie!" She fairly danced with pleasure.