“The most wonderful and experienced inventor that now lives,” said Mercury. “He is centuries old but by the aid of a magic liquid he keeps himself alive and he is always inventing or harnessing nature’s forces to do his bidding until there is no telling when he will stop. One of the most unique things he ever invented was an artificial elephant so like life that even live elephants themselves were deceived and thought it alive like themselves. This elephant could travel on land, in the water or on its surface, with the speed of the wind.” “Stop, stop!” cried Harold. “What became of that elephant and its inventor?” “Well,” resumed the guide, “he took a notion to go to Earth, taking the elephant with him and I have never heard what he afterwards did with it, but he is back again at his beloved laboratory on Uranus working incessantly on another invention that will astonish the universe, so he says, when he completes it.” “And what is it to be?” cried the Prince. “Another air-ship, but of such large proportions and ease of handling that few people can even imagine anything as perfect.” “I am sure you would like to know what became of the elephant he took to the Earth,” said Harold, “and I will tell you. That elephant belongs to me and it is now on the Mercurian Island.” “What!” exclaimed the guide, “You own the elephant and it is now on the Mercurian Island?” “Yes,” replied Harold. “But will you kindly tell me how you ever got a big heavy thing like that up in Star-land?” “Certainly. The balloon carried it up.” “Balloon! Who ever heard of a balloon in connection with an elephant? I never did.” “Well, there was one and a very good one at that,” said Harold. “I believe you, of course, but if any one else had told me that a balloon could be strong enough to carry an elephant that size I would not have believed it possible, but I can believe anything any one tells me about what that wonderful old man can do.” They had now arrived at one of the gates of Hades. “Now let us start down through this first gate, make a tour of the interior and come out at the seventh gate,” suggested the guide. Just then a burst of flames and the suffocating fumes of sulphur poured out of one of the caves near by and nearly choked them. This settled the girls. They decided to remain where they were. “I hate to have you go down, dear,” said the Princess; “the fumes may suffocate you.” “Oh, no,” said the new guide who had arrived, “those fumes only arise when the fires are being replenished. These holes are like chimneys and no one can be entirely overcome. Attendants take good care of that for they are instructed to prolong the sufferings of their victims but not to kill them.” “What relentless, cruel people these long-faced, sly-looking Saturnians are,” exclaimed Ione. As the boys disappeared through the opening, the girls called after them, “Do be careful and hurry back.”