“Pshaw! don't be foolish!” she exclaimed thanklessly. “Followed by father in a light gig, drawn by a spirited horse. Overtakes lovers--demands his daughter--young man respectfully declines to give her up. Old gentleman prepares to come and take her. Is about to descend from gig when steamroller whistles, spirited horse begins to prance, he is obliged to keep tight hold of reins----” “Very good!” I put in approvingly. “Stern parent threatens direst vengeance, horse cavorts alarmingly, parent rages unavailingly, resolute lover pushes throttle wide open with one hand and retains firm grip upon the helm with the other.” “While the devoted loveress, with her own dainty hands, shovels in coal and encourages him to stand firm----” “By the way, that reminds me of something,” I interrupted and, getting off my elevated seat, I bent down and opened the furnace-door; “I rather think I should have given Antaeus his supper before now.” In truth, I had neglected the fire altogether too long. I hastily threw in more coal, but it was already too late to avert the consequences of my forgetfulness. The pressure of steam was diminishing and continued to diminish in spite of all my efforts to prevent it. Back fell the indicator upon the dial, and more and more slowly worked the machinery as the power behind it became less and less. “We shall not reach the top of the hill at the present rate,” remarked my companion. “The vital spark appears to be in danger of extinction, so to speak.” “In very great danger,” I sorrowfully assented as, with one last feeble effort, Antaeus wearily gave up the struggle. “Nor is that the worst of it,” I added, filled with a sudden apprehension. “What do you mean?” she asked, disquieted by my manner, though not yet divining the inevitable outcome of the existing state of affairs. “You had better descend to _terra firma_ unless you want to go back down hill faster than you came up,” I replied significantly. “Oh!” she exclaimed, comprehending the danger. “Yes; the attraction of gravitation is going to take us back a deal faster than Antaeus ever traveled before. Shall I help you out?” “Can't you put on the brakes?” “There are none; the builders of this machine did not foresee such a contingency as this. It was not to be supposed that Antaeus ever would fall into the unskillful hands of a bungling, blundering amateur,” said I, calling up hard names for myself from out of the depths of my humiliation. “Don't reproach yourself,” she begged; “it is I who am to be blamed.” “Shall I not help you out before it is too late?” I interposed, as Antaeus began to gather way. “What are you going to do,” she demanded. “Oh, I shall stick to the ship,” I answered grimly. “But you will get hurt if you do,” she objected. “Antaeus will get hurt if I don't. Come!” “No; I shall stay on board, too,” she declared heroically. “Now don't try and persuade me to desert, for I shall not do it. Can't I be of some use?”