[Illustration: Sailing by the Moon] [Illustration] CHAPTER VII THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE WATER "Now we will drop down from the sky a way," said the little dark man, "and I hope soon to show you some other interesting things. But, madam, you must be ready to throw the green powder into the engine the moment I tell you to do so." Even as he spoke, the boat began to descend, and now struck the water with a soft splash. "Quick! the green powder now!" cried the little dark man. At that instant, the Widow Pickle tossed a pinch of the green powder into the furnace door, and, to her great surprise, the little ship settled down gently, the steam changed from blue to green in color, and the wheels began to turn around with a motion which sent the boat forward very quickly. "Mamma, mamma," cried Zuzu, "we are sinking! Look! We are going down!" Lulu also was very much excited, but the Private Secretary smilingly reassured them. "Of course," he said. "Did you suppose the Gee-Whiz Express would run upon the top of the water like any ordinary steamboat? Any one can build a boat like that." "But we'll all be drowned," cried the Widow Pickle. "Not in the least," said the Private Secretary. "We are five hundred feet beneath the surface of the sea at this present moment, and if we were going to be drowned we should have begun to feel strange long ago. Evidently, madam, you forgot the glass which covers us over. We can see through it distinctly, but it won't let any water in. I am sure we shall enjoy our voyage very much. Moreover, we have with us the Enchanted Banjo, and it will play for us whenever the Royal Heirs are so good as to assist it." The Banjo seemed to be in a jolly mood as well as the Royal Heirs, for as soon as the Twins grasped it together it rattled off at once into the following jingle: SONG OF THE ENCHANTED BANJO Once I was but a banjo of the ordinary sort Until a minstrel played me for the pleasure of the court, And quite by accident he struck the sweet and simple tune The Fairies love the dearest when they dance beneath the moon. Oh, it was most amazing, when to every one's surprise The Queen of all the Fairies came to view before their eyes! They gazed upon the Fairy Queen, and she smiled back at them She wore a robe of woven gold, with silver on the hem, Her wings were set with diamonds and made of golden gauze, And she was quite the finest Fairy Queen that ever was. She stopped before the royal court and held her place alone, Then bowed and gracefully sat down before the Royal Throne. The Fairy Queen then waved her wand; the minstrel stepped away, And I, suspended in the air, at once began to play; I played them all the Fairy tunes that ever have been made, And everybody knew the words to everything I played. I played before the Fairy Queen, and did my best, you see-- And therefore I enchanted her, then she enchanted me.