“It won’t do to take it now—till I get to the ground. It might swell me up so big my weight would overcome the buoyancy of the feathers or break the ropes of the car; and then I’d fall like a gob of mud. I’ll have to wait till I’m out of the balloon before I make the experiment. And it may get me into trouble when I do take the stuff—I don’t know; it may poison me—or swell me up so fast I’ll burst. Well, I don’t know what else to try; so I’ve got to do it. Now I’ll just sail out over the town, the first thing, and see if I can find out what those Portuguese have done with Fitz—poor old chap! My! I almost wish I was out of all this mess of trouble, and back home.” He set the needle of the selector as he had seen the goblin do, and gave a slight turn to the thumb-screw; and the balloon instantly began to move toward the village a mile or so away. When his vessel had reached a position directly over the little town, Bob shut off the power and brought it to a standstill. Then he took his glass and peered down among the roofs and treetops. He saw the people congregated in the central square of the place. It was evident they were holding some sort of public meeting. A speaker upon an improvised platform was wildly talking and gesticulating; and the other villagers were listening intently, mouths agape. Bob could hear the words of the orator of the occasion, and was surprised and pleased to learn that he could understand their meaning. The man was saying: [Illustration] “My people, I’ve called you together here to determine what we shall do with this strange being that has landed upon our shores. The first thing to do, however, is to ascertain what the thing is. It’s not a man—that’s plain; and I’d like an expression of opinion from you as to what you consider it to be. Speak out, now.” “It’s a big green frog,” said one man. Bob smiled as he listened. “It’s a green parrot without feathers,” said another. Bob grinned. “It’s a green devil,” ventured a third. Bob chuckled. “It’s a green monkey,” opined a fourth. Bob laughed outright. And the peasants heard him, and cast their gaze aloft; and immediately began to gesticulate and vociferate excitedly. “I’m a goblin, you fools!” croaked a familiar voice. “I’m a goblin, I tell you!” Bob then saw his friend. The latter was confined in a parrot cage hanging upon a post in front of a building. The speaker—who, it was plain, was in authority—quieted the populace; and then he continued: “As you will perceive, there’s another one of the strange beings up there in that balloon. Now, my opinion is that they’re moon-men from the moon. As you all know, the moon’s made of green cheese; and that would account for the color of them.” “But the one up there _isn’t_ green,” a woman objected; “he’s _gray_.” “No doubt he’s old and faded,” the speaker explained. Bob laughed heartily; then listened intently, for the official was saying: