"Why, what's the matter with the child!" Rebecca exclaimed, in alarm. "Air ye struck silly, Phoebe?" "No, but I guess you'd want to watch it too if you could see that ring we're tied to spinnin' round right close to the top of the pole. There--there!" she continued, shrilly. "It'll fly right off in another minute! There! Oh, dear!" Their attachment did indeed appear precarious. The increased speed acting through the inclined aeroplane had caused the vessel to rise sharply, and the rope had raised the ring by which it was attached to the pole until it came in contact with the steel ball at the top, when it could rise no farther. Here the iron ring was grinding against and under the retaining ball which alone prevented its slipping off the top of the pole. "I don't see's we'd be any wuss off ef we did come loose," said Rebecca, with eyes still closed. "At least we wouldn't be gummed here ez tight's if the walls was fly-paper." "No, but we'd fly off at a tangent into infinite space, Rebecca Wise," Phoebe said, sharply. "Where's that?" asked her sister. "I'll engage 'tain't any wuss place than the North Pole." "Why, it's off into the ether. There isn't any air there or anythin'. An' they say it's fifty times colder than the North Pole." "Who's ben there?" "Why, nobody--" Phoebe began. "Then let's drop it," snapped Rebecca. "Dr. Kane said the' was an open sea at the North Pole--an' I'm sick o' bein' told about places nobody's ever ben to before." Phoebe was somewhat offended at this and there was a long silence, during which she became more reassured touching the danger of breaking away from the Pole. Soon she, too, was able to shut her eyes. The silence was broken by a meek voice from under the table. "Would you mind settin' off my chist?" said Droop. There was no answer and he opened his eyes. His bewilderment and surprise were intense when he discovered his situation. Shutting his eyes again, he remarked: "What you flashin' that bright light in my eyes so often for?" Phoebe gave vent to a gentle sniff of contempt. "My--my--my!" Droop continued, in meek amazement. "I s'pose I must hev taken two whole bottles. I never, never felt so heavy's this before! What's the old Pan lyin' on it's side fer?" "'Tain't on its side," snapped Phoebe. "The old thing's run away, Copernicus Droop, an' it's all your fault." There was a quiver in her voice. "Run away!" said Droop, opening his eyes again. "Where to?" "Nowheres--jest whirlin'. Only it's goin' a mile a second, I do believe--an' it'll fly off the pole soon--an'--an' we'll all be killed!" she cried, bursting into tears. She dragged her hands with great difficulty to her face against which she found them pressed with considerable energy. Crying under these circumstances was so very unusual and uncomfortable that she soon gave it up. "Oh, I see! It's the side weight holds me here. Where are you?"