“All serene!” was the reply as the ship was brought round and lowered between the two others, an anchor let down which sucked on the turf, and a pleasant-looking young man was soon standing beside them, to be cordially greeted by Ross, who introduced him to Gilbert as Dennis Oakland of electrical fame, and turning to Dennis, continued, “and this is Gilbert Eastern, the eminent physicist; you know him by repute, and I am much pleased to make such great men acquainted with each other.” “And here’s Ross Ainley, the greatest electrician of the day—barring yourself, of course—the world’s expert!” mimicked Gilbert. “Oh, I’ve known him some time,” responded Dennis, laughing; “let me grasp arms with you,” he continued, in high pleasure, and they each laid a hand on that particular portion of the other’s sleeve which is specially reserved for cordial greetings, and which is situated on the upper arm over the biceps; every one being required by law to keep this part highly antiseptic. This very friendly greeting over, Dennis resumed,— “What a lucky dog I am to run across you here in this way. I never miss an opportunity of making friends and having a chat with every one I meet, but I never dreamed of such luck as this when I saw your two ships chumming together like a couple of love birds!” and Dennis went gleefully on till they all felt as if they had known one another for years. They passed from ship to ship, their respective owners explaining the chief features and special appliances that each possessed, and thus several hours wore away. Twilight came long ere they had finished and Bona shone with a fitful light owing to the clouds which had been slowly gathering, but as she rose in the heavens the sky became clearer and the country was flooded with her brilliant beams, the three ships, now almost motionless, casting dark shadows on the ground. “I see it is Bona’s night out,” said Dennis, looking up at the large and brilliant disc on which with the naked eye could be discerned continents and seas, the latter showing like white enamel. “I prefer it to old Luna myself,” said Gilbert, “although many folk swear by Luna yet. It must have been a tremendous shock to bring Bona where she is.” “Yes,” agreed Ross. “Eastern and I, Oakland, were comparing the past with the present when you joined us, and he maintains that the present times are unequalled, but I consider that we have arrived at such a stage of ultra science that there must be a reaction.” “I agree with you,” replied Dennis. “It is always so. There never has been a perfect equilibrium in the affairs of nations and never will be. We peg away at one scale, filling it till it goes down with a bump, and then it dawns on our woolly brains that we have overdone it, so we let that scale severely alone and work away at the other till that goes down with a bump too. Then we empty both and begin again, to repeat the blunder.”