After airing opinions, and discussing the pros and cons of every argument brought forward, they all retired, soon to be lost in slumber. For several weeks longer they continued their work of observation and the collecting of specimens, still feeling, and at times seeing, their nebulous friends, and in vain they tried to solve the problem “why had they not felt the presences before, when they had been working so long under similar conditions?” As the weeks sped on, there began to be signs of failing health in the party; for the first time, first one and then another had to take a day’s rest, lying in his cabin. Although no pain was felt, there was prostration. Then this increased, and the day off extended into two or three at a time, the usual remedies altogether failing to restore chemical and physical balance. Finally, this came to such a pass that only half the number were working, Dennis himself being too ill to leave his cabin. Connecting this strange occurrence with something unknown in the air or emanating from the ground, they decided that it would be wise to leave, and bringing the work in hand to a speedy close, they entered the ship, fastened the net securely, and started the return journey with Dennis and half a dozen others ill in their berths. They had made all aërial observations in coming, so there was nothing to retard their progress; Ross took first turn at the switchboard, and a few minutes later they were rapidly ascending to the terrible heat and pressures and turbulence of the sun’s surface. Even as they ascended, the conditions of the invalids improved, and by the time the windows needed further masking they were able to sit up for a while, from which it was evident they had left behind something inimical to them. It had long been a subject of keen controversy whether the sun was solid, liquid or gaseous. It had been proved previously not to be solid, at least not entirely so, and, consequently, was generally accepted as being part gaseous and part either solid. or liquid, excellent and almost indisputable scientific proof having been forthcoming from the exponents of both theories, and as there was so much that was doubtful, the partisans of both beliefs could each make their case good in unanswerable argument. The adventures of the explorers, the continuous photographs in colour, and the spectrum photographs of the whole of the travels over the sun’s surface and the actual descent, would, when reproduced on the scoposolograph machine, show living, moving pictures in colour of the whole voyage, thus elucidating completely many of the mysteries of the sun, the mighty ruler and light-giver of the Solar system. CHAPTER XV _JOCI CAUSÂ_ “Look, the world tempts our eye And we would know it all.” (+Arnold.+)