Like three schoolboys they approached the airship in great trepidation; up to a few minutes previously, for centuries everything brought near its surface had been instantly volatilised, irrespective of its substance and chemical composition; and in the first flush of excitement, they had joyfully flung their hats at the ship and they had struck the hitherto defiant Queen, now docile and manageable again, for the hats were resting on the supporting stage on which they had fallen—the first time for centuries that anything had passed that awful zone of destruction. Would _they_ pass, or become vaporous? Dennis insisted on being the first to venture, saying he could not allow others to do that from which he shrank, and amidst great emotion he grasped sleeves with both his friends, bade them good-bye, and one second later he was standing on the ladder top, where no living creature had expected to tread. The instant the anxious watchers saw Dennis touch the ladder they rushed for it and ran up like a couple of monkeys, reaching the platform almost as soon as he, and tingling with excited enthusiasm, the three passed through the vessel to the safe. Dennis knew from his papers where the keys were, and unlocking the desk drawer, the key of which had been handed down to him through the past generations as a sacred heirloom, he obtained the _Regina’s_ safe-keys, and soon the sheets of drawings and details were lying on the table, all three almost devouring them in their eagerness, for now the greatest secret of the world was about to be disclosed. Their scientific matter-of-factness gave place to boyish and exuberant delight which could not be repressed. They took the precaution to reconstruct the protecting force to prevent intrusion—although the shed had been locked before putting their discovery to the test—and then they became so absorbed in the study of the minute descriptions of the mechanism and forces now at their disposal that twelve hours passed unheeded. “This is stupendous!” at length exclaimed Gilbert. “There is enough force here to destroy the world! And now we have gone through everything and know the principle, it is easy enough to work it blindfold, almost. But what’s the matter?” he asked, looking at Dennis, who stood perfectly still, listening. “I fancied I heard voices in the shed,” he replied, “but I am sure we locked the door, I went back to see.” “It would be awkward if any one came too near the ship,” said Ross; “although every one knows the danger. I’ll just look outside.” He stepped up to the observatory and was astonished to find the door down and the shed crowded with people. Calling the others up, the three stood and watched, and, gently opening the door a mere chink, they heard every word spoken below. The crowd was greatly excited, and one man, Richard Howett, the chief personage in the town, said,—