“Oh, don’t make him mad! He’s going to do something now!” whispered Joe to Glenn. The wizard touched a spring; the breast of the eagle flew open, and within could be seen polished wheels and other portions of a complicated machinery. The old man next applied the blaze of the lamp to some spirits within, and in a very few minutes particles of steam could be seen to escape from the eagle’s nostrils. The wizard touched another spring, and the enormous bird strode out and paused in the centre of the area. “If you would behold the home of your youth, be it whithersoever it may, so that you name it, follow me, and your eyes shall gaze upon that spot within a few hours,” said the sage, as the wings of the stupendous eagle slowly unfolded, and rising to a horizontal position, uncovered a transparency in the side of the chest, through which could be seen a gorgeous couch within, sufficiently ample to contain two men, and separate from the fire and machinery by a partition of isinglass. “Come!” exclaimed the sage, opening the tortoise-shell door under the wing, and stepping into the couch. “Don’t do any such thing!” said Joe. “Ha! ha! ha! Do you think it can fly, Joe?” remarked Glenn, laughing. “It _will_ fly!” said the old man, emphatically; “and I charge you to be prepared to ascend beyond the clouds, if you have the courage to occupy a portion of my couch.” “Though I cannot believe it will rise at your bidding,” replied Glenn, “yet, should it do so, I must be permitted to regard you as being only flesh and blood, and as such, I do not hesitate to venture as much as another mortal will;” Baying which, our hero seated himself beside the reputed fire-wizard. The old man closed the door, and drawing forth a small compass (his companion intimating the course,) adjusted several screws within convenient reach, accordingly; he then pressed a small lever with his foot, and the wings, after quivering a moment, flapped quickly, and the great eagle darted almost perpendicularly up in the air, and was beyond the reach of vision in a very few seconds! When a certain height was attained, the wizard turned the bird in the course indicated by his companion. “What think you now of the fire-wizard!” demanded the sage, with an air of triumph. “Still that he is a man—but a great one—and this, the perfection of his art, the greatest extent the Supreme Being has permitted the mind of a man to attain!” replied Glenn, gazing in admiration at the countries far below, which he was passing with the velocity of a hurricane. “And still you fear not!” demanded the wizard. “And shall not!” replied Glenn, “so long as your features are composed.” The old man pressed his hand and smiled.