rendered them capable of disastrous misuse in the hands of the
evil-disposed, especially those enemies of society and the human race,
the Anarchists. Be that as it may, it was undoubtedly the fact that he
had discovered two hitherto unknown substances, the properties of which
would render them of priceless value whenever he should see fit to make
them known: the one being an unoxidisable metal of extraordinary
strength and tenacity, yet of so little weight that it was the lightest
known solid, to which he had given the name of _aethereum_; while the
other was a new power, derivable from certain chemically prepared
crystals which, treated in one way, yielded electricity in enormous
volumes, while, powdered and treated with a certain acid, they evolved
an expansive gas of stupendous potency, capable of being advantageously
used in place of any of the known explosives, or of steam. And it was
known to a few of the more intimate friends of the professor and of Sir
Reginald, that the former had designed and constructed of his wonderful
metal a marvellous ship, appropriately named the _Flying Fish_, capable
not only of navigating the surface of the ocean, but also of diving to
its extremest depth, and--more wonderful still--of soaring to hitherto
unapproachable altitudes of the earth's atmosphere. And it was further
known that in this extraordinary ship--constructed for and at the
expense of Sir Reginald Elphinstone--the baronet, the professor, and two
other daring spirits had already accomplished two voyages; on the first
of which they had actually succeeded in penetrating to the North Pole;
while, on the second, they had visited a hitherto unexplored region of
the great African continent, discovering the site and ruins of ancient
Ophir; and, of course, in both cases meeting with many astounding
adventures.

Such were the two men who unexpectedly met on the steps of the Migrants'
Club, and, after an interchange of greetings, made their way together to
the smoking-room of that rather exclusive institution, whither the
reader is now invited to follow them.

As we enter the apartment, unobserved, we note, with some astonishment,
that it is evidently one of the largest rooms in the building; the
reason being that the Migrants are, almost to a man, ardent devotees of
the goddess Nicotina; and as it seemed probable that the smoking-room
would be the most-used room in the building, they very wisely determined
that it should al