ueen
Ann and Tik-Tok. The officers rode in the rear seats. When all had
mounted to their places the dragon looked very like one of those
sightseeing wagons so common in big cities--only he had legs instead of
wheels.

"All ready?" asked Quox, and when they said they were he crawled to the
mouth of the Tube and put his head in.

"Good-bye, and good luck to you!" called Tubekins; but no one thought
to reply, because just then the dragon slid his great body into the
Tube and the journey to the other side of the world had begun.

At first they went so fast that they could scarcely catch their
breaths, but presently Quox slowed up and said with a sort of cackling
laugh:

"My scales! but that is some tumble. I think I shall take it easy and
fall slower, or I'm likely to get dizzy. Is it very far to the other
side of the world?"

"Haven't you ever been through this Tube before?" inquired Shaggy.

"Never. Nor has anyone else in our country; at least, not since I was
born."

"How long ago was that?" asked Betsy.

"That I was born? Oh, not very long ago. I'm only a mere child. If I
had not been sent on this journey, I would have celebrated my three
thousand and fifty-sixth birthday next Thursday. Mother was going to
make me a birthday cake with three thousand and fifty-six candles on
it; but now, of course, there will be no celebration, for I fear I
shall not get home in time for it."

"Three thousand and fifty-six years!" cried Betsy. "Why, I had no idea
anything could live that long!"

"My respected Ancestor, whom I would call a stupid old humbug if I had
not reformed, is so old that I am a mere baby compared with him," said
Quox. "He dates from the beginning of the world, and insists on telling
us stories of things that happened fifty thousand years ago, which are
of no interest at all to youngsters like me. In fact, Grandpa isn't up
to date. He lives altogether in the past, so I can't see any good
reason for his being alive to-day.... Are you people able to see your
way, or shall I turn on more light?"

"Oh, we can see very nicely, thank you; only there's nothing to see but
ourselves," answered Betsy.

This was true. The dragon's big eyes were like headlights on an
automobile and illuminated the Tube far ahead of them. Also he curled
his tail upward so that the electric light on the end of it enabled
them to see one another quite clearly. But the Tube itself was only
dark metal, smooth as glass but exactly th