shed
scientists stood by watching the operation with great interest.

To our complete surprise, my weight, instead of coming out an ounce and
a half, as it should have done, on the supposition that the mean density
of the asteroid resembled that of the earth--a very liberal supposition
on the side of the asteroid, by the way--actually came out five ounces
and a quarter!

"What in the world makes me so heavy?" I asked.

"Yes, indeed, what an elephant you have become," said Mr. Edison.

Lord Kelvin screwed his eyeglass in his eye, and carefully inspected
the balance.

Weight, Five and a Quarter Ounces.

"It's quite right," he said. "You do indeed weigh five ounces and a
quarter. Too much; altogether too much," he added. "You shouldn't do it,
you know."

"Perhaps the fault is in the asteroid," suggested Professor Sylvanus
P. Thompson.

"Quite so," exclaimed Lord Kelvin, a look of sudden comprehension
overspreading his features. "No doubt it is the internal constitution
of the asteroid which is the cause of the anomaly. We must look into
that. Let me see? This gentleman's weight is three and one-half times
as great as it ought to be. What element is there whose density exceeds
the mean density of the earth in about that proportion?"

"Gold," exclaimed one of the party.

The Golden Asteroid!

For a moment we were startled beyond expression. The truth had flashed
upon us.

This must be a golden planet--this little asteroid. If it were not
composed internally of gold it could never have made me weigh three
times more than I ought to weigh.

"But where is the gold?" cried one.

"Covered up, of course," said Lord Kelvin. "Buried in star dust. This
asteroid could not have continued to travel for millions of years through
regions of space strewn with meteoric particles without becoming covered
with the inevitable dust and grime of such a journey. We must dig down,
and then doubtless we shall find the metal."

This hint was instantly acted upon. Something that would serve for a
spade was seized by one of the men, and in a few minutes a hole had been
dug in the comparatively light soil of the asteroid.

The Precious Metal Discovered.

I shall never forget the sight, nor the exclamations of wonder that
broke forth from all of us standing around, when the yellow gleam of the
precious metal appeared under the "star dust." Collected in huge masses
it reflected the light of the sun from its hiding place.

E