elevation interfered with the prospect, and it was not
until after the course of the air-ship had been materially changed, and
some little time had elapsed, that aught definite could be determined as
to the actual spread of that body of water.

This proved to be considerable, although it needed but a single look
into the professor's face to learn that his eager hopes and exalted
anticipations fell far short of realisation.

"Well, it's a sea all right," generously declared Waldo, giving a
vigorous sniff by way of strengthening his words. "I can smell the salt
clear from this. A sea, even if it isn't quite so large as others,--what
one might term a lower-case c!"

If nothing else, that generous effort brought its reward in the dry
little chuckle which escaped the professor's lips, and a kindly glow
showed through his glasses as he turned towards Waldo with a nod of
acknowledgment.

"Barring the salty scent, my dear boy, which probably finds birth in
your kindly imagination. So, on the whole, perhaps 'twould be just as
well to term it a lake."

"One of no mean dimensions, at any rate, uncle Phaeton."

"True, Bruno," with a nod of agreement, yet with forehead contracting
into a network of troubled lines. "Naturally so, and yet--surely this
must be merely a portion? Unless--yet I fail to see aught which might be
interpreted as being--"

Promptly responding to each touch of hand upon steering-gear, the
aeromotor swung smoothly around, sailing on even keel right into the
teeth of the gentle wind, by this time near enough to that body of water
for the air-voyagers to scan its surface: a considerable expanse, all
told, yet by no means of such magnitude as Professor Featherwit had
anticipated.

Too deeply absorbed in his own thoughts to notice the little cries and
ejaculations which came from the brothers, he caused the aerostat to
rise higher, slowly sweeping that extended field with his glasses.

He could see where several streams entered the body of water, coming
from opposite points of the compass, and thus confirming at least one
portion of his explained theory; but, so far as his visual powers went,
there was no other considerable body of water to be discovered.

"Yet, how can that contracted basin contain all the drainage from this
vast scope of country? How can we explain the stubborn fact of--What
now, lads?"

An abrupt break, but one caused by the eager cry and loud speech from
the lips of the younger Gil