lespie.

"Looky yonder! Isn't that one o' those sour-us dictionary fellows on a
bender? Isn't that--but I don't--no, it's only--"

"Only a partly decayed tree gone afloat!" volunteered Bruno, with a
merry laugh, as his eager brother drew back in evident chagrin.

"Well, that's all right. It ought to've been one, even if it isn't.
What's the use in coming all this way, if we're not going to discover
something beyond the common? And my sour-us is worth more than one of
the other kind, after all; get it ashore and you might cook dinner for a
solid month by it; now there!"

It was easily to be seen that Waldo had been giving free rein to his
expectations ever since the professor's little lecture, but his natural
chagrin was quickly forgotten in a matter of far greater interest.

Professor Featherwit had resumed his scrutiny of yonder body of water,
slowly turning his glasses while holding the air-ship on a true course
and even keel.

For a brief space nothing interfered with the steady motion of
the field-glasses, but then something called for a more thorough
examination, and little by little the savant leaned farther forward,
breath coming more rapidly, face beginning to flush with deepening
interest.

Bruno took note of all this, and, failing to see aught to account for
the symptoms with unaided eyes, at length ventured to speak.

"What is it, uncle Phaeton? Something of interest, or your looks--"

Professor Featherwit gave a start, then lowered the glasses and reached
them towards his nephew, speaking hurriedly:

"You try them, Bruno; your eyes are younger, and ought to be keener than
mine. Yonder; towards the lower end of the--the lake, please."

Nothing loath, Gillespie complied, quickly finding the correct point
upon which the professor's interest had centred, holding the glasses
motionless for a brief space, then giving vent to an eager ejaculation.

"What is it all about, bless you, boy?" demanded Waldo, unable longer to
curb his hot impatience. "Another drifting tree, eh?"

"No, but,--did you see it, uncle?"

"I saw something which--what do YOU see, first?"

"A great big suck,--a monster whirlpool which is hollowed like--"

"I knew it! I felt that must be the true solution of it all!" cried
uncle Phaeton, squirming about pretty much as one might into whose veins
had been injected quicksilver in place of ordinary blood. "The outlet!
Where the surplus waters drain off to the Pacific Ocean!"

"I sa