of yonder far-away
heavens, so marvellously clear, and bright, and peaceful in seeming!

Weakened by those terrible moments, Bruno and Waldo lay gasping,
trembling, faint of heart and ill of body, yet filling their lungs with
comparatively pure air,--pity there was so little of it to win!

Professor Featherwit still had thought and care for his nephews rather
than himself alone, and pantingly spoke, as he dragged himself to the
snug locker, where many important articles had been stowed away:

"Here--suck life--compressed air!"

With husky cries the brothers caught at the tubes offered, the method of
working which had so often been explained by their relative.

Once more the tube became a chamber, and that horrid force threatened
to flatten their bodies; but the worst had passed, for that precious
cylinder now gave them air to inhale, and they were enabled to wait for
the lifting of the cloud once more.

Thanks to this important agency, strength and energy both of body and
of mind now came back to the air-voyagers, and after a little they could
lift their heads to peer around them with growing wonder and curiosity.

There was little room left for doubting the wondrous truth, and yet
belief was past their powers during those first few minutes.

All around them whirled and sped those maddened winds, curling and
twisting, rising and falling, mixing in and out as though some unknown
power might be weaving the web of destiny.

Now dull, now brilliant, never twice the same, but ever changing in
colour as in shape, while stripes and zigzags of lightning played here
and there with terrifying menace, those walls of wind held an awfully
fascinating power for uncle and nephews.

From every side came deadened sounds which could bear but a single
interpretation: the tornado was still in rapid motion, was still tearing
and rending, crushing and battering, leaving dire destruction and ruin
to mark its advance, and these were the sounds that recorded its ugly
work.

In goodly measure revived by the compressed air, which was regulated
in flow to suit his requirements by a device of his own, Professor
Featherwit now looked around with something of his wonted animation,
heedless of his own peril for the moment, so great was his interest in
this marvellous happening.

So utterly incredible was it all that, during those first few minutes
of rallying powers, he dared not express the belief which was shaping
itself, gazing aroun