ing our feet on that as yet untrodden spot, and of leaving a record
to that effect behind us."

At length the mercury fell to a little below eight inches, and there it
stopped; the limit of the _Flying Fish's_ buoyancy was reached.

The professor stood intently regarding the barometer tube for some time;
then he turned and said to his companions:

"Gentlemen, behold the indisputably lowest reading of the barometer
which man has ever witnessed, and which indicates that we are at this
moment farther from our mother earth than mortal has ever journeyed
before. Humboldt and Bonpland ascended Chimborazo to a height of
eighteen thousand five hundred and seventy-six feet. Gay-Lussac rose in
his balloon to the much higher elevation of twenty-three thousand feet,
only to be eclipsed by your own countryman, Green, who soared to the
astounding height of twenty-seven thousand six hundred feet. But it was
left for _us_, my friends, to achieve the crowning feat of aeronautical
science, by attaining to the extraordinary altitude of thirty-four
thousand six hundred feet, or more than six and a half miles of
perpendicular elevation above the sea-level. _Now_, Sir Reginald, what
think you of your latest acquisition, the _Flying Fish_?"

"I think her by far the most wonderful creation of which I have ever
heard or read, and," (with a bow to the professor) "every way worthy of
the truly remarkable man to whom she owes her existence. If her power
to penetrate the hitherto unexplored depths of the ocean is at all
commensurate with her ability to reach the higher regions of the air, I
foresee that our voyage is likely to be fruitful in startling incident
and in the discovery of many hitherto unsuspected secrets of nature.
Now, what do you propose that we shall next do, professor?"

"I propose," said von Schalckenberg, "that, having tested the _Flying
Fish's_ capabilities of merely rising into the air, we should now
ascertain what she can do in the way of _navigating_ the atmosphere;
after which we will try her powers as a submarine ship. The lowest
depression in the English Channel is to be found in a submarine valley
called the `Hurd Deep;' it is situate about six miles north of the
`Casquets,' and lies ninety-four fathoms (or five hundred and sixty-four
feet) below the surface of the water. I propose (subject to your
approval) to make for this spot and there sink to the bottom, taking
advantage of our presence there to make a fir