nquired the little man,
condescendingly.

'It's only my sister Mary,' said one of the girls, 'as says she hopes his
lordship won't be frightened when he's in the car, and want to come out
again.'

'Make yourself easy about that there, my dear,' replied the little man.
'If he was so much as to move a inch without leave, Green would jist
fetch him a crack over the head with the telescope, as would send him
into the bottom of the basket in no time, and stun him till they come
down again.'

'Would he, though?' inquired the other man.

'Yes, would he,' replied the little one, 'and think nothing of it,
neither, if he was the king himself. Green's presence of mind is
wonderful.'

Just at this moment all eyes were directed to the preparations which were
being made for starting. The car was attached to the second balloon, the
two were brought pretty close together, and a military band commenced
playing, with a zeal and fervour which would render the most timid man in
existence but too happy to accept any means of quitting that particular
spot of earth on which they were stationed. Then Mr. Green, sen., and
his noble companion entered one car, and Mr. Green, jun., and _his_
companion the other; and then the balloons went up, and the aerial
travellers stood up, and the crowd outside roared with delight, and the
two gentlemen who had never ascended before, tried to wave their flags,
as if they were not nervous, but held on very fast all the while; and the
balloons were wafted gently away, our little friend solemnly protesting,
long after they were reduced to mere specks in the air, that he could
still distinguish the white hat of Mr. Green. The gardens disgorged
their multitudes, boys ran up and down screaming 'bal-loon;' and in all
the crowded thoroughfares people rushed out of their shops into the
middle of the road, and having stared up in the air at two little black
objects till they almost dislocated their necks, walked slowly in again,
perfectly satisfied.

The next day there was a grand account of the ascent in the morning
papers, and the public were informed how it was the finest day but four
in Mr. Green's remembrance; how they retained sight of the earth till
they lost it behind the clouds; and how the reflection of the balloon on
the undulating masses of vapour was gorgeously picturesque; together with
a little science about the refraction of the sun's rays, and some
mysterious hints respecting atmospheric he