ll drop me first."

"Certainly," declared Rob, promptly.

This announcement seemed to be an encouragement to the little sailor,
but he said, nervously:

"I hope you'll keep near the water, for I haven't a good head for
heights--they always make me dizzy."

"Oh, if you don't want to go," began Rob, "I can easily--"

"But I do! I do! I do!" cried the little man, interrupting him. "I
shall die if you leave me behind!"

"Well, then, get your ropes, and we'll do the best we can," said the
boy.

They ran to the trees, around the trunks of which were clinging many
tendrils of greenish-brown vine which possessed remarkable strength.
With their knives they cut a long section of this vine, the ends of
which were then tied into loops large enough to permit the sailors to
sit in them comfortably. The connecting piece Rob padded with seaweed
gathered from the shore, to prevent its cutting into his shoulders.

"Now, then," he said, when all was ready, "take your places."

The sailors squatted in the loops, and Rob swung the vine over his
shoulders and turned the indicator of the traveling machine to "up."

As they slowly mounted into the sky the little sailor gave a squeal of
terror and clung to the boy's arm; but the other, although seemingly
anxious, sat quietly in his place and made no trouble.

"D--d--don't g--g--go so high!" stammered the little one, tremblingly;
"suppose we should f--f--fall!"

"Well, s'pose we should?" answered Rob, gruffly. "You couldn't drown
until you struck the water, so the higher we are the longer you'll live
in case of accident."

This phase of the question seemed to comfort the frightened fellow
somewhat; but, as he said, he had not a good head for heights, and so
continued to tremble in spite of his resolve to be brave.

The weight on Rob's shoulders was not so great as he had feared, the
traveling machine seeming to give a certain lightness and buoyancy to
everything that came into contact with its wearer.

As soon as he had reached a sufficient elevation to admit of good speed
he turned the indicator once more to the east and began moving rapidly
through the air, the shipwrecked sailors dangling at either side.

"This is aw--aw--awful!" gasped the little one.

"Say, you shut up!" commanded the boy, angrily. "If your friend was as
big a coward as you are I'd drop you both this minute. Let go my arm
and keep quiet, if you want to reach land alive."

The fellow whimpered a li