ment upon you, about--about you know what. Let me alone, and I'll
explain it all in a minute. It's a very simple thing, indeed. Captain
Smitherton says that yesterday was Sunday: so it was; he is right.
Cousin Bobby, and uncle and I say that to-day is Sunday: so it is; we
are right. Captain Pratt maintains that to-morrow will be Sunday: so it
will; he is right, too. The fact is, we are all right, and thus three
Sundays have come together in a week."

SMITHERTON. (After a pause.) "By the by, Pratt, Kate has us completely.
What fools we two are! Mr. Rumgudgeon, the matter stands thus: the
earth, you know, is twenty-four thousand miles in circumference.
Now this globe of the earth turns upon its own axis--revolves--spins
round--these twenty-four thousand miles of extent, going from west
to east, in precisely twenty-four hours. Do you understand Mr.
Rumgudgeon?-"

UNCLE. "To be sure--to be sure--Doctor Dub-"

SMITHERTON. (Drowning his voice.) "Well, sir; that is at the rate of one
thousand miles per hour. Now, suppose that I sail from this position a
thousand miles east. Of course I anticipate the rising of the sun here
at London by just one hour. I see the sun rise one hour before you
do. Proceeding, in the same direction, yet another thousand miles, I
anticipate the rising by two hours--another thousand, and I anticipate
it by three hours, and so on, until I go entirely round the globe, and
back to this spot, when, having gone twenty-four thousand miles east,
I anticipate the rising of the London sun by no less than twenty-four
hours; that is to say, I am a day in advance of your time. Understand,
eh?"

UNCLE. "But Double L. Dee-"

SMITHERTON. (Speaking very loud.) "Captain Pratt, on the contrary, when
he had sailed a thousand miles west of this position, was an hour, and
when he had sailed twenty-four thousand miles west, was twenty-four
hours, or one day, behind the time at London. Thus, with me, yesterday
was Sunday--thus, with you, to-day is Sunday--and thus, with Pratt,
to-morrow will be Sunday. And what is more, Mr. Rumgudgeon, it
is positively clear that we are all right; for there can be no
philosophical reason assigned why the idea of one of us should have
preference over that of the other."

UNCLE. "My eyes!--well, Kate--well, Bobby!--this is a judgment upon me,
as you say. But I am a man of my word--mark that! you shall have her,
boy, (plum and all), when you please. Done up, by Jove! Three Sundays
all