d upon it a small box.

"This is our contribution," he said in broken English.

The cover was lifted, and there darted, shimmering in the half-gloom of
the Chamber, a burst of iridescence from the box.

"My friends of the Western world," continued the King of Siam, "will be
interested in seeing this gem. Only once before has the eye of a
European been blessed with the sight of it. Your books will tell you
that in the seventeenth century a traveller, Tavernier, saw in India an
unmatched diamond which afterward disappeared like a meteor, and was
thought to have been lost from the earth. You all know the name of that
diamond and its history. It is the Great Mogul, and it lies before you.
How it came into my possession I shall not explain. At any rate, it is
honestly mine, and I freely contribute it here to aid in protecting my
native planet against those enemies who appear determined to destroy
it."

When the excitement which the appearance of this long lost treasure,
that had been the subject of so many romances and of such long and
fruitless search, had subsided, the President continued calling the
list, until he had completed it.

Upon taking the sum of the contributions (the Great Mogul was reckoned
at three millions) it was found to be still one thousand millions short
of the required amount.

The secretary of the Treasury was instantly on his feet.

"Mr. President," he said, "I think we can stand that addition. Let it be
added to the contribution of the United States of America."

When the cheers that greeted the conclusion of the business were over,
the President announced that the next affair of the Congress was to
select a director who should have entire charge of the preparations for
the war. It was the universal sentiment that no man could be so well
suited for this post as Mr. Edison himself. He was accordingly selected
by the unanimous and enthusiastic choice of the great assembly.

"How long a time do you require to put everything in readiness?" asked
the President.

"Give me _carte blanche_," replied Mr. Edison, "and I believe I can have
a hundred electric ships and three thousand disintegrators ready within
six months."

A tremendous cheer greeted this announcement.

"Your powers are unlimited," said the President, "draw on the fund for
as much money as you need," whereupon the Treasurer of the United States
was made the disbursing officer of the fund, and the meeting adjourned.

Not less th