the problem
to solve. All I say is, that if we have mastered the water and can
contrive a machine that will swim like a fish--"

"But we have not," said Vane.

"Indeed! Then what do you call an Atlantic liner, with the propeller in
its tail?"

"But that swims on the top of the water."

"Of course it does, because the people on board require air to breathe.
Otherwise it could be made to swim beneath the water as a fish does, and
at twenty miles an hour."

"Yes: I did not think of that."

"Well, as we have conquered the water to that extent, I do not see why
we should not master the air."

"We can rise in balloons."

"Yes, but the balloon is clumsy and unmanageable. It will not do."

"What then, sir?"

"That's it, my boy, what then? It is easy to contrive a piece of
mechanism with fans that will rise in the air, but when tried on a large
scale, to be of any real service, I'm afraid it would fail."

"Then why not something to fly like a bird or a bat?" said Vane eagerly.

"No; the power required to move the great flapping wings would be too
weighty for it; and, besides, I always feel that there is a something in
a bird or bat which enables it to make itself, bulk for bulk, the same
weight as the atmosphere."

"But that seems impossible," said Vane.

"Seems, but it may not be so. Fifty years ago the man would have been
laughed at who talked about sending a message to Australia and getting
the answer back the same day, but we do not think much of it now. We
would have thought of the Arabian Nights, and magicians, if a man had
spoken to some one miles away, then listened to his tiny whisper
answering back; but these telephonic communications are getting to be
common business matters now. Why, Vane, when I was a little boy
photography or light-writing was only being thought of: now people buy
accurate likenesses of celebrities at a penny a piece on barrows in
London streets."

Vane nodded.

"To go back to the flying," continued his companion, "I have thought and
dreamed over it a great deal, but without result. I am satisfied,
though, of one thing, and it is this, that some birds possess the power
of gliding about in the air merely by the exercise of their will. I
have watched great gulls floating along after a steamer at sea, by
merely keeping their wings extended. At times they would give a slight
flap or two, but not enough to affect their progress--it has appeared to
me more to preserve thei