ber was brought
into the court-yard by a detachment of soldiers who nimbly unseated
themselves and slid down the smooth legs of the birds to the ground.

"I say, yer honor," said Flathootly to the governor, "have you any
insurance companies in this counthry?"

"Why, certainly," replied the governor.

"Then I want to inshure my loife if I have to mount a baste loike
that."

"Oh, I'll see that you are amply compensated for any injuries you may
sustain by falling off the machine," said the governor.

"Sorr, is yer word as good as yer bond?" inquired Flathootly.

"Certainly," replied the governor.

"Well thin, sorr, gimme yer bond," said Flathootly.

The governor duly put his signature to a statement that Flathootly
should be compensated for any injuries received in consequence of his
riding the bockhockid. Flathootly carefully deposited the document in
a little satchel he carried in his breast, and thereupon, sailor
fashion, climbed up the leg of the machine and seated himself on the
gold-embroidered saddle-cloth.

In like manner the sailors got seated on their machines, the entire
company forming an imposing phalanx. I found it quite easy to balance
myself on the two-legged monsters in consequence of the large base
given each leg by the outspreading toes.

While the sailors were getting seated a military band, composed of
fifty musicians, each mounted on a bockhockid, played the March of
Atvatabar in soul-stirring strains.

The word of command being given, the great doors of the court-yard
were flung open and forth issued the musicians with banners flying.
Then followed the seamen of the _Polar King_, led by the governor,
Koshnili and myself.

The excited populace cheered a hearty welcome. A brigade of five
thousand bockhockids fell into line as an escort of honor. The
ever-shining sun lent a brilliant effect to the pageant. Our
complexions were lighter than those of the Atvatabarese, who were
universally of a golden-yellow tint, and it was surprising to see how
fair the people appeared, considering that they lived in a land where
the sun never sets. None had a complexion darker than a rich
chocolate-brown color. This was accounted for by the fact that the
light of Swang was not half as intense as that of the outer sun in the
tropics. The diminutive size of the luminary counterbalanced its
proximity to the surrounding planet. The light that fell upon
Atvatabar was warm, genial, glowing, and rosy, imparting