the lower strata of air,
every mountain top was covered with foliage. We saw many mansions of
the Atvatabarese sculptured out of the solid rock and surrounded with
noble forests of tropical vegetation. We flapped our wings thirty
miles above Atvatabar, which lay, with its mountains, forests, lakes,
cities, temples and dwellings, beneath us like a map.

"We had flown for six or eight hours when a feeling of hunger
admonished us to partake of food. The tin trunk, which was our
commissariat department, had been towed behind us by means of a rope
during the entire journey.

[Illustration: I MOUNTED THE TRUNK AND PROPOSED THE HEALTH OF HER
MAJESTY, LYONE, QUEEN OF ATVATABAR.]

"'Flathootly,' said I, 'let us call a halt for refreshments.'

"'With all my heart,' said he; 'but how are we to howld the trunk up?'

"'Let us rise to the height of fifty miles again,' I replied, 'and
then it will stand on the air alone, like ourselves.'

"'You're a wise man, sorr,' said he. 'It's an illigant idea that we'll
adopt immediately.'

"Accordingly, we were soon once more in the region of no weight, where
we stood in the air as on land, Flathootly on one side of the trunk
and I on the other, to dine on its contents.

"Flathootly, opening the lid, brought forth some cold venison, which
he coolly laid on the air beside us, saying, 'Shtand there now till
you're wanted.' The venison quietly floated up against the side of the
trunk, that being the only force of gravity acting upon it. In like
manner he tossed around us a cold roast fowl, several varieties of
cooked vegetables, and some rich puddings. He also produced several
bottles of squang, the tokay of Atvatabar. These he flung downward,
but every bottle, after falling half a mile or so, slowly ascended,
and the entire bottles came back to us in a close cluster, as though
unwilling to leave us.

"It was a novel feast. We closed the lid of the trunk and spread a
napkin thereon, and at once began our repast. Flathootly rapidly
secured the floating dishes, and the food was demolished as easily as
though we stood on _terra firma_. I pulled a pudding off my back, and
Flathootly took from his neck the knives and forks that had clustered
there.

"The wine proved excellent. I mounted the trunk and proposed the
health of Her Majesty Lyone, Queen of Atvatabar, and the empyrean rang
with the enthusiasm invoked by the toast.

"Flathootly proposed the health of our noble master, His Excellen