his neck, "I was slaping as swately as a child when I felt something
tickling me nose. I got up to see what was the matther wid me, and
sure enough found thim two rascals prowlin' about the deck. Whin they
saw me making a move they jumped back and roosted on the rail. I
wanted to catch howlt of wan of thim as a curiosity and I goes up to
the short fellow, an' says I, quite honey like: 'Good-marnin', sorr!
Could you give me a match to loight me pipe?' an' before the fellow
had time to know where he was I had howlt of him, wings an' all. Why,
he was as weak as wather, and I was knocking his head on the deck to
kape him quiet, whin the other fellow let fly and stuck his spear in
me neck, and whin I was trying to catch the second fellow the first
fellow got away. Be jabers, the next time I get the grip on either of
thim his mutton's cooked."

"I fear, Flathootly," said I, "you will never catch either of them
again. Don't you see they have got wings and can fly wherever they
like beyond reach?"

The two men that flew around the ship were strange beings. Their
complexions were bright yellow and their hair black. They were not
above five and a half feet in height, but possessed athletic frames.
Their wings were long polished blades of metal of a gleaming white,
like gigantic oars, which were moved by some powerful force (possibly
electricity) quite independent of the body. Their aerial blades
flashed and whirled in the sunlight with blinding rapidity. Their
attire consisted of what appeared to be leather tights covering the
legs, of a pale yellow tint with crimson metallic embroidery. The
dynamo and wings were fastened to a crimson jacket of unique shape
that supported the body in flight. Their heads were protected by white
metal helmets, and they wore tightly-fitting metal boots, reaching
half way up to the knee, the metal being arranged in overlapping
scales. Each flying man was armed with a spear and shields. The _tout
ensemble_ was a picture of agility and grace.

The sailors, now thoroughly awake, gave expression to loud
exclamations of surprise at the sight of the two strange flying men
wheeling around the ship overhead. Professor Starbottle thought that
the strangers must belong to some wealthy and civilized country, for
men in a savage state would be incapable of inventing such powers of
flight and presenting so ornate an appearance.

"They are soldiers," said Professor Rackiron; "see the spears and
shields they w