earth so far away.

Directly below and to the right of their course, as far as she could
see, there was one vast expanse of dark blue sea, gilded dazzlingly over
one portion where the sun's beams were reflected. Far ahead to the north
and as far behind them the sea was bordered with the fantastic curves of
a faint blue coast dotted and lined with the shadows of many a hill and
mountain. It was a map on which she was gazing. Nature's own map--the
only perfect chart in the world.

So new--so intensely, almost painfully, beautiful was this scene that
Phoebe stood transfixed--fascinated. She did not even think of
speaking.

The scene was not so new to Droop--and besides he was a prey to an
insistent appetite. His mental energies, therefore, sought expression in
speech.

Approaching Phoebe's side, he said:

"Mighty pretty, ain't it?"

She did not reply, so he continued:

"That water right under us is Hudson Strait. The ocean to the right is
the Atlantic. Ye can see Hudson's Bay off to the left out o' one o' them
windows. I've ben lookin' it up on the map."

He strolled toward the table, as if inviting Phoebe to see his chart
which lay there unrolled. She did not follow him.

"Yes," he continued, "that's Hudson Strait, and we're four miles high,
an' that's all I'll tell ye till I have my breakfast."

He gazed wistfully at Phoebe, who did not move or speak, but let her
eyes wander in awed delight over the wonders thus brought before them.

Just then Rebecca emerged from her room.

"Good-mornin'," she said. "I guess I'm late."

"Good-mornin', Cousin Rebecca; I guess ye are a mite late. Cousin
Phoebe won't move--so I'm sayin' we're four miles high an' right over
Hudson Strait, an' that's all I'll tell ye till I get my breakfast."

"Goodness me!" exclaimed Rebecca. "Ain't that mos' too high, Mr. Droop?"
She hurried to the window and looked out.

"Sakes alive!" she gasped.

She was silent for a moment, awed in her turn by the immensity of the
prospect.

"Why--but--it's all water underneath!" she exclaimed at last. "Ef we was
to fall now, we'd be drowned!"

"Now don't you be a mite skeert," said Droop, with reassuring
politeness. "We've ben scootin' along like this all night an'--an' the
fact is, I've got the kettle on--p'raps it's b'iled over."

Rebecca turned from the window at once and made for the kitchen.

"Phoebe," she said, briskly, "you set the table now an' I'll hev
breakfast ready in a twinklin'.