floating island would float no more. It would sink."

"But then everybody on it would be drowned, wouldn't they?" said Bumpo.

"Oh no, not necessarily. That would depend on the depth of the sea where
the sinking took place. The island might touch bottom when it had only
gone down, say, a hundred feet. But there would be lots of it still
sticking up above the water then, wouldn't there?"

"Yes," said Bumpo, "I suppose there would. Well, let us hope that the
ponderous fragment does not lose its equilibriosity, for I don't believe
it would stop at the centre of the earth--more likely it would fall
right through the world and come out the other side."

Many other wonders there were which these men showed us in the central
regions of their island. But I have not time or space to tell you of
them now.

Descending towards the shore again, we noticed that we were still being
watched, even here among the highlands, by the Bag-jagderags who
had followed us. And when we put to sea once more a boatload of them
proceeded to go ahead of us in the direction of Popsipetel. Having
lighter canoes, they traveled faster than our party; and we judged that
they should reach the village--if that was where they were going--many
hours before we could.

The Doctor was now becoming anxious to see how Long Arrow was getting
on, so we all took turns at the paddles and went on traveling by
moonlight through the whole night.

We reached Popsipetel just as the dawn was breaking.

To our great surprise we found that not only we, but the whole village
also, had been up all night. A great crowd was gathered about the dead
chief's house. And as we landed our canoes upon the beach we saw a large
number of old men, the seniors of the tribe, coming out at the main
door.

We inquired what was the meaning of all this; and were told that the
election of a new chief had been going on all through the whole night.
Bumpo asked the name of the new chief; but this, it seemed, had not yet
been given out. It would be announced at mid-day.

As soon as the Doctor had paid a visit to Long Arrow and seen that he
was doing nicely, we proceeded to our own house at the far end of the
village. Here we ate some breakfast and then lay down to take a good
rest.

Rest, indeed, we needed; for life had been strenuous and busy for us
ever since we had landed on the island. And it wasn't many minutes after
our weary heads struck the pillows that the whole crew of us were