egan to call one another liars, and were ready to fly at each other to
prove the truth of their arguments.

"But the old and wise birds who had sent them out, listened to their
accounts with joy, and calmed their fighting propensities.

"'You mustn't quarrel among yourselves,' they said. 'We understand from
your reports that up north there are large mountain tracts, a big lake
region, great forest lands, a wide plain, and a big group of islands.
This is more than we have expected--more than many a mighty kingdom can
boast within its borders.'"

THE MOVING LANDSCAPE

_Saturday, June eighteenth_.

The boy had been reminded of the old Laplander's story because he
himself was now travelling over the country of which he had spoken. The
eagle told him that the expanse of coast which spread beneath them was
Westbottom, and that the blue ridges far to the west were in Lapland.

Only to be once more seated comfortably on Gorgo's back, after all that
he had suffered during the forest fire, was a pleasure. Besides, they
were having a fine trip. The flight was so easy that at times it seemed
as if they were standing still in the air. The eagle beat and beat his
wings, without appearing to move from the spot; on the other hand,
everything under them seemed in motion. The whole earth and all things
on it moved slowly southward. The forests, the fields, the fences, the
rivers, the cities, the islands, the sawmills--all were on the march.
The boy wondered whither they were bound. Had they grown tired of
standing so far north, and wished to move toward the south?

Amid all the objects in motion there was only one that stood still: that
was a railway train. It stood directly under them, for it was with the
train as with Gorgo--it could not move from the spot. The locomotive
sent forth smoke and sparks. The clatter of the wheels could be heard
all the way up to the boy, but the train did not seem to move. The
forests rushed by; the flag station rushed by; fences and telegraph
poles rushed by; but the train stood still. A broad river with a long
bridge came toward it, but the river and the bridge glided along under
the train with perfect ease. Finally a railway station appeared. The
station master stood on the platform with his red flag, and moved slowly
toward the train.

When he waved his little flag, the locomotive belched even darker smoke
curls than before, and whistled mournfully because it had to stand
still. All of a sudde