s, just as you make a loaf
of sponge cake, Mrs. Blossom, where it was kept for several weeks. These
blocks weighed twenty tons each."

"Goodness! They were heavier than Mrs. Grimper's sponge cake!" exclaimed
Mrs. Blossom.

"Considerably," laughed the magnate. "The solid contents of each were
thirteen and a third cubic yards. How big a cubic block would that make
in feet, young gentlemen? I hope you are not neglecting your mathematics
for geography and sight-seeing."

"About seven feet," replied Louis, after some mental figuring.

"A little more than that," added the professor.

"Seven feet is about the height of the cabin of this ship, and one of
them would just stand up in it," continued Mr. Woolridge. "They made
thirty of them every day, and twenty-five thousand were required."

"This is about as wonderful as the immense work of the ancient
Egyptians," said Mrs. Belgrave.

"But all this labor was done by machinery. The moulds were removed from
the blocks, and they were exposed to the air in order to harden them
more effectually. They were then hoisted on peculiar boats, built for
the purpose, with an inclined deck, from which they were slid into the
sea. They made a tremendous splash when they were dumped overboard; and
it was a sight worth seeing if we had happened to be here twenty-four
years ago."

"It wasn't convaynient for some of us to be here at that time," said
Felix.

"That is so, my broth of a boy; but some things happened before you were
born, as well as since."

"Sure, the pyramids were built before your honor was barn."

"True for you; some things happened before I was born, and even before
the twin cupids came into the world; for I believe they are the oldest
persons on board," replied the magnate. "They kept dropping these
tremendous blocks into the sea till they came nearly to the level, and
then they built the walls as you see them now. I suppose you have
noticed that lighthouse on the little strip of land between the sea and
Lake Menzaleh. That is also built of these artificial stones, and it is
one hundred and sixty-four feet high. It is provided with electric
lights, which are to be seen from a distance of twenty-four miles. It
is, therefore, one of the largest in the world. I believe I have covered
the ground now, and I won't say anything about Port Said till we are
moored in the grand basin."

"You have disposed of the _pierres perdues_ very nicely indeed, Mr.
Woolridge," said the