crococcus
or heal the wound, and you are free from both. It being, therefore,
granted that the ills of life are in the air, we have but to find the
peculiar nature of the case in hand, its habits, tastes, and
constitution, in order to destroy it. Impoverish the soil on which it
thrives, before its arrival, if you can foresee the nature of the
inoculation to which you will be exposed, by a dilute solution of
itself, and supply it only with what it particularly dislikes. For an
already established tubercle requiring rapid action of the blood, such
as may well exist among the birds and vertebrates of Jupiter and
Saturn, I suggest a hypodermic rattlesnake injection, while hydrocyanic
acid and tarantula saliva may also come in well. The combinations that
so long destroyed us have already become our panacea."

"I see you have these poisons at your fingers' ends," said Ayrault,
"and we shall feel the utmost confidence in the remedies and directions
you prescribe."

They found that, in addition to their medicine-chest, they would have
to make room for the following articles, and also many more: six
shot-guns (three double-barrel 12-bores, three magazine 10-bores,)
three rifles, three revolvers; a large supply of ammunition (explosive
and solid balls), hunting-knives, fishing-tackle, compass, sextant,
geometrical instruments, canned food for forty days, appliance for
renewing air, clothing, rubber boots, apergetic apparatus,
protection-wires, aneroid barometer, and kodaks.

CHAPTER VIII.

GOOD-BYE.

At last the preparations were completed, and it was arranged that the
Callisto should begin its journey at eleven o'clock A. M., December
21st--the northern hemisphere's shortest day.

Though six months' operations could hardly be expected to have produced
much change in the inclination of the earth's axis, the autumn held on
wonderfully, and December was pronounced very mild. Fully a million
people were in and about Van Cortlandt Park hours before the time
announced for the start, and those near looked inquiringly at the trim
little air-ship, that, having done well on the trial trip, rested on
her longitudinal and transverse keels, with a battery of chemicals
alongside, to make sure of a full power supply.

The President and his Cabinet--including, of course, the shining lights
of the State and Navy Departments--came from Washington. These,
together with Mr. an