n walked Secretary of State
Stillman, Secretary of the Navy Deepwaters, who was himself an old
sailor, Dr. Cortlandt, Ayrault. Vice-President Dumby, of the T. A. S.
Co., and two of the company's directors.

"Good-morning," said Bearwarden, as he shook hands with his visitors.
"Charmed to see you."

"That's a great invention," said Secretary Stillman, examining the
bellows. "We must get Congress to make an appropriation for its
introduction in the department buildings in Washington. You have no
idea how it dries my throat to be all the time shouting, 'Come in!'"

"Do you know, Bearwarden," said Secretary Deepwaters, "I'm afraid when
we have this millennium of climate every one will be so well satisfied
that our friend here (pointing to Secretary Stillman with his thumb)
will have nothing to do."

"I have sometimes thought some of the excitement will be gone, and the
struggle of the 'survival of the fittest' will become less
problematical," said Bearwarden.

"The earth seems destined to have a calm old age," said Cortlandt,
"unless we can look to the Cabinet to prevent it."

"This world will soon be a dull place. I wish we could leave it for a
change," said Ayrault. "I don't mean forever, of course, but just as
people have grown tired of remaining like plants in the places in which
they grew. Alan has been a caterpillar for untold ages; can he not
become the butterfly?"

"Since we have found out how to straighten the axis," said Deepwaters,
"might we not go one better, and improve the orbit as well?--increase
the difference between aphelion and perihelion, and give those that
still like a changing climate a chance, while incidentally we should
see more of the world--I mean the solar system--and, by enlarging the
parallax, be able to measure the distance of a greater number of fixed
stars. Put your helm hard down and shout 'Hard-a-lee!' You see, there
is nothing simpler. You keep her off now, and six months hence you let
her luff."

"That's an idea!" said Bearwarden. "Our orbit could be enough like
that of a comet to cross the orbits of both Venus and Mars; and the
climatic extremes would not be inconvenient. The whole earth being
simultaneously warmed or cooled, there would be no equinoctials or
storms resulting from changes on one part of the surface from intense
heat to intense cold; every part would have a twelve-hour day and
night, and none would be turned towards or from the sun for six months
a