Aunt
Loish, but dot vos a goot choke on you. Dot vos Gunpowder dee mitout any
mishtake,' and again he howled with laughter.

The long and short of the matter was, that Pete had bought a pound of
tea and a pound of gunpowder, and had put the two packages into the same
pocket before getting drunk. During his drunken brawling and fighting
the papers had become broken, with the result related."

The evening was balmy and beautiful, and they promenaded about the
balcony until the shades of night had set in. The twinkling lights of
the towns and farmhouses began to appear. They were passing over the
mountainous region of southeastern Pennsylvania, and the globe had
ascended to the four thousand foot level. The wind had shifted to nearly
due west.

"Where are we now, Doctor?" asked Mattie.

"We are crossing the southern portion of Pennsylvania. We are traveling
nearly due west. I shall seek a more northerly current to-morrow morning
if this wind does not become more favorable by that time."

They finally tired of walking and sat conversing until nearly ten
o'clock, when, by general consent, they retired, except Will, who
remained up to keep a lookout, and to watch the barometer and
thermometer.

CHAPTER VIII.

Relating how the Beautiful Picnic Progressed.

Shortly before six o'clock all arose. The Doctor and his wife, at her
earnest solicitation, ascended to the observatory to witness the
sunrise. Mattie had manifested symptoms of vertigo that morning on first
looking out, and decided not to go up with them. The exertion of
climbing that long flight of stairs flushed the lovely face of Mrs.
Jones, and her cheeks were like twin roses when they reached the
observatory. Once there, she was glad to sit and rest. The Doctor opened
the windows and then sat beside her. Mrs. Jones sat quiet and dumb,
hands clasped, looking out upon the most glorious scene her eyes had
ever beheld. The sun was just peeping above the horizon. The painting of
the clouds; the variegated face of the earth; the pure, balmy
atmosphere; the great globe beneath their feet; the exquisitely graceful
shaft that pierced the vault nearly one hundred feet above their heads,
bearing our beautiful symbol of liberty; all these, combined with the
inspiration that always attends looking out upon the works of God from
great elevations, thrilled the souls of the two spectators as they had
never been before in their lives. Thus they sat in silence drinkin