now the two Eds saw with delight that they were coming to the region
of circuses, side shows, and merry-go-rounds, and soon Mrs. Rovering
said, "Robert, I observe that we are approaching the Observatory. Let us
ascend by the elevator; it may give us an appetite for--"

"But I want to ride round on the lion," broke in Edward.

"And I want to see the Midgets," added Edgar. But Mr. Rovering having
noticed that the admission to the Observatory was fifteen cents,
children ten cents, thought it would be too bad if he did not take
advantage of the reduction to save a dime; so the four got in one of the
elevators, and rode to the top, which was several hundred feet above the
level of the sea.

The view from this lofty point was certainly very fine, and for a moment
or two the careful mother forgot all about her sons, while she tried to
make out through the telescope, under her husband's guidance, the exact
spot of ground on Staten Island where they had once held a
Fourth-of-July picnic.

At length she gave up the attempt, and turned around to look after the
boys. But neither of the Eds was to be seen.

There were but two persons besides themselves in the cage-like
compartment, so the children could not be lost in the crowd. With a cry
of horror, Mrs. Rovering rushed to the side, and peering down, down, far
below her, saw her two darling boys, stretched on the ground apparently
in the positions they had fallen, each leaning on an elbow.

"Let me to my sons!" shrieked the poor mother, tragically; and dragging
Mr. Rovering after her, she flew down the stairs only to find that both
the elevators were at the bottom of the tower. Then, with the music of
the merry-go-round organs ringing in her ears, and the beating of the
side-show drums trying to drown it, Mrs. Rovering fainted away.

When she came to herself she was reclining on two chairs on a hotel
piazza, staring at the notice, painted on the wall, "No baskets
allowed."

This fully restored her to her senses, and turning around, she saw the
two Eds calmly drinking milk from the great wooden cow near by.

It seemed that the boys had speedily grown tired of the tower, and
quietly slipping down stairs, had taken the elevator back to earth
again. Here they had thrown themselves on the ground, and were engaged
in counting up their pennies, in order to see, if they both took a ride
on the wooden lion, how much would remain for the Midgets, when their
mother missed them.