f prisms, and the floor was
covered with carpets that felt as soft beneath the foot as pillows of
eider-down.

As he entered the door the officer threw off his gray cloak, and his men
did likewise, disclosing to view the finest uniforms the prisoners had
ever seen. Captain Tradmos's legs were clothed in tights of light-blue
silk, and he wore a blue sack-coat of silk plush and a belt of pliant
gold, the buckles of which were ornamented with brilliant gems. His eyes
were dark and penetrating, and his black hair lay in glossy masses on
his shoulders. He had the head of an Apollo and a brow indicative of the
highest intellect.

Leaving his men in the first room that they entered, he gracefully
conducted his prisoners through another room to a small cabin in the
stern of the boat, and told them to make themselves comfortable on the
luxurious couches that lined the circular glass walls.

"Our journey will be of considerable length," he said, "and as you are
no doubt fatigued, you had better take all the rest you can get. I see
that you need food and have ordered a repast which will refresh you."
As he concluded he touched a button in the wall and instantly a table,
laden with substantial food, rare delicacies and wines, rose through
a trap-door in the floor. He smiled at the expressions of surprise on
their faces and touched a green bottle of wine with his white tapering
hand.

"The greater part of our journey will be under water, and our wines
are specially prepared to render us capable of subsisting on a rather
limited quantity of air during the voyage, so I advise you to partake of
them freely; you will find them very agreeable to the taste."

"We are very grateful," bowed Thorndyke, from his seat on a couch. "I am
sure no prisoners were ever more graciously or royally entertained. To
be your prisoner is a pleasure to be remembered."

"Till our heads are cut off, anyway," put in the irrepressible American.

Tradmos smiled good-humoredly.

"I shall leave you now," he said, and with a bow he withdrew.

"This is an adventure in earnest," whispered Johnston; "my stars! what
can they intend to do with us?"

"One of the first things will be to take us down to the bottom of this
lake where we saw them awhile ago, and I don't fancy it at all; what if
this blasted glass-case should burst? We may have dropped into a den of
outlaws on a gigantic scale, and it may be necessary to put us out of
the way to keep our mouths cl