The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 144: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

336 A MONTH IN THE MOON. darling father is there so far from us, exposed to the horrors of a siege, and little dreaming that his daughter has been exiled to this place !”’ They went out on the esplanade, and for the first few minutes there was some confusion. Norbert had warned them of the new conditions they might expect to find outside ; but the two servants had failed to take in all his ex- planations. Their anos mal lightness was a great trouble to them. ‘They conducted themselves as if seized with an acute nervous fever. Virgil, wishing to look over the edge of the esplanade, was carried by his own impetus to a distance of forty yards at least. ‘This will be my death!’ he thought, as he flew through space. ‘‘ Or at ali events, I shall be dreadfully hurt !’’ he continued, picking himself up most carefully when he had reached the ground. No such thing! He was not even bruised ! As he turned round in amazement to measure the distance which he had traversed, a tolerably heavy mass came flying toward him. It was Smith, falling off the esplanade in his turn, led by the force of example-probably. He fell atop of Virgil ! . ‘This fellow will smash me!’ thought Virgil. But Smith proved as light as a feather, and did no harm whatever. This experience taught them to moderate their movements in proportion to the work to be done. They now hastened to join the others, and were soon at the mouth of the cavern. CHAPTER XXX.—A STRANGE INTRUSION. HERE a painful surprise awaited them. The baronet was not there, although a large heap of stones attested the ardor with which he must have worked. Norbert, thinking that he might have gone to get a few mouthfuls of fresh air in the crater, penetrated further in, calling him loudly. The subterranean echoes alone replied. Considerably alarmed, he lit several matches in succession, and began an exploration of the hole; but he had not gone ten paces before the useless- ness of the proceeding came home to him. : The hollow interior of the crater descended in a-gentle slope, so that there was no fear of a dangerous fall. On the other hand, Sir Bucephalus could not have ventured on a useless exploration without a light. It seemed, therefore, certain that he was not in the crater, and he must in all probability, have been tempted to visit one of the neighboring valleys. “Sir Bucephalus is not there,’’ said Norbert to Smith, who had followed him anxiously. ‘‘ You had better go and see if you can find- him. Meanwhile, we will commence work here, for there is not a minute to lose, and every instant’s delay costs us much precious air.’’ Smith obeyed, and the rest set to work vigorously. Virgil had already deposited the water and cement in a hole dug with the shovel, and, mixing the cement, he now laid it on the wall that was rapidly rising under Norbert’s hands. The doctor picked up the stones, and Ger- ecomichbooks:com