The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

A MONTH IN ‘THE MOON. 337 trude and Fatima passed them with a hearty laugh at fheit own unaccustomed strength. ‘‘Took,’’ said Gertrude, holding out a rock that would have soutel a ton on theearth. ‘‘ Is this little stone of any use to you?”’ The work proceeded as rapidly as if Titans were the builders. In a few minutes the wall reached to the foot of Tehbali, and as the plaster solidified at once on account of the extreme dryness, their task was completed. Smith came back then, and spams by heart broken gestures that he had not found the baronet. After an instant’s reflection Norbert resolved to give the signal to return to the observatory. ‘‘ Perhaps,’’ he thought, ‘‘ Sir Bucephalus may have gone by another route, or he may be back soon.”’ There was no baronet to be seen in the drawing room, as they had hoped, but there were traces of his appetite. The lunch left on the table was half gone. Cold reat, ham, wine, biscuits, and dessert, had all been laid under _ contribution. In truth, Sir Bucephalus could not have eaten all that had disappeared. He must have taken some of it away with him. ‘‘T dare say,’’ said the doctor, ‘‘ that finding something interesting at the foot of the mountain, he hurried back to it at once.’’ The explanation seemed plausible, and was accepted by the company in default of any other solution. They took their seats at table without further delay. : ) ‘Well, we are glad to have found a good supply of air in that cave,”’’ said the doctor, when he had somewhat satisfied his appetite. ‘‘ But how will you manage to utilize it, my dear Mauny, now that, like another Eolus, you have succeeded in imprisoning it in your cavern? Do you intend to send us there for change of air now and then, just as I used to pack my patients off to Monte Carlo in those happy days when I did not practise on the moon? Or do you mean to put the air into barrels and transport it here ?’’ ‘“My plan is much simpler,’’ answered Norbert. ‘‘ You know that I began by boring a well down the middle of the mountain. If the bottom of the well is put into communication with the air reservoir, and a ventilator fitted to one of these windows, the whole of the observatory will have a suffi- cient supply.”’ ‘It is a good idea. But are you not afraid of being too generous with that precious air? Would it not be more prudent to restrain the supply to what is absolutely necessary, by passing it through rubber or leaden tube fur- nished witha tap? The tube would have to be of a considerable length, though, and probably you have not got such a thing in store.’’ ‘‘We have all that we require,’’ replied Norbert. ‘“There has not been much to complain of hitherto,’’ said the doctor. ‘* But it is really painful not to be able to exchange one’s thoughts outside this observatory! A bright idea occurred to mea little while ago. Why shouldn’t we learn the deaf and dumb language ?’’ (3) CONNICLOOKSsO