"Come, Doctor," he cried. "Ho! for the North Pole. A glorious breeze from due South."

The Doctor joined him in a few moments, and they walked into the park. The aluminum flag fluttered straight toward the north. The Doctor expressed his delight, but there tugged at his heart the thought of leaving the poor girl who clung to him for her life. But he did not dare to mention this fact to Professor Gray. He knew that no merely sentimental grounds would have any weight with that gentleman, and that he (the Professor) would hold him strictly accountable to the Government for any unnecessary delay.

So, with a sigh, he announced to his party that they would sail as soon after breakfast as possible. The Count looked very much distressed, but said not a word. After breakfast the Doctor and Count repaired to Feodora's room. She had rested beautifully all night, and received them with a glad, smiling welcome. But when Dr. Jones announced that he must sail within two or three hours, her face became exceedingly sorrowful, and she said to him so gently and simply that it touched the hearts of the men more than tears could have ever done:

"And do you know what goes with you in your beautiful Silver Cloud?"

"I do not know that I do. What do you mean?"

"My life."

This unexpected reply caused the Doctor a terrible shock.

"O no! my dear young lady, you are doing splendidly. Just carry out my written instructions and you will do as well without me as you would with me."

"Dr. Jones, I appreciate your situation, and know that you have no right to remain here for my sake, or anyone's else. I will not try to persuade you to stay; but I know that when you have gone, Hope will have accompanied you, and I shall certainly die."

"My God! My God! Dr. Jones, I cannot endure this," groaned the Count, and great tears coursed down his cheeks.

"Let me talk with you a few moments privately," said the Doctor.

The Count led the way to his office, and when they were seated the Doctor began:

"Count Icanovich, I cannot leave you, and yet you see my situation. Professor Gray will not consent to an hour's unnecessary delay, and will hold me in strictest account to my Government."

"Cannot he be brought to consent to remain a few weeks?" asked the Count anxiously.

"Not all the gold in Russia would tempt him one moment," declared the Doctor emphatically.

"But you must not go and take my darling's life with you!" cried the Count desperately.

"Say 'shall not,' and you will hit it exactly," replied the little Doctor, winking shrewdly at the Count.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you no special power or authority in this section?"

"I have very great power if I choose to use it. Do I understand you to advise me to detain you by force?"

The Doctor grinned, gave a little Frenchy shrug of the shoulders, and said: "It would be treason to my country to advise you to do so, sir; but if you permit us to go, surely you cannot blame me for going. I very much prefer to stay, but only absolute force can prevent my going."

"I understand you perfectly, Doctor, and you need say no more," replied the Count, smiling grimly. "It had not occurred to me to treat my guests with such discourtesy; but you Americans have an adage, I have heard,—or is it English?—that a hint is as good as a kick. Well, you needn't kick me—unless I let you go. Now go up to my daughter and cheer her up with the news that you are forcibly detained, and will not sail till she is cured."

Here the two men clasped hands, threw open their mouths to their widest extent, and laughed long and—silently.

"But now run up to Feodora; she needs you badly, and I have some very important business to attend to."

So the Doctor again ascended to Feodora's room. He found there his wife and Mattie, all three in tears.

"Come, come, girls, wipe your eyes. Please leave me alone with Miss Feodora a few minutes. I will join you down stairs directly."

"And now," said he, "cheer right up. We are not going to leave you until your father consents. I have made the arrangement with him, but it must not be known to anyone else. You understand, do you not?"

"I do, Doctor, I do," she cried; "and I promise to get well as soon as I can, so as not to detain you any longer than necessary. I shall get well! I shall get well!" and she pressed his hand to her lips in the ecstacy of her joy.

"There, there," said he, a little sheepishly, withdrawing his hand, "go to sleep now, and come down to the drawing-room this afternoon."

He had been in the drawing-room but a moment or so when the Professor and Will rushed in, each very excited.

"Doctor!" cried Will, "what do you suppose the Count has done?"

"I don't know, I'm sure. What's the matter?"

"Well, by Jove, if he hasn't padlocked our cables, and very coolly informed us that we cannot sail until he gives us permission!"

"What can he possibly mean!" exclaimed the Doctor in well-assumed astonishment. "We must see about this matter. Where is he?"

"We left him at the globe," said the Professor. "I cannot comprehend the meaning of this. Let us go at once and see him."

"Surely he must be joking you," said the Doctor, as they walked rapidly toward Silver Cloud.

They found a group standing beneath the globe; and, as Will had said, every anchor and cable was heavily padlocked. Dr. Jones stepped briskly up to Count Icanovich and said with all the sharpness he could command: "What is the meaning of this, Sir Count? Why have you padlocked these cables?"

"Evidently I could have but one object; to prevent your casting them off."

"But why? What right have you to do so?"

"Simply the right of might. But come," said he, looking over the company, "let us talk this matter over together. Shall we return to the castle?"

"Suppose we ascend to the cabin," said the Doctor. "There we can talk without interruption."

So, two by two, they all ascended to the sittingroom of the cabin. The Doctor and Count were the first to go up.

"I shall make a great demonstration of anger, and may talk pretty sharply, Count, but you will know my meaning," said the former, as they landed in the engine-room.

"I perfectly understand; act your part, Doctor."

When they were all seated in the sittingroom, the Doctor immediately reiterated the question:

"What is the meaning of this high-handed proceeding, Count Icanovich?"

"It simply means that I cannot consent to let you go at present, Doctor Jones."

"And do you really mean to detain us by force?"

"I do, if necessary."

"Will you kindly tell us your object, and by what authority you dare to delay a United States' expedition? Do you not know that our Government will demand heavy reprisals for this action upon your part?"

"Allow me to answer your first question. When you landed among us a few days ago, you found us a despairing lot of invalids. We were simply waiting death as the only possible escape from our pains and distress. The change that you have brought about by your medical skill and knowledge is known to you all, and I need not dwell upon it. Our hearts are bursting with gratitude, and it pains me beyond measure to be thus obliged to use coercion; but my daughter's interests—her life—compel me to detain you. She declares that she cannot live if the Doctor leaves her, and I cannot and will not permit her only chance of recovery to thus fly away in the air. She is all I have on earth, and I swear that you shall stay until she consents to let you go."

"But, Count Icanovich, do you not see how impossible it is for us to remain?" asked Professor Gray.

"No; I only see how impossible it is for you to go."

"But look at the vast amount of money that our Government has intrusted us with for an express purpose. Having accepted this trust, our first and only duty is to that Government. And I tell you that whoever dares to detain us will have a heavy account to settle with a great and powerful nation."

"I perfectly appreciate all that, Professor Gray, and am ready to settle any indemnity that may be demanded of me. I tell you, one and all, that I count these things as but dross when compared with the life of my Feodora. She shall not die if any high-handed outrage that I can commit will prevent it. You have heard me."

The voyagers looked at one another in dismay. Here was a predicament that no one could have foreseen.

"How long is this delay likely to last?" asked Will.

"Just as long as the interests of my daughter's health demand it," returned the Count.

The Doctor gave a hypocritical groan that would have made his fortune upon the stage.

"How long will that be, Doctor?" asked Will.

"Three months, at least," was the reply.

The Professor duplicated the Doctor's groan with such emphasis that the party could not repress their smiles, and the two conspirators did not dare look at each other.

"Well, Professor, we'll have to accept the inevitable," said Dr. Jones. "Let's go down again and continue our studies of Russian customs and habits."

"Allow me to say, gentlemen, before we descend, that it is best that we should have a thorough understanding. I desire to treat you as my honored friends and guests, and to allow you every possible liberty and pleasure while here. Pledge me your word that you will not attempt to sail without my knowledge, or seek governmental interference, and all I have is at your command."

"Before I accede to your proposition, I wish to put one question: If Dr. Jones will consent to remain, will you permit the rest of the party to depart with the ship?" asked the Professor.

"I shall be delighted if you can make any such arrangement," quickly returned the Count.

"What do you say, Doctor?" cried Professor Gray, turning to him.

The Doctor pondered a moment or two, and then said:

"It is very great to be the discoverer of the North Pole, but it is very much greater to save a human life. My wife and Mattie will remain with me, but the rest of you may depart immediately if you wish."

"As for me," said Denison, promptly, "I shall stay with Dr. Jones."

Will and Fred looked at each other a moment, then Fred burst out:

"Let's stick together. The North Pole will be there just the same a few months later, and I do not blame Count Icanovich for detaining the Doctor under the circumstances. To use a beautiful Americanism, we may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. In one, in all."

"I stand with the majority," said Will.

"Well, gentlemen, I do not see but that I am in a hopeless minority, and must accept the Count's terms," sighed the Professor. "But say, Doctor, let me suggest one more idea before settling the matter definitely. Are there not men in Russia who practice your system, and who could fill your place satisfactorily in this case?"

"I presume there are, but I am unacquainted with them."

"But, gentlemen, my daughter will accept no substitute. I suggested the same idea to her, but she would not listen to it. It is Dr. Jones or nobody with her. There is no alternative. Dr. Jones must stay." This the Count said so decisively that further argument was mutually dropped as unavailing.

"Well, Sir Count, since fate is against our sailing until the recovery of the fair Feodora, I only hope her return to perfect health may be unprecedentedly rapid, and I hereby give you the required pledge." With this the Professor extended his hand to the Count. The latter seized it cordially, then shook hands with each of the rest of the company, saying:

"I am so glad that this unpleasant matter has been so easily and amicably adjusted. Let us go down now, and the only command that I put upon you is that you use my castle as your own, and that you come and go as you please."

They all thanked the noble Count, and the whole party set out for the castle. When they reached the drawing-room the Professor dropped into a chair and said: "I used to be of the opinion that the stories of the enchanted castles, Sleeping Beauties and Beasts were all childish fiction and romance. But, as the darky said, 'Heah we is.' We have the castle, the Beauty, and the Beast. Though I must say of the Beast that he is a very amiable old fellow, after all, and I would do just as he is doing under the circumstances. This Beauty must be awakened, and Dr. Jones is the Prince of Physicians who can do it."

"Thank you, Professor. And now, girls, take off your hats and cloaks," cried the Doctor. "We have concluded to stay with the Count a few months."

They looked at him to see if he were not joking.

"What do you mean, Doctor?" asked his wife. "Did you say that we were to stay here a few months?"

"Yes, my dear. The Count has persuaded me to remain until Feodora is so far recovered that we can safely leave her."

"Well now, I will tell you the truth; I am really glad to hear it." Then turning to the company, she proudly said: "This is just like him. I am sure that he would not only give up the North Pole, but the whole earth to save a human life."

"Come, come, sis," said the Doctor, blushing and confused, "you make me feel silly. Scatter off, now, and make yourselves at home. We must make the Count glad to get rid of us."



CHAPTER XV.

A Model Teacher and Ideal Student.

The days and weeks flew swiftly by. The fame of the great air-ship spread far and wide, and thousands of visitors came to inspect it and the wonderful voyagers. But what especially drew the people, and was talked of more than all else, was the marvelous skill of Dr. Jones as a healer. The beautiful Feodora improved from day to day, so that she daily drove with her devoted and constant companions, Mrs. Jones and Mattie. She began to eat heartily, gained flesh rapidly, and her cough had nearly left her. Roses of health assumed the place of hectic flush, and she was the talk and wonder of everyone who knew of her former hopeless condition.

Many were the consultations held by Dr. Jones, with the grateful and goodnatured Count for interpreter. Money and honors poured in upon him, though he never made any sort of charge for advice or medicine. The better class of patients invariably left upon the table one or more pieces of gold.

"Maggie, do you know that I have no idea of what to do with all this money? If it keeps on this way, I shall be obliged to found a college and hospital when we get back to Washington. Wouldn't it be grand if I could break down the prejudices and legal barriers in this great country, and establish our school upon an even footing with the old school?"

"The Count must have influence at court. I should think that he might be of great help to you," suggested Mrs. Jones.

"That is a good thought, and I will have a talk with him upon the subject at the first opportunity."

The Count, meantime, was closely watching the Doctor's methods and the results. He was delighted to note that many chronic cases recovered under the treatment; and acute diseases yielded as if by magic to his all-powerful infinitesimal doses.

"This is something utterly incomprehensible," he said to the Doctor one evening, as the friends sat with him in his office, smoking and talking. "Your medicines are working wonders, and yet I cannot understand how it is possible for so minute a particle as is contained in one of your doses to act so potently and profoundly upon a great mass of blood, flesh, and bones, like the human body. That it does so is beyond question. I have watched you carefully, and am thoroughly converted to your system."

"Wouldn't it be a glorious thing for Russia if this system of medicine could have at least an opportunity of being heard, and of exemplifying the fact that it is founded upon science, and that beside it there is no other?" cried Dr. Jones.

"Suppose you had an opportunity, by what method would you prove this system to be what you claim for it?" asked Professor Gray.

"By the only method that can satisfy the human mind—practical experience and demonstration. Nothing else will do. Theory is all well enough, but if it cannot stand the test of experiment it is of no sort of use. There is not a crowned head nor potentate in Europe before whom I would not gladly and fearlessly put my system to such test. Give me but a clear cut case—one that has not been spoiled by massive dosage or surgery, and I am willing that the system shall stand or fall by the result."

"That is perfectly fair, and I know, Doctor, that you would succeed," said the Count. "And I will say, further, that I am at your service to promulgate your system in Russia. I have influence at court, and I can put it to no better use than to help you present the system of medicine which you represent to those in a position to open our door to your school."

"If you will do that, sir, I shall never regret our having been blown out of our course into Russia. If I can thus be instrumental in the salvation of countless thousands of God's suffering children, I shall feel that I have not lived in vain, whether I ever reach the North Pole or not. Do not think, Professor, that I have in any degree lost interest in our original enterprise. But, meantime, I must do what I can for humanity when opportunity occurs."

"You are doing that, Doctor, and I heartily sympathize with you in your labors," answered the Professor. "I only insist that, when permitted by the fair Feodora, we sail immediately for our destination."

"That we will, Professor, and I promise not to enter into any arrangements that shall prevent our going as soon as possible," replied Dr. Jones.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," interrupted the Count, "but I wish to ask the Doctor for information. As you know, I have had a considerable amount of experience with the regular school of medicine, and you also know that I was thoroughly disgusted with it when you came so opportunely. I have carefully observed your methods, Dr. Jones, and I notice this essential difference between the two schools: The old school physicians are exceedingly particular in their examinations and explorations. They seem extremely worried about naming the disease and knowing the exact condition of the diseased tissues, but they do not appear to be able to manage the practical part of the business—cure. You, as a representative of the other system, do not lay so much stress upon these things, but do take cognizance of the symptoms in each case with surprising particularity. And I notice that you appear to base your prescription solely upon what you term the 'totality of symptoms.' How nearly am I right?"

"Count, you have apprehended the exact condition of things. It is well enough to know all we can of the state of the organ or organs that we are treating; but suppose I spend hours examining a patient with all the appliances known to medicine, and have determined to a certainty the name of the disease with which my patient is afflicted, I am now no nearer knowing the remedy indicated in this case than I was before I made the examination. I must go back and take all the symptoms into account, both subjective and objective before I can intelligently prescribe."

"I do not see, then, that it makes any difference whether you know all about the condition of the organs, or can name the disease or not," said Will.

"Good boy, Will," smiled the Doctor. "You're learning fast. It is an absolute fact that some of the best shots I ever made were where neither I, nor any living man, could make what we term the diagnosis—that is, name the disease. I will give you a case in point: A good many years ago, when I was quite a young physician, there came into my office a man who desired me to go with him and see a sick babe. I found the most miserable looking three months' old child I had ever seen. Nothing could exceed the emaciation and puniness of the little creature, and the mother was carrying it about upon a pillow. For six weeks it had cried night and day, almost incessantly, except when under the influence of opiates. Five old school doctors had done what they could, and at last had declared that it could not live. They had not been able to establish the diagnosis, and so were at sea as to treatment. I sat beside it and studied the case as closely as possible for more than an hour. There was but one peculiarity or symptom upon which to base a prescription. It was this: It would lie a few moments apparently asleep, then it would give a start and begin to scream with all its puny power. This would last one or two minutes, when it would as suddenly fall asleep again. This, they assured me, was the way it had performed all through its illness, except when opiated. 'Pains come and go suddenly.' That was all I had to go on. I could not locate the pains, nor by any possible means know what the cause of them was; but I did know, thank God, what was of infinitely greater importance: I knew the drug that had that particular symptom, and that was Belladonna. Into half a tumblerful of water I dropped five or six drops of the two hundredth dilution of that drug, and put a few drops of this medicated water into the poor little thing's mouth."

Here the Doctor stopped, knocked the ashes from his pipe, arose and started as if to leave the room.

"Hold on, Doctor," cried Fred; "I am very much interested in that baby. How did it come out on your Belladonna solution?"

"O yes! I should have said that it immediately went to sleep, and did not awaken for several hours. It never cried again, received no more medicine, and in a few weeks would have made a model picture for a patent baby food company. It only received the one little dose that I gave it."

"I declare," said the Count, laughing heartily, "that it sounds absurd beyond anything I ever heard in my life. Yet who has greater reason to know it to be absolutely true than myself. Go on, Doctor; I am prepared to believe anything you are pleased to tell us of your miraculous system."

"Before I go I think I will spin you one more story," said the Doctor, reseating himself. "This is what might be termed the reductio ad absurdum of prescribing merely for the disease by name, irrespective of symptomatology. I was called to see a poor Dutchman who was in the last stage of pulmonary consumption. He had just been brought home from a certain city, where he had been in a hospital for two or three months.

"Well, Hans," I said, "how did they use you at the hospital; they are very scientific there, you know, and must have done great things for you.'"

"O Doctor!" he groaned, "dondt speak aboudt dem fellers. Dey vos de piggest lot of shackasses I efer saw."

"Why, Hans, I am surprised at you! What did they do that did not please you?"

"Vell, I tells you. Ven I goes into dot hoshpital, dey oxamines mine lungs. Den dey puts me into a pedt mit a pig card hanging ofer mine hedt, und dere vos on dot card in pig letters, de vird, CONSUMPTION. I tink dey puts dot card dere to encourage me ven I looks at him. Und in a leedle pox py mine hedt, dey puts a pottle of medticine und say to me, 'You dakes a teaspoonful of dot efery dree hours.' So I do dot. It vos awful stuff but I sticks to him aboudt dree veeks. Den I can no more dake it. It makes me so seek to mine stummick dot I gan no more eat anyting. So I say to de steward von morning, 'I gan no more dake dot medticine. I must haf some oder kind.' Vell, sir, you should haf seen dot feller look at me. He lifts up his hands und says, 'I shoost adtmire you, Hans.' 'What for you adtmire me?' 'Pecause you vos de piggest kicker dot efer comes into dis hoshpital. Now look at yourself. You vos oxamined und put into de ped to which you pelong. Dere ish de card hanging ofer your hedt vot tells vot vos der matter mit you. Und den dere ish der medticine for consumption in de pottle py your hedt. Dot medticine is Doctor Smith's favorite prescription for dot disease. Und mit all dot you kicks. Vot more do you want?' 'Vell,' I say, 'I gan no more dake dot medticine. It makes me awful seek.' 'Now, Hans, dondt be so unreasonable. You pelongs to dot ped, und whoefer goes into dot ped dakes dot medticine. Dondt you see?' 'But I dells you dot I gan no more dake dot medticine. It vill kill me. If no oder medticine goes mit this ped, put me in some oder ped dot has a tifferent pottle, I cares not what it is.' But no, sir! dey keeps me in dot ped. So I spidts Doctor Smith's tam stuff into de slop bowl, und comes home so quick as I gan."

"I could hardly credit Hans' story, and told it as a joke to an old school physician who was familiar with the hospital where Hans had been. To my surprise he did not seem to see any joke in it. 'Can it be possible,' said I, 'that Hans told the truth?' 'Well,' said he, 'in all but one particular I think that he did.' 'And what was that particular?' I asked. 'The card above his head did not have on it, 'Consumption,' but 'Phthisis Pulmonalis.'"



CHAPTER XVI.

The Count Steps Over the Line.

The Silver Cloud's crew, if we may so term it, had busied themselves in various ways, according to their several dispositions and bents of mind. Dr. Jones was occupied more or less of the time with the invalids, who came to him from far and wide. The most inveterate cases of chronic diseases constituted the bulk of his practice, and the cures that he made were truly marvelous. The patience and interest of the Count never flagged a moment. He continued at his post and interpreted for the Doctor with surprising fidelity. Dr. Jones was so pleased with him that he explained to his noble student every case for which he proscribed, told him the name of the drug and precisely why he gave it. Surely here was a model teacher and an ideal student.

Let it not be inferred that our Doctor was infallible, nor that he always cured.

"There are many cases that are incurable, Sir Count, and we must learn to know them almost by intuition. The causes of failure are numerous, but you will notice that they are always to be found in the physician or patient; never in the law of cure. If I be not able to apprehend and duly estimate the symptoms of a given case, I must, of necessity, fail to cure. Or if the patient be unruly, stupid, or willful, he must pay the penalty. Frequently, the case has been rendered incurable by massive dosage or surgery. My system cures all that is curable when intelligently applied. And you will notice that in some instances there is an absolute dearth of symptoms. You also observe that I give them a dose and tell them to return in a week or ten days. When they return they often exhibit a splendid crop of symptoms, and I experience no trouble then in finding the remedy. These cases usually have a history of suppressed eruption. At some time in their lives the itch, or eczema, or some other skin trouble has been driven into their system by external medicaments in the form of ointments, washes, etc. Lifelong ailments, over which the old school have no control, are the result. A large percentage of chronic diseases are due to this cause alone."

And so, during their leisure hours, sitting in the Count's office, or peripatetically as they walked together in the park, the enthusiastic Doctor taught his willing and attentive pupil.

"Just see those two inseparables!" cried Feodora to Mrs. Jones and Mattie, as they sat by the front reception-room window, looking out upon the park. The Doctor and Count were promenading before the great building, the former with head erect, hands extended before him, lecturing upon his favorite theme. The towering figure of the Count strode along beside him, hands clasped behind and head bent well forward, listening attentively to every word.

"I do believe that my father will be so enthusiastic a convert to the Doctor's system, that he will get books and medicines and practice upon our poor people when you are gone," said Feodora.

"And he could not do a better thing," answered Mrs. Jones. "I have known laymen who made very fine prescribers. The Count could do a vast amount of good with a set of books and medicines."

"Then you can rest assured that he will do so," returned Feodora. "My father is a very benevolent man naturally, but was fast becoming a misanthrope when you came among us. I shall never cease thanking God for the northern gale that blew you here."

"Nor shall I, dear Feodora," said Mrs. Jones, kissing her with great affection. "And I really dread the time when we must leave you. But you are improving so rapidly that we must go before many weeks."

"I am glad to get well, but I do feel sorry to think of your going. But I do not give up ever seeing you again. You will go to the North Pole in a short time, and then return home. You will write me from there, both you and Mattie, and then my father and I will visit you and bring you home with us. You must spend a winter with us in our capital city. It is the most beautiful and gayest city in Europe in its season."

"And you shall spend a winter in Washington," returned Mrs. Jones.

"I have never seen anything so beautiful as Washington," said Mattie.

And so the friends chatted and cemented their acquaintance and friendship day by day, planning for future enjoyment of each other's society.

The Count and Feodora were greatly interested in their account of their visit with the Barton family in Labrador.

"By the way," said Mattie, "let's go up to Will's studio and see his painting of Jennie Barton."

Feodora readily assented. "I have been longing for some time to see the interior of your beautiful cabin," she said.

They slowly walked to the cage and mounted to the cabin, a distance of but fifty feet. They found Will at work upon a local landscape. He was delighted to receive the ladies, especially Feodora. "This augurs well for our sailing soon, Miss Feodora. And I cannot tell you how glad we all are to see you recovering so rapidly."

"I told Feodora that you had made a fine painting of Jennie Barton. We have told her all about our visit in Labrador, and she wishes to see your painting of Jennie," said Mattie.

"I am only too proud to show it her," answered Will, and he removed a cloth from the painting that rested upon an easel.

"What a sweet, lovely face!" exclaimed Feodora. "I have never seen anything sweeter in my life."

Will hastened to assure her, though he flushed with pride, that it lacked very much of doing the fair Jennie justice.

"There is something so good and pure in that face, that it rests one to look at it," said the fair Russian.

"Would you accept it from me as a present?" asked Will.

"O Mr. Marsh! would you really part with it?"

"I shall feel greatly honored if you will accept it from me. I intend painting another immediately. Whether I shall ever reach my ideal, I do not know."

"I fear that you never will until you return to Constance House," said Mattie slyly.

"Now Mattie, that is very unkind of you," cried Will with a well-assumed severity.

Feodora thanked Will sincerely for his present, and declared that it should be hung in her room where she might see it the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. "Surely nothing could be sweeter and more interesting than the romance connected with this lovely painting," said she.

Professor Gray, meantime, had not been idle all these weeks. He and Denison had developed an affinity for each other, and spent many hours together, the former teaching the latter much of the geology, botany, etc., of the country round about. And with rod and gun they kept the Count's table well supplied with game. They also did much riding, and for many miles they became familiar objects to the inhabitants. The Professor made copious notes of all he saw of interest, intending it as subject matter for a future scientific work.

And Fred busied himself with his music. He had discovered among the visitors at the castle a young Russian who spoke English tolerably well, and who was more than an ordinary violinist. They immediately formed a friendship, and daily sought each other's society. Fred became a great favorite among the local talent, and many were the concerts they held in the castle.

Surely, for prisoners in a foreign land, restrained from going about their legitimate business, our friends were enjoying themselves wonderfully. The Count and Feodora were never so happy as when doing something calculated to enhance the comfort and pleasure of their guests. The days flew so swiftly by that the time for their departure was near at hand before they were aware of it. Feodora's recovery was uninterrupted, and she had gained many pounds of flesh. All apprehensions concerning her health had about disappeared. The Count continued his medical studies and investigations with unabated zeal and interest. The action of the infinitesimal dose was a knotty question. He could not deny the fact that they exhibited marvelous power over disease, but their immateriality staggered his faith at times, in spite of all that he had seen and experienced. But there came a time when he stepped over the line forever. He was "Born into the Kingdom," as the Doctor expressed it.

There came a messenger at midnight one dark, stormy night, from a castle several miles distant. A letter to the Count from a certain Russian Prince, implored him to bring the American Doctor immediately to see his wife. The Count awoke the Doctor and told him that he would accompany him, if he would go; and he would esteem it a personal favor if he would attend the call.

"Certainly, I will go," said Dr. Jones heartily, and he hastily prepared himself for the journey.

The rain poured in torrents, and the heavy covered carriage in which they rode lumbered uncomfortably over the rough country roads.

"You should introduce the horseless carriage into your country," said the Doctor as he bounced about upon his seat. "You would then agitate the subject of good roads."

At last they reached their destination, and were hurried to the bedside of the suffering Princess. She was a woman of fifty-five, large and fleshy, sitting bolt upright in the middle of the bed. Her distress was terrible. The Doctor took the symptoms hurriedly as possible. They were:

Violent palpitation of the heart. The bed fairly shook with the action of that organ.

Expectorating large quantities of frothy blood.

Breathing exceedingly labored; could not lie back in the least degree.

Stomach and bowels enormously distended with gas; so much so that she could not lean forward at all.

Eructations of gas in large quantities, which gave no relief; the least particle of food or drink excited these eructations.

A very profuse cold sweat that saturated her clothing and bed.

Great thirst, drinks little and often.

Lower extremities restless, could not keep them quiet.

Very nervous and despairing.

Here was a terrible case, and the little Doctor studied it with the greatest possible care. He learned that the Princess had been an invalid for many years. She had taken vast quantities of crude drugs, and the time had come when her stomach rebelled and would tolerate no more drugging. The great physicians of Europe had been consulted, without permanent benefit. Her regular medical attendant, with his assistant, was now present. Dr. Jones was introduced to them, and such courtesies as were possible under the circumstances were extended by each. They gave such information as possible through the Count, and declared that the Princess must die within a few hours. They now stood powerless by, very curious and observant of everything the Doctor did.

He had carefully written out the above symptoms, and now retired for a few moments with the Count to an adjoining room. The two Russian physicians were asked to join them, as a matter of professional courtesy.

"This is a desperate affair," said the Count, "and I fear that your infinitesimals will do her very little good."

"Don't be so sure, Sir Count. You may see something to-night that will remove your last remnant of unbelief," returned the Doctor, as he turned over the leaves of a materia medica that he had brought with him.

"There is undoubtedly organic disease of the heart, and other complications that I have not time now to investigate. I have the totality of symptoms before us, and I have found the remedy that covers them precisely." He read to the Count each symptom, and showed how exactly they were covered by the drug. Some degree of explanation of this was made the native physicians, but it was evidently something new to them which they did not at all comprehend.

"And now let us hasten to administer a dose of this drug."

They returned to the sick chamber. Dr. Jones from a small case vial dropped a single minim into a teaspoon and wiped it off upon her tongue. It seemed so simple and wholly inadequate a thing to do in this very urgent affair, that the Count and the two medical men could not repress their smiles.

But the Doctor said, "Wait and you shall see the glory of God."

Not more than three minutes later, the royal patient, who was sitting perfectly erect, eyes closed, suddenly threw up her hands and cried out in the Russian tongue, "My God! What have you given me? I'm drunk!" and fell back upon her pillow as if shot. She almost immediately began snoring as if sound asleep. The Prince, Count, and two physicians sprang forward in great alarm, and were about to raise her to her former sitting posture. But Doctor Jones said commandingly, "Let her alone! Do not touch her!"

"But she is dying!" cried Count Icanovich.

"No, my dear Count, she is sleeping beautifully. To awaken her now would be fatal. I wish all to leave the room but her nurse."

Several moments later the Doctor followed them to the parlor. The Count was greatly agitated, and stepped up to him immediately as he entered.

"How is she now, Doctor?"

"Sleeping as peacefully as a child."

"And is it a natural, healthful sleep?"

"Perfectly so."

"Doctor, you have conquered my last prejudice. The modus operandi of the action of your infinitesimals I shall never comprehend. But that they do operate, immediately, powerfully, and beneficently, I can no longer doubt. Now please let me see the vial from which you poured the wonderful drop that you gave Her Highness."

The Doctor complied, and the Count held the tiny vial to the light and read the label, "Cinchona Officinalis, 30x."

The Prince also took the vial into his hand, looked at it with curiosity, and made a remark to the Count.

"His Highness suggests that this must be a poison of fearful power," said the Count to Dr. Jones.

"Please say to him that it is not a poison in any sense of the word. I could swallow every drop of it with perfect impunity," replied Dr. Jones.

Nothing could exceed the interest and curiosity of the two physicians. They looked at the vial and asked questions almost without number. The old familiar look of incredulity crept into their eyes when they came to an understanding of the immateriality of the dose. They were familiar with the dogma of "Similia similibus curanter," or "Like cures like," and repudiated it at once. But they said nothing of it to the Prince or Count at this time. The Count again addressed Dr. Jones.

"His Highness is lost in wonder at the magical effect of your medicine, and desires me to express his heartfelt gratitude and thanks."

The Prince, with tears in his eyes, took the Doctor's hand, and said something to him in his own language.

"He says that he can never repay you for what you have done to-night, and that you may command him for anything in his power," interpreted the Count.

"Say to him that I am more than repaid for anything that I have done. Let him give all the glory to God."

After ascertaining that the Princess still slept quietly, the Doctor and Count retired for the remaining hours of the night.



CHAPTER XVII.

Farewell to Beauty and the Beast.

The royal patient slept soundly until eight o'clock the following morning, or six consecutive hours. This was so entirely new and different from anything she had experienced for a very long time, that nothing could exceed her own and the astonishment of everyone who was acquainted with the facts. Long and painful had been her nights, sleepless and full of misery, unless under the influence of a narcotic. And, as we said before, she had reached a point where her system would endure no more of crude drugging. She always awoke unrefreshed and miserable from these unnatural, forced sleeps. So when she awoke this morning, refreshed and rested, her gratitude was boundless.

Dr. Jones received her grateful expressions with the simple, modest dignity that is characteristic of the good and intelligent the world over. He made now a critical examination of the heart, and found it incurably affected. And there were complications of the digestive organs, etc., that we need not stop to mention. He acquainted the Prince with the conditions he had found, and showed him why she could not be cured. But he assured his royal patron, that she might be kept comfortable, and her life indefinitely prolonged by treating her case symptomatically as occasion should require.

He remained at the castle several days. In two weeks the royal lady who had been devoted to immediate death by that school of medicine which arrogates unto itself the terms, "Liberal," "Regular," and "Scientific," walked in her garden!

The effect upon the Count was past our powers of description. "Doctor Jones," he cried, "I am converted not only to your system, but to God! I realized, as I witnessed the astounding power of the infinitesimal dose in this remarkable case, the wisdom and goodness of our Heavenly Father. And I now say to you, that I am devoted to your cause, and I shall never rest until your school of medicine shall have free course throughout all Russia. And you can rest assured that the Prince's influence, conjoined with my own, will have sufficient weight at court to break down all barriers and opposition to the propagandism of your blessed system of medicine. This shall be my life work, and I only wish that you were going to stay with me. But I will not urge that point, as I know that you are pledged to prosecute your effort to reach the North Pole. You will succeed in that enterprise, and the world will ring with your praise. But far grander than all this is your simple, sublime faith in God, and in the beautiful law by which you are guided in the selection of the remedy in the treatment of the sick. I am a far better man, physically, morally, and spiritually for having met you."

"If my visit to Russia shall effect the recognition of my school by your Government, I shall forever thank God for sending me here. This is probably the entering wedge that shall open Europe to us, and induce the inquiry and investigation that we crave. Let our system stand or fall upon its merits."

And so the friends conversed and laid their plans for the introduction of the new medical system into Europe. The Prince also joined them in their plans, and his enthusiasm quite equaled that of the Count. Among other items, the two noble converts made arrangements to purchase a complete stock of books and drugs. Dr. Jones daily taught them the art of "taking a case," as he called it; or the examination of a patient and writing down the symptoms.

The three months had expired and Feodora's condition was far above the danger mark. She was beautiful, rosy, and blushing, romping about with Mattie, like a great school-girl. So now the morning of their departure was set. The news was heralded far and wide that the great air-ship would sail upon a certain day if the wind were favorable.

The morning had arrived, the wind was blowing within a point or two of north, and every preparation had been made for hoisting anchors. A vast concourse of people had assembled to witness their departure. The many friends of the voyagers were present in force, and they loaded them with presents, many of them very costly. Dr. Jones' practice had been lucrative beyond anything he had ever dreamed of. He found himself suddenly made a wealthy man. The gratitude of the people was boundless; and the simple-hearted man scarcely knew what to do with all the money that poured in upon him. So he caused a considerable portion of it to be distributed among the poor peasantry in the vicinity of the castle. He felt a great sense of sorrow as he looked upon the many faces that he had learned to love. But all was ready and he must away.

"I have spent some of the happiest hours of my life with yourself and daughter, my dear Count, and truly hope to visit you again and enjoy your hospitality. Good-bye, and God bless you all."

He had shaken hands with all those immediately about him, among whom were the Prince and Princess, and stepped with Mrs. Jones into the cage. It shot up to the engine-room, the anchors and cables were cast off, and the splendid globe, so long bound in chains to the earth, arose majestically into the blue vault above. Loud and mighty were the cheers that followed them. Silver Cloud, as if impatient at the long delay in Russia, rapidly ascended three thousand feet, and flew northward at tremendous speed.

"Could deliverance have come to your house and mine more appropriately than from the skies, and in yonder silver chariot?" asked the Count of his two royal friends, while they stood watching the rapidly disappearing Silver Cloud.

"The deliverance has not come to us alone, but to the suffering millions of Russia, Count Icanovich. And all through the faithfulness and earnestness of that modest, yet wonderful little man, Doctor Jones. But as he said over and over again, 'Let us give God all the glory,'" replied the Prince.

The company, meanwhile, though much regretting the parting with their new found friends, yet were exhilarated with the idea that they were again rapidly rushing toward the object of their expedition. Their supplies of food, fuel, clothing, etc., had been fully replenished so far as was necessary, and nothing should now prevent their reaching the Pole at an exceedingly early date. This they were the more anxious to do, as the season was getting well advanced, and they desired to be out of the Arctic region before winter should set in. This was not a matter of so much concern to them, however, as it had been to all previous explorers of these frigid regions. The navigators of Silver Cloud had no frozen seas nor icebergs to contend with, and could soar above all clouds and storms. And the matter of temperature was of little consequence to them; for, as Will had said, the cabin was so constructed that frost could never penetrate its beautiful aluminum walls.

So they were jubilant and happy. Even Sing—whom, by the way, we have shamefully neglected during the past three months—joined in the general hilarity, and treated them to many Russian dishes that he had picked up in the kitchen of the castle, where he had spent his time during their stay there.

The wind continued all day from the south, so that by evening they sighted the city of Archangel away to their left. All night they sped at express train speed toward their destination. When they looked out in the morning from the balcony, the northern coast of Russia was indistinctly seen in the southern horizon, and they were again floating over the floes and bergs of Arctic seas.

"We have crossed the 70th degree of latitude," said the Professor at breakfast. "We are heading directly for Franz Joseph Land. We should sight that island by noon at our present rate of speed."

All expressed themselves as delighted at the marvelous performance of Silver Cloud, and Denison declared that he should never be contented to settle down to slow going terrestrial life again.

"I move that we set out for the South Pole as soon as we get back to Washington," said he.

"I second the motion!" cried Mattie.

"I don't know whether women have the elective franchise in this country or not," laughingly replied Dr. Jones. "At all events, let's get back to Washington before we plan any more expeditions. I do not doubt that the South Pole will be our next objective point."

"Just imagine the American flag flying at the two poles of the earth!" cried Professor Gray. "What could be more appropriate and grander! I believe Denison's motion to be strictly in order. As to Mattie's second, I am for female suffrage, here and everywhere upon earth. Without it woman is but a slave, and can be but what her lord and master, man, permits her to be."

"Hear! hear!" cried the ladies, clapping their hands.

"What an old Bluebeard of a husband you have, haven't you?" said the Doctor to Mrs. Jones.

"Oh! you are fishing for compliments," she returned archly, "But I tell you, sir, that I have my eye upon you. Did you all notice how the Princess, Feodora, and a lot more of those Russian ladies cried over him when we were parting from them?" and she shook her finger at him from the lower end of the table, and tried so hard to look jealous and mad, and made so dismal a failure of it, that they all laughed heartily.

And so they merrily chatted through the meal. The men then resorted to the smoking-room, and when all had lighted their cigars or pipes, Fred asked:

"Which of the battles of the war of the great Rebellion do you consider to have been the hardest fought, Doctor Jones?"

"Chickamauga is conceded by the majority of our historians to have been the most savagely contested of the great battles of the war. Something near forty per cent of the men engaged were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner."

"Were you in that battle, Doctor?"

"I was."

"I would be glad if you would tell us about it; that is, I mean, your own personal experiences."

"Well," returned Dr. Jones, taking a look out of the window by which he sat, "we are spinning along at a rattling gait toward Franz Joseph Land, and I don't know that we can do any better than tell war stories to pass away time.

"I believe I told you that I was fifteen years old when I enlisted. The battle of Chickamauga occurred September 19, and 20, 1863, one year after my enlistment, so that I was a lad of sixteen at the time of the battle. You cannot presume that a boy would have seen much that would be of historical value, where all was horrible roar of musketry, booming of cannon, confusion, and blood-curdling yells of charging battalions.

"The morning of September 19, 1863, dawned upon us beautiful and bright. I shall never forget that lovely morning. Throughout the rank and file of our army there was a feeling that we were upon the eve of a great battle; but we did not dream that the armies of Bragg and Longstreet had combined, and we were opposing from fifty-five thousand to seventy-five thousand men. But our confidence in our commander, General Rosecranz, was so great that we would have fought them just the same if we had known of the great odds against us.

"Heavy skirmishing began quite early in the morning along the picket lines. This gradually swelled into the incessant roar of pitched battle. At about nine o'clock we were ordered to the front at a double-quick. We crossed a field, then into a wood where we met the fire of the enemy. Being a musician I was counted a noncombatant, and my duties during battle consisted in helping the wounded back to hastily extemporized hospitals.

"So on we charged into the woods, already densely filled with smoke. Then the bullets flew swiftly about us, and men began falling along the line. I set to work helping the wounded to the rear. I had just been to the hospital with a poor fellow from my company, and hastened back to where I had last seen the regiment. They had made a flank movement to the left, but I, supposing that they had advanced and were driving the enemy like chaff before them, traveled straight on through the woods, and out into an open field. What a sight was there! Dead and wounded Confederates lay thickly strewn in every direction. I was really in what had just been the Confederate lines, and was in imminent peril of being shot or captured.

"Several of the wounded spoke to me, 'O Yank! for God's sake, give me a drink of water,' I felt alarmed at my position, but I could not resist the appeals of these poor fellows. So I gave water to many from the canteens that I found scattered about the field. I spread blankets for others who asked me; dragged some of them into the shade, for the sun was very hot. And so I spent a considerable time among them, doing such little offices as I could. For these services they were very grateful, some of them calling down the blessings of heaven upon my head. I have always been glad that I incurred this risk of life and liberty for these dying men. But at last I felt that I dared not stop longer, and started to retrace my steps to the woods, when I heard a terrible wailing and moaning a few yards to my right. I rushed to the spot and saw a poor Confederate boy, about my own age, at the foot of a great poplar tree, in the midst of a brush heap, trying to spread his blanket. I did not at first see what the cause of his terrible outcry was. 'What is the matter, Johnnie?' I asked. He lifted his face to me, and I shall never forget the awful sight! A bullet had shot away the anterior part of each eye and the bridge of the nose, and in this sightless condition he was trying in the midst of the brush heap to spread his blanket and lie down to die! As he moved about upon his hands and knees the ends of the dry twigs, stiff and merciless as so many wires, would jag his bleeding and sightless eyeballs. I could not leave him in this condition, and so helped him from the brush heap to a smooth, shady place, spread his blanket for him, put a canteen of water by him, and then ran for the Union lines, not a moment too soon.

"All day the battle raged with terrible fury until long after the shades of night had fallen. Indeed, the heaviest musketry I ever heard occurred some time after pitch darkness had completely enveloped us. My supper that night was a very plain one. A piece of corn bread, or hoe cake, that I had abstracted from the haversack of a dead Southerner, and a canteen of cold water constituted that simple meal. I really felt a sense of gratitude toward the poor Confederate, who had undoubtedly baked the corn bread that morning, little thinking that it was destined to be eaten by a miserable Yankee drummer boy. But such is the fate of war.

"It had been very hot during the day, but the night was bitterly cold. There was a heavy frost that night, and under a thick blanket upon the bare ground, I slept by fitful snatches. Let me tell you, friends, that the most terrible place upon earth is a battlefield at night. The groans of the wounded men and horses are awful beyond anything I ever heard. All night I could hear their heartrending cries, but in the pitch darkness could do nothing to help them. How many times I thought of my far away northern home during that awful night. Should I live through the morrow? for the battle would certainly be resumed with the return of daylight. Should I ever see mother, brothers and sisters, home and friends again?"

Here the Doctor sang softly and slowly part of the pathetic old war song:

"Comrades brave around me lying, Filled with thoughts of home and God; For well they know that on the morrow Some must sleep beneath the sod."

The little party were deeply impressed, for the Doctor was a good story teller, and was himself much affected at this point.

"The much longed for, yet dreaded, daylight dawned at last. It was Sunday morning. For some reason hostilities were not immediately resumed. The sun rose in beauty and splendor, warming our chilled bones and blood in a way that was exceedingly grateful to us. For a little time all was so quiet and still that it only lacked the sweet tones of church bells, calling us to the house of God, to have made us forget that we were enemies, and have induced us to rest from our fearful, uncanny works for this holy Sabbath at least. But no! soon the battle was on again with greater vigor, if possible, than ever. Before noon our flanks were completely routed; and, but for that magnificent man, the peer of any soldier of any nation or age, General George H. Thomas, it is doubtful whether I should be here now, telling my little story. While Rosecranz, whipped and beaten, fled to Chattanooga and telegraphed to Washington that everything was lost, and the Cumberland army a thing of the past, General Thomas, with a few thousand men, checked and held at bay this great Southern army, flushed with victory though it was. How the mighty host rolled and surged against this single army corps, but could not break nor beat them back. While Crittenden's and McCook's corps were completely routed and disorganized, Thomas with his 14th corps thus stood the brunt of battle, and saved the Army of the Cumberland from total annihilation. Well may we call him the Rock of Chickamauga!

"My father was quartermaster-sergeant of the regiment and I saw him for the first time during the battle on Sunday morning. We were trudging along with the rout—for it could not be called army that Sunday afternoon—toward Chattanooga. We knew that we had sustained defeat, but we did not realize how desperate the situation was. A brigadier-general was passing us, when a private rushed up to him and asked, 'O General! where is the 87th Indiana?"—I think that was the regiment he mentioned. 'There is no 87th Indiana. All is lost! Get to Chattanooga!' he shouted, and galloped toward the city, unattended by any of his staff.

"'Did you hear that, John?' asked my father.

"'I did,' I replied.

"'Well, if you expect to ever see your mother again, you must do some good traveling now.'

"As we had an intense desire to see her again we started down the road at a good pace. We distinctly heard the Confederate cavalrymen crying, 'Stop, you blankety blanked Yankees!' But we felt that our business in Chattanooga, demanded immediate attention, and we had no time to spare them.

"Passing a certain place, I saw General Thomas standing upon the brow of Snodgrass Hill, or Horseshoe Ridge, field glass in hand, intently watching the movements of the troops. I distinctly remember his full-bearded, leonine face, and little did we know that the fate of the Cumberland Army, or possibly of the Nation, rested upon that single man that terrible Sunday afternoon. What a mighty responsibility! But there he stood, a tower of strength, the Rock of Chickamauga indeed! With but a single line he repelled charge after charge of Longstreet's consolidated ranks.

"And so we fought the most sanguinary battle of modern times, yet utterly bootless so far as immediate results were concerned. One hundred and thirty thousand men were engaged with a loss of nearly fifty thousand, or a little less than forty per cent. This battle should never have been fought. Rosecranz here lost his military prestige that he had so splendidly won at Stone's River. Thomas alone achieved on this field immortal glory, and was the one great hero of the occasion. The Confederates claimed it as a victory, but they should daily thereafter have asked a kind Providence to keep them from any more such victories.

"The next day Thomas followed us into Chattanooga, and Bragg and Longstreet perched with their armies upon Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. From these elevations they watched us with Argus eyes. Our supplies were completely cut off and we were soon reduced to the point of star—But here, you fellows are getting tired, and so am I. I will tell you about the siege of Chattanooga and battle of Missionary Ridge some other time."



CHAPTER XVIII.

Woman Locates the North Pole.

Silver Cloud hastened on with the favoring gale from the balmy South. By noon the coast of Franz Joseph Land could be seen. They were now near the eightieth degree of latitude. During the afternoon they crossed that land of eternal winter. Monotonous mountains, hills, and plains of everlasting snow and ice wearied the eye, and caused a sense of seasickness and vertigo if looked upon too long. The Doctor had treated these symptoms in each as they occurred, and our friends had experienced but little of the inconvenience due to this cause that is suffered by most aeronauts. They had entirely lost their sense of insecurity and fear, and nothing could be more comfortable and pleasant than were the accommodations of the cabin of Silver Cloud, even in this exceedingly high latitude. And oh! those walks about the balcony of Silver Cloud! How invigorating and healthful! So vast were the proportions of the globe that there was no swaying, shaking, nor trembling ever perceptible. It was as if the splendid structure were a rock, and all the world a swift flying panorama far beneath them. Very strange and weird was the sight of the sun, traveling in one continuous circuit but a few degrees above the horizon, never rising nor setting during six months of the year. The atmosphere was particularly clear and frosty, so that as they promenaded the balcony, or sat in the observatory, they were obliged to don their beautiful sealskins, a complete outfit of which Count Icanovich had presented to each member of the company.

All were exceedingly happy and jubilant. The wind continued very nearly as before, and within twenty-four hours, nothing preventing, they would stand at the coveted spot—the North Pole.

At dinner time Franz Joseph Land was far behind them, and they were sailing over the dark blue waters of the Arctic Ocean, more or less filled with great floes and icebergs, illustrating to the voyagers the terrible perils and hardships through which Arctic explorers had passed, and amidst which so many of them had died.

"What wonder," said the Professor, as he scanned the unnavigable seas with his glass, "that man has thus far utterly failed in his attempts to overcome these insuperable obstacles. Think of the cold, hunger, and awful wretchedness these poor fellows have suffered. And Doctor, see! Is not that a ship I see yonder? It is! It is!" cried the Professor excitedly, pointing to an object sailing in a bit of open sea, her nose pointing stubbornly toward the North.

"We can hail them," cried the Doctor.

The upper and lower traps of the air chamber were opened, and Silver Cloud settled like a great roc toward the toiling little ship. They passed nearly directly over it, and at an altitude of but 300 feet.

"Ship ahoy!" shouted the Doctor through a speaking trumpet.

"Ahoy!" came from the vessel.

"Where are you bound?"

"North Pole!"

"Sail due west twenty miles and you will find an open sea to the North. All closed ahead. Good luck to you! Good-bye!"

"Aye, aye, sir! Good-bye!" came cheerily from the quarterdeck of the little ship, and they had passed beyond hailing distance.

"Poor, brave fellows," sighed the Doctor.

"They have reached an amazingly high latitude," said the Professor. "They have crossed the 83rd parallel, very nearly as high as Nansen got with his expedition last year."

"I declare that I am sorry for them, and really dislike to take the glory of the discovery from them. But we cannot stop now, and it is utterly impossible for them to get there anyway."

"They would have soon been shut in, and probably forever as they were heading," observed Will.

North and east, as they could distinctly see from their elevation of two thousand feet, far as the eye could reach, all was one vast field of huge piles of ice, exceedingly rough and broken, with here and there towering spires that seemed to reach up toward the globe like grizzly arms that would prevent them from penetrating the secrets of the north that had been held for untold centuries.

As the Doctor had informed the captain of the ship, away to the west was a certain amount of open sea, but it was of limited extent, and the prospects of the poor fellows getting much farther looked more than doubtful.

"And what is to become of them if they cannot get through?" asked Mrs. Jones.

"I cannot tell," returned the Doctor, "but the chances are that they will be crushed in the ice."

"O dear, what a fate!" cried Mrs. Jones. "Can we do nothing for them?"

"Nothing at all, my dear. They are beyond our reach, and it is not likely that they would desert their ship if we could offer to take them with us. Such men are not easily turned from their purpose."

"All we can do then is to pray that God will preserve them, and permit them to return safely home," said the sympathetic little woman.

"And let us ask Him that this favoring gale may continue a few hours longer," added Dr. Jones.

There was no thought of retiring as the usual hour for doing so arrived. They all felt impressed with the thought that they were now looking upon scenes never before seen by mortal eye, and that they were very near the object of their journey. How their hearts warmed and palpitated with the thought!

"We have crossed the 85th parallel," said the Professor, "and in six or seven hours will reach the Pole at this rate."

"This is the Lord's doings, and it is marvelous in our eyes," quoted the Doctor with great fervency.

Busy feet climbed and descended the spiral stairway many times that night, but could see nothing but a frozen sea in every direction. The wind blew from due south, and they were flying at tremendous speed directly toward the Pole as if drawn there by a great magnet. The cold was intense—the thermometer registering more than 60 deg. below zero. But as we said before, no wind was ever felt aboard Silver Cloud, and it has been ascertained that man can endure almost any degree of cold if it be quiet and still.

At midnight they all sat down to a good substantial supper that had been prepared by Sing. The aroma of the coffee filled the little dining-room, and was grateful to the senses. How merry and happy they were! And they ate and drank with appetites that were very complimentary to Sing's cooking, and the faithful Mongolian was well pleased to see the food thus disappearing.

"There is no place like the Arctics for getting hungry and giving food a relish. I declare that I have not eaten so since a boy," exclaimed Denison.

"I really eat until I am ashamed of myself," said Mattie.

"Well, it agrees with you, Mattie," replied Denison. "Just look at her plump cheeks, and the beautiful roses upon them!"

"Indeed, I never saw you look so well as you do now," said Mrs. Jones, looking at her admiringly.

"And I am glad that I can return the compliment," replied Mattie.

"I am of the opinion that a trip to the Arctics in Silver Cloud would cure any case of dispepsia in the world," said Dr. Jones.

"What a wonderful stimulant coffee is," remarked the Professor, as he sipped a cup of that beverage.

"I never realized that fact so much as when in the army," replied Dr. Jones. "After a long day's march we would get into camp so tired that we could scarcely move. We would start our camp-fires, and very soon after you could hear a musical clink, clink, clinking in every direction. It was the sound produced by the soldier boys, pounding their coffee fine in their tin cups with the butt of their bayonets. And the effect of a pint of that hot Government Java coffee was perfectly marvelous. It would almost instantly take the aching and tired feeling from the muscles, and we could have marched all night if necessary."

"I cannot realize that this is midnight," said Mattie, as they stood upon the balcony, well wrapped in furs, looking over the vast fields of ice and snow. "One would hardly know when to get up or go to bed in this wonderful country."

The time rapidly passed; they reached the 86th, 87th, 88th, 89th degrees of latitude, and the strain upon their nerves grew to be tremendous. The Doctor and Professor could not rest anywhere but in the observatory, glasses in hand. Each was pale with excitement.

"I believe that to be land ahead," said the Doctor, pointing to a high elevation directly before them.

The Professor looked at it earnestly a few moments and replied:

"It is, Doctor, and we have settled the fact that the North Pole is situated upon an island. The open sea at the Pole is a myth, as I always believed it to be."

The rest of the party was notified of the fact that land was near at hand, and that very shortly the North Pole would be reached. So they all assembled upon the balcony, except Sing. That individual could not be enthused upon so small a matter as the discovery of the North Pole; and after washing the supper dishes and cleaning up the kitchen and dining-room, retired as unconcernedly as if nothing unusual were at hand.

Rapidly and unerringly as a dart flew the beautiful ship to the place of all places upon earth to our exultant voyagers. Nearer and nearer grew the elevation before them.

"We are within less than half an hour of the Pole," announced the Professor in a low constrained voice.

"Glory be to God!" said Dr. Jones with great solemnity. "I never felt His presence more than at this moment. To Him be all the praise."

"Amen!" responded every one of the little company.

They were now passing over the island. They could see that it was several miles in diameter, and nearly circular in form. Almost exactly in the center arose a conical hill or mountain, about one thousand feet in altitude.

"Upon the summit of that mount I am of the opinion we will find the North Pole," said Professor Gray.

"And we are heading directly for it!" cried Dr. Jones. "Just a few moments more, dear friends, and we shall have reached our journey's end. Now get ready to drop the anchor when Professor Gray gives the signal."

Silver Cloud was lowered as they neared the mount. They were just over the summit at but fifty feet from the surface. The signal was given, the anchors dropped. At first they dragged upon the frozen snow, but soon the flukes caught in the crevices of the icy masses, and the great globe was securely anchored at the North Pole!

They instantly prepared to descend in the cage. The cold was terrible, so much so that they could not have endured it at all but for provisions that Dr. Jones had made for this very event. Besides their splendid silk-lined and padded sealskin suits, he had brought a large number of Japanese fireboxes. The punks in these were lighted, and when all were very hot they were wrapped in flannels and distributed about their persons inside their sealskins. With this arrangement, Jack Frost's chances of nipping their persons were very slim indeed.

The thermometer registered seventy degrees below zero. Having taken every possible precaution, the Doctor and Professor descended. Their feelings cannot be described as they stepped upon the solidly frozen surface, and realized that they were the first human beings who had thus stood upon the summit of the earth! After looking about a few moments, Professor Gray said:

"We must settle the globe to the earth, and from the observatory I can make observations that will locate the Pole exactly."

This was accordingly done. From the observatory with a sextant he made an observation every six hours, making allowance for the declination of the sun, meantime. This was an exceedingly delicate problem, but the Professor was fully equal to it. At the end of twenty-four hours he and the Doctor again donned their furs, stepped over the railing of the balcony and walked out upon the snow. The rest of the party had amused themselves while awaiting the Professor's observations by setting up little mounds of ice, upon what they guessed to be the spot where the learned Professor would declare the geographical pole to be. His mind, meantime, was too engrossed with the momentous business in hand to pay the least attention to their frivolities; and, utterly unmindful of the fur-clad figures that stood scattered about, each by its respective ice mound, he measured a certain number of lengths of a sharp pointed steel rod which he carried in his hand, directly to Mrs. Jones, and with a side swipe of his foot he swept aside her pile of ice lumps, raised the steel rod in both hands and drove it down with all his force just where the ice mound had stood, and cried with all his power in a fur-muffled voice, "The North Pole!" And Mrs. Jones jumped up and down as nimbly as her load of furs and fireboxes would permit, banged her great sealskin mittens together, and cried, "Goody! Goody! I guessed it! I am the discoverer of the North Pole! I always knew that a woman would be the first one there!"



CHAPTER XIX.

The Planting of the Flagstaff.

The whole of the party now shouted—Sing always excepted. That individual was strictly attending to his business in the kitchen during the excitement. They ran—or waddled, for they moved with difficulty, loaded as they were—to the spot where the two men and Mrs. Jones were standing. They gathered in a circle about the steel rod that marked the exact spot for which the boldest navigators and explorers have longed, and striven, and died by thousands during many decades of the past.

The Doctor broke out in his sonorous voice, the rest immediately joining him in the familiar doxology, "Old Hundred,"

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow."

When they had finished, at a signal from the Doctor, they all kneeled upon the icy pavement, and he offered up a fervent prayer of praise and thanksgiving for the preservation of their lives, and for the wonderful success that had attended their enterprise. Then in unison they repeated the Lord's prayer.

And what could be more appropriate? The echoes first awakened in this ultra-frigid region by the human voice were praises to God in song and prayer. The ends of the earth had bowed the knee to the Father Almighty, and it seemed to the little band to be the beginning of the good time foretold, when the glory of God shall cover the earth as the waters do the face of the deep.

"Now let us see what Sing has for breakfast, lunch, or whatever meal it may be. I have been so interested in our work the last few hours that I have paid no attention to time," said Dr. Jones.

A few moments later they were seated about their dining table, and no happier company could be found in Christendom that day.

"Did anyone note the time that we arrived here?" asked Will.

"At 7 o'clock, 45 min., 20 sec., August 6, 19—, we located the North Pole, and planted our steel rod as marker thereof," replied Professor Gray.

"What is the next thing on the program, Doctor?" asked Denison.

"We will immediately set about planting our aluminum flagstaff. We are liable to a terrible storm at any moment, and might be driven away before we had accomplished that important ceremony. It would possibly be months before we should encounter so favorable a gale again. Let us not rest until we have finished all we came to do, then away for home."

"It is all very well to say 'Plant the flagstaff'; but how on earth can we possibly set up a 300 foot metal pole at this extremity of the earth, without derrick, blocks and tackles, or any machinery whatever?" returned Denison.

"I'll show you a Yankee trick in a short time," cried Dr. Jones.

They hurried through the meal and prepared again to go out into the terribly cold atmosphere. The fireboxes were again lighted and distributed about their clothing as before. All then went out and assembled again about the rod.

"I must get through this crust of ice and see what depth of snow there is below," said the Doctor.

With the sharp-pointed steel rod he picked and worked several minutes, but made very little progress in the flinty ice.

"Get a hammer, Denison," said he.

The tool being procured, they hammered upon the upper end of the rod, and drilled as miners do in rock. After some time of this work the Doctor said:

"This will never do. We have evidently a great thickness of ice to go through, possibly more than we can ever penetrate. We can do no work in these fur suits, and we should instantly freeze if we took them off. We must settle the globe upon this spot, then we shall be within the cabin and can throw off our coats and go to work. We have a big job on hand. Let's pull the ship over at once."

The wind had subsided to a nearly dead calm, and it was remarkable how all nature seemed to be auspicious to the occasion. She had been forced to yield up her secrets, fast locked and frozen by the chill hand of Jack Frost so many centuries, and now seemed disposed to surrender them with a good grace. The globe was raised a few feet from the earth. Two of the anchors were carried to the opposite side of the Pole, and Will turned on the spring windlasses. Thus they easily drew the ship to the desired spot, and it was slowly settled down so that the "manhole," as they called the hole in the floor through which the cage operated, came directly over the steel rod, the rod standing precisely in the center of the manhole.

"Now, my hearties, furs off!" cried the energetic little Doctor. He doffed his own suit hurriedly, pulled on a pair of woolen gloves in lieu of the sealskin ones, pulled the steel rod out and laid it aside, grasped an axe and began chopping into the ice with all his might. The ice chips flew about the engine-room in a shower. He was soon obliged to stop for breath. Will shoveled the loosened ice out, then seized the axe and worked for a short time with the same spirit that animated the Doctor. And so by turns they kept the axe and shovel flying, making very rapid progress. They soon were too deep to use long-handled tools, and resorted to mallet and chisel, and a short-handled hand axe. Slowly and more slowly progressed the work as the shaft grew deeper. Finally the head of the man in the shaft disappeared below the surface, being now nearly seven feet deep.

"We shall have to devise some plan for hoisting before long," said Dr. Jones.

"Can't we use the windlass?" suggested Denison.

"So we can!" cried the Doctor. "The steel springs forever! Will never did a better thing than when he invented the spring power windlass. We may have to go twenty-five or thirty feet. But we will hoist by hand for awhile yet."

They had reached the depth of between eight and nine feet, when Will, who was in the hole, shouted, "Hurrah! I've broken through!" and he tossed up a handful of snow.

"Good boy!" cried the Doctor. "Now try with the rod and see if there be another layer of ice within reach."

The rod, which was six feet long, was easily passed its full length into the underlying snow.

"All right!" said Dr. Jones. "The flagstaff will settle sufficiently deep to hold it there forever. Fire up, Will. I want to rise forty or fifty feet above this hole."

This was accomplished in a very few minutes.

"Now let us get the foot of the mast precisely over that hole. I mean to let it drop from this height, and its weight will sink it 25 or 30 feet into the snow. That, with 9 feet of ice, will hold it for centuries. We will fill the space in the ice shaft about the foot of the mast with the ice chips that we have taken out, ram them down good and solid, then pour water in. This will instantly freeze, and all the gales that ever howled can never blow down the finest flagstaff that ever stood upon the face of the earth."

The plumb-line was lowered and cables tautened here and slackened there until the butt of the great mast stood precisely over the shaft. The spiral stair had been so constructed that it nowhere touched the mast. At its entrance into, and exit from the globe, heavy collars connected the mast with the ship. These were removed, and a heavy trap door, upon which the foot of the flagstaff rested, was its only support. A massive bolt alone held the trap in place. Will and the Professor were by the ice shaft, watching the plumb-line. At a signal, the Doctor struck the bolt a heavy blow with a sledge, the trap fell, and the beautiful mast shot like a flash of lightning down through the frosty atmosphere, entered the ice hole precisely in the center, and sank to the depth of 35 feet into the snow, which, added to the 9 feet of ice, made a footing of 44 feet for the towering flagstaff. The globe was again settled to the foot of the mast, the ice chips filled in and rammed solidly, the water poured about it, and their work was completed. The ingenuity displayed by the Doctor upon this occasion showed him to be a born leader of men, and the little band of associates so acknowledged to him upon the spot. Dr. Jones shut off their effusive demonstrations as quickly as possible. He did not appear to be possessed of any degree of love of praise; on the contrary, it always embarrassed and made him uncomfortable.

"And now let us eat again," said Dr. Jones. "We must get away from here before we sleep."

So they sat down to a hearty dinner, all tired and very hungry. But the coffee and smoking food immediately reinvigorated them, and they arose from the table anxious to complete their work and be off for home.

"Shall we rest a few hours, or go on with our celebration, and immediately sail for home—or wherever the wind may carry us?" asked Dr. Jones.

"O, let us go on by all means! plenty of time for rest and sleep," was the unanimous decision.

"All right," he replied. "That suits me perfectly. This good weather will not last long. The Arctics are subject to fearful and sudden storms, and we must be ready to go at any instant. Whatever we are to do, let us do quickly."

"I think we should have a patriotic piece or two at the foot of the mast, and then our North Pole March. I have had in my mind that it would be fine to raise the globe up ten feet or so, and beneath it we will have our concert."

"But how can we sing with our mouths all wrapped up in furs? We shall instantly freeze if we expose our faces to the cold. See, the thermometer now marks nearly 70 degrees below zero."

It was Mattie who put this poser.

"I will tell you the only thing we can do," said Will. "We have an abundance of coal oil. We will set all the pots, pans, and kettles aboard ship in a circle around the mast at a sufficient distance from it for our purpose. We will fill these dishes with coal oil, set fire to them, and within this charmed circle you may sing to your hearts' content."

"Aye, aye, Will!" cried Dr. Jones. "You've struck it!"

The globe was adjusted, the vessels of oil set in place, the oil instantly congealed, but Will had taken the precaution to place into each vessel several wicks. He lighted these ends, and in a little while the temperature in the circle rose very perceptibly. The organ was then brought down and placed by the mast. They threw back their hoods and sang America with deep solemnity and feeling. When they had finished, Professor Gray said:

"I now propose that we have a speech from Doctor Jones. But first, three cheers for the projector of this glorious enterprise and discoverer of the North Pole. Hip, hip, hurrah!"

These cheers were given with all possible zest and enthusiasm.

"Friends and fellow citizens," began the Doctor, smiling good-naturedly upon them, "I sincerely thank you for your expressions of good will. I did not suppose that I was on the program for a speech. My heart is too full for utterance when I contemplate the fact that we now actually stand, safe, sound, and comfortable, at that spot so long sought by the bravest men of all civilized lands. That the world will receive us with open arms, and will heap honors and riches upon us, I do not for a moment doubt. But all this will do us no good, on the contrary, much harm, if we allow ourselves to become puffed up thereby, and cease to give to God all the glory and honor. As for myself, I am only proud of this achievement by so much as it shall prove a blessing to mankind. I believe that true happiness is found alone in working for others. Selfishness is the direct source of all the unhappiness upon earth, and is the chief or only difference between a devil and an angel. But I see that our fires are fast burning low, and I must hasten.

"So by right of discovery, I claim this island for our great republic, the United States of America; and its name shall be, owing to its position upon the top of the earth, Summit Island!"

This speech was received with great applause. Fred then struck up on the organ the music of the North Pole March. The company began to circle about the mast, keeping step to the inspiring notes and singing the four parts. By the time this music was ended the fires were nearly burned down and the temperature within the circle lowered rapidly. The vessels were hastily gathered up and all entered the cabin.

As they were about to hoist the anchors, Professor Gray said:

"I am not perfectly satisfied as to the location of our pole being exactly correct. And, to tell you the truth, it has been demonstrated that the Pole is not a fixed, unchangeable spot, but really swings about in a circle, varying from six to thirty feet in diameter, just as the upper end of the stem of a spinning top does when it begins to run down or lose its momentum. Now I am positive that our flagstaff stands within this circle. But I would like, by another very satisfactory experiment, to verify the one we have already made. It will require another twenty-four hours."

"By all means, Professor," answered Dr. Jones, "do so. Let us do everything possible to establish the fact that we are scientifically correct in our location of the Pole. What would you have us do now?"

"I will explain what I intend doing, and then we will understand and we can work intelligently together. I wish to photograph the stars directly above our heads. If we were here during the winter season, when the sun was below the horizon, we could see the stars distinctly with the unassisted eye. But from March 21st to September 21st we cannot do that because of continuous daylight. Now you are probably aware that looking up from the bottom of a deep well or shaft in the daytime, the stars are visible, even in the sunlight. And that is what I purpose doing."

"Well, and where is your shaft that you intend looking up through?" inquired Dr. Jones.

The Professor significantly laid his hand upon the zinc tube which enveloped the flagstaff. "O ho!" cried the Doctor, "why did not I think of that?"

We should have explained before that the spiral stairs ran up between two zinc tubes, the one six feet in diameter, and the other two feet in diameter. The latter surrounded the mast, and after the globe should rise from the flagstaff this tube would indeed be a shaft two hundred feet in depth, or two hundred and ten feet, for it extended to the top of the roof of the observatory.

Accordingly, the burners were lighted, the globe arose until the ball of the mast was just below the level of the floor of the engine-room. Upon looking through the tube after all light had been excluded from the engine-room, a bright star could be seen shining down upon them with resplendent brilliancy.

"Now, Will," cried Professor Gray, "I wish you could go up and lower a plumb-line from the exact center of the top of the shaft. I want to see if our tube stands perpendicularly. If it does, and the plumb-line points straight through the center of it to yonder star, then we are at the exact spot we seek."

The line was lowered, and after a little adjustment of the cables, the lower end of the plumb-line passed through the exact center of the tube. The Professor ran his eye up the line and smiled with satisfaction.

"Look at it, Doctor," he said.

"Well, that is wonderful!" cried Dr. Jones. "Look at it Fred, Denison. The line runs precisely in alignment with the star."

"And now," said Professor Gray, after all had verified this last statement, "let's not lose a moment's time. Get your camera out. We want a twenty-four hours' exposure through our shaft, and photograph that star. If we be exactly at the Pole, it will describe a perfect circle upon the sensitive plate. If we are not so located, the line upon the plate will form an ellipse."

The camera was set as suggested by the Professor, and then the party retired for the night. We say "night," but the reader will constantly bear in mind that this term is not used with reference to daylight or darkness, simply to the clock, or time of day.

There was an absolute, dead calm during the following twenty-four hours after Will had set the camera. Nature was so extraordinarily kind to Dr. Jones during the time that we almost tremble for our reputation for veracity as we record the last-mentioned fact. Any swaying of the globe by the wind would have effectually prevented anything like a good negative being made. But the globe remained in the exact position, the atmosphere in the hot air chamber being kept up sufficiently so that a steady strain was maintained upon the four cables. At the end of the time mentioned the Professor examined the negative with a magnifying glass, and pronounced the test perfectly satisfactory.

The globe was lowered down the mast for the last time. Denison and Will ran out and loosened the anchors Slowly the ship then glided up the beautiful mast. The flag, which had been wrapped about the small upper end of the staff to prevent injury being done it while passing through the tube, was shaken out at the moment it left the floor of the engine-room. Its fastenings to the peak had been made doubly secure, and it was tenderly manipulated through the final opening by loving hands. The whole company involuntarily shouted at the inspiring sight. The ship was lowered as it moved away, and the patriotic voyagers were treated to a side view of the most beautiful, thrilling sight upon earth—the American flag flying at the North Pole at the peak of the loftiest flagstaff ever erected! Well might their hearts swell with pride and their voices break forth in songs of triumph and praise. The Star Spangled Banner! Emblem of Liberty! How exquisitely meet that it should be thus planted forever at the summit of the earth, a terror to tyrants, and a never-failing beacon of Light and Freedom to all people of the world!