carry me to Ottawa."

Then Storri unrolled maps and reports from Canadian engineers which
vouched the plausibility of a ship canal from a deep-water point on that
eastern arm of Lake Huron called Georgian Bay to Toronto on Lake
Ontario.

"It shall be two hundred feet wide," explained Storri, "and thirty feet
deep. The distance is less than one hundred miles, and the fall less
than one hundred feet. To dig it will be child's play; you may read the
reports of the engineers; they show how advantage may be had of a Lake
Simcoe, and of a little river. Here also are letters and guarantees from
eminent men of Canada that their parliament will permit and protect the
canal. Less than one hundred miles long; and yet that canal will cut off
seven hundred."

Once in Lake Ontario at Toronto, Storri's boats, by way of the St.
Lawrence--which might have to be dredged in places--were to make a
straight wake for St. Petersburg, touching at English, French, and
German ports. The ships were to clear in Duluth for St. Petersburg; and
in St. Petersburg for Duluth. They were to fly the American flag; that,
too, should mean a subsidy. Besides, there must be an American
commission to confer with a Canadian commission touching the canal.

Once in St. Petersburg, Storri would have the aid of his own country in
whatever might be necessary to carry him to the western terminus of his
Chinese railway. He had writings in French from the Czar's government
which set this forth. Only, the Russian assurances were made contingent
upon a standing army of "Ifs." "If" Storri _should_ throw a railway
across China; and "if" he _should_ launch a line of steamships across