above the other, the lower one the larger.

"Where was you calalatin' t' take this here ship when it gits done,
Perfesser?" asked Washington, during a lull in the operations.

"Do you remember that big hole in the island we visited on our trip to
the south pole?"

"I suah does," answered the colored man.

"We are going to explore that," went on the scientist. "We are going
to make a voyage to the interior of the earth in our Flying Mermaid."

"Go down into th' earth!" exclaimed Washington, his eyes big with
fright.

"Certainly; why not?"

"Not for mine!" cried the colored man, dropping the wrench he was
holding. "No sire I'm not goin' t' project myself int' a grave while
I'se alive. Time enough when I kicks th' bucket. No sir! If yo' an'
the boys wants t' risk yo' se'ves goin' down int' th' interior of th'
earth, where th' Bible says there's fiery furnaces, yo' kin go, but
Washington White stays on terra cotta! That's where he stays; He ain't
ready t' be buried, not jest yet!" and the frightened colored man
started to leave the shed.

CHAPTER II

THE FLYING MERMAID