Again he was interrupted by the brothers, and forced to leave
that regret unspoken to the end.

"Only for you, uncle Phaeton, what would have become of us when
we were left without parents, home, fortune? Only for you,
taking us in and treating us as though of your own flesh and
blood--"

"As you are, my good lads! Let it pass, then, but I must say
that I do wish--well, well, let it pass, then!"

A brief silence, which was spent in gripping hands and with eyes
giving pledges of love and undying confidence; then Professor
Featherwit spoke again, in an entirely different vein.

"If nothing else, we have exploded one fallacy which has never
met with contradiction, so far as my poor knowledge goes."

"And that is--what, uncle Phaeton?"

"Observe, my lads," with a wave of his hand towards those
whirling walls, and then making a downward motion. "You see that
we are floating in a partial vacuum, yet where there is air
sufficient to preserve life under difficulties. And by looking
downward--careful that you don't fall overboard through
dizziness, though!"

"Looks as though we were floating just above a bed of ugly wind!"
declared Waldo, after taking a look below.