"True, Bruno," with a nod of agreement, yet with forehead
contracting into a network of troubled lines. "Naturally so, and
yet--surely this must be merely a portion? Unless--yet I fail to
see aught which might be interpreted as being--"

Promptly responding to each touch of hand upon steering-gear, the
aeromotor swung smoothly around, sailing on even keel right into
the teeth of the gentle wind, by this time near enough to that
body of water for the air-voyagers to scan its surface: a
considerable expanse, all told, yet by no means of such magnitude
as Professor Featherwit had anticipated.

Too deeply absorbed in his own thoughts to notice the little
cries and ejaculations which came from the brothers, he caused
the aerostat to rise higher, slowly sweeping that extended field
with his glasses.

He could see where several streams entered the body of water,
coming from opposite points of the compass, and thus confirming
at least one portion of his explained theory; but, so far as his
visual powers went, there was no other considerable body of water
to be discovered.

"Yet, how can that contracted basin contain all the drainage from
this vast scope of country? How can we explain the stubborn fact
of--What now, lads?"

An abrupt break, but one caused by the eager cry and loud speech
from the lips of the younger Gillespie.