"Looky yonder! Isn't that one o' those sour-us dictionary
fellows on a bender? Isn't that--but I don't--no, it's only--"

"Only a partly decayed tree gone afloat!" volunteered Bruno, with
a merry laugh, as his eager brother drew back in evident chagrin.

"Well, that's all right. It ought to've been one, even if it
isn't. What's the use in coming all this way, if we're not going
to discover something beyond the common? And my sour-us is worth
more than one of the other kind, after all; get it ashore and you
might cook dinner for a solid month by it; now there!"

It was easily to be seen that Waldo had been giving free rein to
his expectations ever since the professor's little lecture, but
his natural chagrin was quickly forgotten in a matter of far
greater interest.

Professor Featherwit had resumed his scrutiny of yonder body of
water, slowly turning his glasses while holding the air-ship on a
true course and even keel.

For a brief space nothing interfered with the steady motion of
the field-glasses, but then something called for a more thorough
examination, and little by little the savant leaned farther
forward, breath coming more rapidly, face beginning to flush with
deepening interest.

Bruno took note of all this, and, failing to see aught to account
for the symptoms with unaided eyes, at length ventured to speak.