sort. You will not find the slightest difficulty in breathing. I understand your being afraid of traveling at so high a speed; but you will not feel the slightest jolt, or be inconvenienced by the noise of machinery, as you would in all other methods of transportation. You will have no more difficulty in breathing than you have now; for our earth is traveling many times faster than the greatest speed you will acquire. You may become slightly dizzy, but not enough to hurt you; and besides, the whole trip will be over in less than an hour."
"All right, then," said William. "If you've no further advice to give me, I'll just write a word to mother, and after that I shall be ready to start."
"That's a good idea, my boy," said Dr. Giles; "and I'm glad you called me back to present matters, for I was forgetting how time is flying. But before you go, let me tell you, William, that you are a plucky lad, and that you are displaying a courage to-day of which a man might well be proud. I regret that you have to leave us so soon; but the car is scheduled to start at eleven o'clock sharp, and the inhabitants of the whole world are now gathering to see the start. Of course, they cannot witness the real descent, but
