to reach the catches on this side of the tube, it would continue falling backward and forward until it came to a rest in the center."
"Yes; and as the retardation would be only gradual, several days would probably elapse before it came to a complete stop."
"Ah! And then, of course, William would need the extra air?"
"Certainly; for the simple reason that we could not send him any assistance until he came to a complete rest. But, understand me, while I thought it best to take these precautions, I have not the slightest fear of anything of the kind happening. I have catches arranged on the New York side as far as twenty miles below the surface of the earth, and I am certain that it will be impossible for the car to fail to reach these. On the contrary, it will pass these first catches with such speed that I have been obliged to devise means of moving the catches out of the way instantaneously, if necessary, so as to afford free passageway. I am fully convinced that William will not come to a stop until he is within two miles of the surface on the New York side."
The conversation was here interrupted by an exclamation from Flora.
