The Master Key

An Electrical Fairy Tale

 Founded Upon The Mysteries Of Electricity And The Optimism Of Its Devotees. It Was Written For Boys, But Others May Read It

by

L. Frank Baum

Contents

 --Who Knows?-- 1. Rob's Workshop 2. The Demon of Electricity 3. The Three Gifts 4. Testing the Instruments 5. The Cannibal Island 6. The Buccaneers 7. The Demon Becomes Angry 8. Rob Acquires New Powers 9. The Second Journey 10. How Rob Served a Mighty King 11. The Man of Science 12. How Rob Saved a Republic 13. Rob Loses His Treasures 14. Turk and Tatar 15. A Battle With Monsters 16. Shipwrecked Mariners 17. The Coast of Oregon 18. A Narrow Escape 19. Rob Makes a Resolution 20. The Unhappy Fate of the Demon

Who Knows?

These things are quite improbable, to be sure; but are they impossible?

Our big world rolls over as smoothly as it did centuries ago, without asqueak to show it needs oiling after all these years of revolution. But times change because men change, and because civilization, likeJohn Brown's soul, goes ever marching on. 

The impossibilities of yesterday become the accepted facts of to-day. 

Here is a fairy tale founded upon the wonders of electricity andwritten for children of this generation. Yet when my readers shallhave become men and women my story may not seem to their children likea fairy tale at all. 

Perhaps one, perhaps two--perhaps several of the Demon's devices willbe, by that time, in popular use. 

Who knows?

1. Rob's Workshop

When Rob became interested in electricity his clear-headed fatherconsidered the boy's fancy to be instructive as well as amusing; so heheartily encouraged his son, and Rob never lacked batteries, motors orsupplies of any sort that his experiments might require. 

He fitted up the little back room in the attic as his workshop, andfrom thence a net-work of wires soon ran throughout the house. Notonly had every outside door its electric bell, but every window wasfitted with a burglar alarm; moreover no one could cross the thresholdof any interior room without registering the fact in Rob's workshop. The gas was lighted by an electric fob; a chime, connected with anerratic clock in the boy's room, woke the servants at all hours of thenight and caused the cook to give warning; a bell rang whenever thepostman dropped a letter into the box; there were bells, bells, bellseverywhere, ringing at the right time, the wrong time and all the time. And there were telephones in the different rooms, too, through whichRob could call up the different members of the family just when theydid not wish to be disturbed. 

His mother and sisters soon came to vote the boy's scientific craze anuisance; but his father was delighted with these evidences of Rob'sskill as an electrician, and insisted that he be allowed perfectfreedom in carrying out his ideas. 

"Electricity, " said the old gentleman, sagely, "is destined to becomethe motive power of the world. The future advance of civilization willbe along electrical lines. Our boy may become a great inventor andastonish the world with his wonderful creations. "

"And in the meantime, " said the mother, despairingly, "we shall all beelectrocuted, or the house burned down by crossed wires, or we shall beblown into eternity by an explosion of chemicals!"

"Nonsense!" ejaculated the proud father. "Rob's storage batteries arenot powerful enough to electrocute one or set the house on fire. Dogive the boy a chance, Belinda. "

"And the pranks are so humiliating, " continued the lady. "When theminister called yesterday and rang the bell a big card appeared on thefront door on which was printed the words: 'Busy; Call Again. 'Fortunately Helen saw him and let him in, but when I reproved Robertfor the act he said he was just trying the sign to see if it wouldwork. "

"Exactly! The boy is an inventor already. I shall have one of thosecards attached to the door of my private office at once. I tell you, Belinda, our son will be a great man one of these days, " said Mr. Joslyn, walking up and down with pompous strides and almost burstingwith the pride he took in his young hopeful. 

Mrs. Joslyn sighed. She knew remonstrance was useless so long as herhusband encouraged the boy, and that she would be wise to bear hercross with fortitude. 

Rob also knew his mother's protests would be of no avail; so hecontinued to revel in electrical processes of all sorts, using thehouse as an experimental station to test the powers of his productions. 

It was in his own room, however, --his "workshop"--that he especiallydelighted. For not only was it the center of all his numerous "lines"throughout the house, but he had rigged up therein a wonderful array ofdevices for his own amusement. A trolley-car moved around a circulartrack and stopped regularly at all stations; an engine and train ofcars moved jerkily up and down a steep grade and through a tunnel; awindmill was busily pumping water from the dishpan into the copperskillet; a sawmill was in full operation and a host of mechanicalblacksmiths, scissors-grinders, carpenters, wood-choppers and millerswere connected with a motor which kept them working away at theirtrades in awkward but persevering fashion. 

The room was crossed and recrossed with wires. They crept up thewalls, lined the floor, made a grille of the ceiling and would catch anunwary visitor under the chin or above the ankle just when he leastexpected it. Yet visitors were forbidden in so crowded a room, andeven his father declined to go farther than the doorway. As for Rob, he thought he knew all about the wires, and what each one was for; butthey puzzled even him, at times, and he was often perplexed to know howto utilize them all. 

One day when he had locked himself in to avoid interruption while heplanned the electrical illumination of a gorgeous pasteboard palace, hereally became confused over the network of wires. He had a"switchboard, " to be sure, where he could make and break connections ashe chose; but the wires had somehow become mixed, and he could not tellwhat combinations to use to throw the power on to his miniatureelectric lights. 

So he experimented in a rather haphazard fashion, connecting this andthat wire blindly and by guesswork, in the hope that he would strikethe right combination. Then he thought the combination might be rightand there was a lack of power; so he added other lines of wire to hisconnections, and still others, until he had employed almost every wirein the room. 

Yet it would not work; and after pausing a moment to try to think whatwas wrong he went at it again, putting this and that line intoconnection, adding another here and another there, until suddenly, ashe made a last change, a quick flash of light almost blinded him, andthe switch-board crackled ominously, as if struggling to carry apowerful current. 

Rob covered his face at the flash, but finding himself unhurt he tookaway his hands and with blinking eyes attempted to look at a wonderfulradiance which seemed to fill the room, making it many times brighterthan the brightest day. 

Although at first completely dazzled, he peered before him until hediscovered that the light was concentrated near one spot, from whichall the glorious rays seemed to scintillate. 

He closed his eyes a moment to rest them; then re-opening them andshading them somewhat with his hands, he made out the form of a curiousBeing standing with majesty and composure in the center of themagnificent radiance and looking down upon him!

2. The Demon of Electricity

Rob was a courageous boy, but a thrill of fear passed over him in spiteof his bravest endeavor as he gazed upon the wondrous apparition thatconfronted him. For several moments he sat as if turned to stone, somotionless was he; but his eyes were nevertheless fastened upon theBeing and devouring every detail of his appearance. 

And how strange an appearance he presented!

His jacket was a wavering mass of white light, edged with braid of redflames that shot little tongues in all directions. The buttons blazedin golden fire. His trousers had a bluish, incandescent color, withglowing stripes of crimson braid. His vest was gorgeous with all thecolors of the rainbow blended into a flashing, resplendent mass. Infeature he was most majestic, and his eyes held the soft butpenetrating brilliance of electric lights. 

It was hard to meet the gaze of those searching eyes, but Rob did it, and at once the splendid apparition bowed and said in a low, clearvoice:

"I am here. "

"I know that, " answered the boy, trembling, "but WHY are you here?"

"Because you have touched the Master Key of Electricity, and I mustobey the laws of nature that compel me to respond to your summons. "

"I--I didn't know I touched the Master Key, " faltered the boy. 

"I understand that. You did it unconsciously. No one in the world hasever done it before, for Nature has hitherto kept the secret safelocked within her bosom. "

Rob took time to wonder at this statement. 

"Then who are you?" he inquired, at length. 

"The Demon of Electricity, " was the solemn answer. 

"Good gracious!" exclaimed Rob, "a demon!"

"Certainly. I am, in truth, the Slave of the Master Key, and am forcedto obey the commands of any one who is wise and brave enough--or, as inyour own case, fortunate and fool-hardy enough--to touch it. "

"I--I've never guessed there was such a thing as a Master Key, or--or aDemon of Electricity, and--and I'm awfully sorry I--I called you up!"stammered the boy, abashed by the imposing appearance of his companion. 

The Demon actually smiled at this speech, --a smile that was almostreassuring. 

"I am not sorry, " he said, in kindlier tone, "for it is not muchpleasure waiting century after century for some one to command myservices. I have often thought my existence uncalled for, since youEarth people are so stupid and ignorant that you seem unlikely ever tomaster the secret of electrical power. "

"Oh, we have some great masters among us!" cried Rob, rather nettled atthis statement. "Now, there's Edison--"

"Edison!" exclaimed the Demon, with a faint sneer; "what does he know?"

"Lots of things, " declared the boy. "He's invented no end of wonderfulelectrical things. "

"You are wrong to call them wonderful, " replied the Demon, lightly. "He really knows little more than yourself about the laws that controlelectricity. His inventions are trifling things in comparison with thereally wonderful results to be obtained by one who would actually knowhow to direct the electric powers instead of groping blindly afterinsignificant effects. Why, I've stood for months by Edison's elbow, hoping and longing for him to touch the Master Key; but I can seeplainly he will never accomplish it. "

"Then there's Tesla, " said the boy. 

The Demon laughed. 

"There is Tesla, to be sure, " he said. "But what of him?"

"Why, he's discovered a powerful light, " the Demon gave an amusedchuckle, "and he's in communication with the people in Mars. "

"What people?"

"Why, the people who live there. "

"There are none. "

This great statement almost took Rob's breath away, and caused him tostare hard at his visitor. 

"It's generally thought, " he resumed, in an annoyed tone, "that Marshas inhabitants who are far in advance of ourselves in civilization. Many scientific men think the people of Mars have been trying to signalus for years, only we don't understand their signals. And greatnovelists have written about the Martians and their wonderfulcivilization, and--"

"And they all know as much about that little planet as you doyourself, " interrupted the Demon, impatiently. "The trouble with youEarth people is that you delight in guessing about what you can notknow. Now I happen to know all about Mars, because I can traverse allspace and have had ample leisure to investigate the different planets. Mars is not peopled at all, nor is any other of the planets yourecognize in the heavens. Some contain low orders of beasts, to besure, but Earth alone has an intelligent, thinking, reasoningpopulation, and your scientists and novelists would do better trying tocomprehend their own planet than in groping through space to unravelthe mysteries of barren and unimportant worlds. "

Rob listened to this with surprise and disappointment; but he reflectedthat the Demon ought to know what he was talking about, so he did notventure to contradict him. 

"It is really astonishing, " continued the Apparition, "how little youpeople have learned about electricity. It is an Earth element that hasexisted since the Earth itself was formed, and if you but understoodits proper use humanity would be marvelously benefited in many ways. "

"We are, already, " protested Rob; "our discoveries in electricity haveenabled us to live much more conveniently. "

"Then imagine your condition were you able fully to control this greatelement, " replied the other, gravely. "The weaknesses and privationsof mankind would be converted into power and luxury. "

"That's true, Mr. --Mr. --Demon, " said the boy. "Excuse me if I don'tget your name right, but I understood you to say you are a demon. "

"Certainly. The Demon of Electricity. "

"But electricity is a good thing, you know, and--and--"

"Well?"

"I've always understood that demons were bad things, " added Rob, boldly. 

"Not necessarily, " returned his visitor. "If you will take the troubleto consult your dictionary, you will find that demons may be eithergood or bad, like any other class of beings. Originally all demonswere good, yet of late years people have come to consider all demonsevil. I do not know why. Should you read Hesiod you will find he says:

 'Soon was a world of holy demons made, Aerial spirits, by great Jove designed To be on earth the guardians of mankind. '"

"But Jove was himself a myth, " objected Rob, who had been studyingmythology. 

The Demon shrugged his shoulders. 

"Then take the words of Mr. Shakespeare, to whom you all defer, " hereplied. "Do you not remember that he says:

 'Thy demon (that's thy spirit which keeps thee) is Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable. '"

"Oh, if Shakespeare says it, that's all right, " answered the boy. "Butit seems you're more like a genius, for you answer the summons of theMaster Key of Electricity in the same way Aladdin's genius answered therubbing of the lamp. "

"To be sure. A demon is also a genius; and a genius is a demon, " saidthe Being. "What matters a name? I am here to do your bidding. "

3. The Three Gifts

Familiarity with any great thing removes our awe of it. The greatgeneral is only terrible to the enemy; the great poet is frequentlyscolded by his wife; the children of the great statesman clamber abouthis knees with perfect trust and impunity; the great actor who iscalled before the curtain by admiring audiences is often waylaid at thestage door by his creditors. 

So Rob, having conversed for a time with the glorious Demon ofElectricity, began to regard him with more composure and less awe, ashis eyes grew more and more accustomed to the splendor that at firsthad well-nigh blinded them. 

When the Demon announced himself ready to do the boy's bidding, hefrankly replied:

"I am no skilled electrician, as you very well know. My calling youhere was an accident. So I don't know how to command you, nor what toask you to do. "

"But I must not take advantage of your ignorance, " answered the Demon. "Also, I am quite anxious to utilize this opportunity to show the worldwhat a powerful element electricity really is. So permit me to informyou that, having struck the Master Key, you are at liberty to demandfrom me three gifts each week for three successive weeks. These gifts, provided they are within the scope of electricity, I will grant. "

Rob shook his head regretfully. 

"If I were a great electrician I should know what to ask, " he said. "But I am too ignorant to take advantage of your kind offer. "

"Then, " replied the Demon, "I will myself suggest the gifts, and theywill be of such a character that the Earth people will learn thepossibilities that lie before them and be encouraged to work moreintelligently and to persevere in mastering those natural and simplelaws which control electricity. For one of the greatest errors theynow labor under is that electricity is complicated and hard tounderstand. It is really the simplest Earth element, lying within easyreach of any one who stretches out his hand to grasp and control itspowers. "

Rob yawned, for he thought the Demon's speeches were growing rathertiresome. Perhaps the genius noticed this rudeness, for he continued:

"I regret, of course, that you are a boy instead of a grown man, for itwill appear singular to your friends that so thoughtless a youth shouldseemingly have mastered the secrets that have baffled your most learnedscientists. But that can not be helped, and presently you will become, through my aid, the most powerful and wonderful personage in all theworld. "

"Thank you, " said Rob, meekly. "It'll be no end of fun. "

"Fun!" echoed the Demon, scornfully. "But never mind; I must use thematerial Fate has provided for me, and make the best of it. "

"What will you give me first?" asked the boy, eagerly. 

"That requires some thought, " returned the Demon, and paused forseveral moments, while Rob feasted his eyes upon the gorgeous rays ofcolor that flashed and vibrated in every direction and surrounded thefigure of his visitor with an intense glow that resembled a halo. 

Then the Demon raised his head and said:

"The thing most necessary to man is food to nourish his body. Hepasses a considerable part of his life in the struggle to procure food, to prepare it properly, and in the act of eating. This is not right. Your body can not be very valuable to you if all your time is requiredto feed it. I shall, therefore, present you, as my first gift, thisbox of tablets. Within each tablet are stored certain elements ofelectricity which are capable of nourishing a human body for a fullday. All you need do is to toss one into your mouth each day andswallow it. It will nourish you, satisfy your hunger and build up yourhealth and strength. The ordinary food of mankind is more or lessinjurious; this is entirely beneficial. Moreover, you may carry enoughtablets in your pocket to last for months. "

Here he presented Rob the silver box of tablets, and the boy, somewhatnervously, thanked him for the gift. 

"The next requirement of man, " continued the Demon, "is defense fromhis enemies. I notice with sorrow that men frequently have wars andkill one another. Also, even in civilized communities, man is inconstant danger from highwaymen, cranks and policemen. To defendhimself he uses heavy and dangerous guns, with which to destroy hisenemies. This is wrong. He has no right to take away what he can notbestow; to destroy what he can not create. To kill a fellow-creatureis a horrid crime, even if done in self-defense. Therefore, my secondgift to you is this little tube. You may carry it within your pocket. Whenever an enemy threatens you, be it man or beast, simply point thetube and press this button in the handle. An electric current willinstantly be directed upon your foe, rendering him wholly unconsciousfor the period of one hour. During that time you will have opportunityto escape. As for your enemy, after regaining consciousness he willsuffer no inconvenience from the encounter beyond a slight headache. "

"That's fine!" said Rob, as he took the tube. It was scarcely sixinches long, and hollow at one end. 

"The busy lives of men, " proceeded the Demon, "require them to moveabout and travel in all directions. Yet to assist them there are onlysuch crude and awkward machines as electric trolleys, cable cars, steamrailways and automobiles. These crawl slowly over the uneven surfaceof the earth and frequently get out of order. It has grieved me thatmen have not yet discovered what even birds know: that the atmosphereoffers them swift and easy means of traveling from one part of theearth's surface to another. "

"Some people have tried to build airships, " remarked Rob. 

"So they have; great, unwieldy machines which offer so much resistanceto the air that they are quite useless. A big machine is not needed tocarry one through the air. There are forces in nature which may bereadily used for such purpose. Tell me, what holds you to the Earth, and makes a stone fall to the ground?"

"Attraction of gravitation, " said Rob, promptly. 

"Exactly. That is one force I refer to, " said the Demon. "The forceof repulsion, which is little known, but just as powerful, is anotherthat mankind may direct. Then there are the Polar electric forces, attracting objects toward the north or south poles. You have guessedsomething of this by the use of the compass, or electric needle. Opposed to these is centrifugal electric force, drawing objects fromeast to west, or in the opposite direction. This force is created bythe whirl of the earth upon its axis, and is easily utilized, althoughyour scientific men have as yet paid little attention to it. 

"These forces, operating in all directions, absolute and immutable, areat the disposal of mankind. They will carry you through the atmospherewherever and whenever you choose. That is, if you know how to controlthem. Now, here is a machine I have myself perfected. "

The Demon drew from his pocket something that resembled an open-facedwatch, having a narrow, flexible band attached to it. 

"When you wish to travel, " said he, "attach this little machine to yourleft wrist by means of the band. It is very light and will not be inyour way. On this dial are points marked 'up' and 'down' as well as aperfect compass. When you desire to rise into the air set theindicator to the word 'up, ' using a finger of your right hand to turnit. When you have risen as high as you wish, set the indicator to thepoint of the compass you want to follow and you will be carried by theproper electric force in that direction. To descend, set the indicatorto the word 'down. ' Do you understand?"

"Perfectly!" cried Rob, taking the machine from the Demon withunfeigned delight. "This is really wonderful, and I'm awfully obligedto you!"

"Don't mention it, " returned the Demon, dryly. "These three gifts youmay amuse yourself with for the next week. It seems hard to entrustsuch great scientific discoveries to the discretion of a mere boy; butthey are quite harmless, so if you exercise proper care you can not getinto trouble through their possession. And who knows what benefits tohumanity may result? One week from to-day, at this hour, I will againappear to you, at which time you shall receive the second series ofelectrical gifts. "

"I'm not sure, " said Rob, "that I shall be able again to make theconnections that will strike the Master Key. "

"Probably not, " answered the Demon. "Could you accomplish that, youmight command my services forever. But, having once succeeded, you areentitled to the nine gifts--three each week for three weeks--so youhave no need to call me to do my duty. I shall appear of my ownaccord. "

"Thank you, " murmured the boy. 

The Demon bowed and spread his hands in the form of a semi-circle. Aninstant later there was a blinding flash, and when Rob recovered fromit and opened his eyes the Demon of Electricity had disappeared. 

4. Testing the Instruments

There is little doubt that this strange experience befallen a grown manhe would have been stricken with a fit of trembling or a sense ofapprehension, or even fear, at the thought of having faced the terribleDemon of Electricity, of having struck the Master Key of the world'sgreatest natural forces, and finding himself possessed of three suchwonderful and useful gifts. But a boy takes everything as a matter ofcourse. As the tree of knowledge sprouts and expands within him, shooting out leaf after leaf of practical experience, the succession ofsurprises dulls his faculty of wonderment. It takes a great deal tostartle a boy. 

Rob was full of delight at his unexpected good fortune; but he did notstop to consider that there was anything remarkably queer or uncanny inthe manner in which it had come to him. His chief sensation was one ofpride. He would now be able to surprise those who had made fun of hiselectrical craze and force them to respect his marvelous powers. Hedecided to say nothing about the Demon or the accidental striking ofthe Master Key. In exhibiting to his friends the electrical devices hehad acquired it would be "no end of fun" to mark their amazement andleave them to guess how he performed his feats. 

So he put his treasures into his pocket, locked his workshop and wentdownstairs to his room to prepare for dinner. 

While brushing his hair he remembered it was no longer necessary forhim to eat ordinary food. He was feeling quite hungry at that moment, for he had a boy's ravenous appetite; but, taking the silver box fromhis pocket, he swallowed a tablet and at once felt his hunger as fullysatisfied as if he had partaken of a hearty meal, while at the sametime he experienced an exhilarating glow throughout his body and aclearness of brain and gaiety of spirits which filled him with intensegratification. 

Still, he entered the dining-room when the bell rang and found hisfather and mother and sisters already assembled there. 

"Where have you been all day, Robert?" inquired his mother. 

"No need to ask, " said Mr. Joslyn, with a laugh. "Fussing overelectricity, I'll bet a cookie!"

"I do wish, " said the mother, fretfully, "that he would get over thatmania. It unfits him for anything else. "

"Precisely, " returned her husband, dishing the soup; "but it fits himfor a great career when he becomes a man. Why shouldn't he spend hissummer vacation in pursuit of useful knowledge instead of rompingaround like ordinary boys?"

"No soup, thank you, " said Rob. 

"What!" exclaimed his father, looking at him in surprise, "it's yourfavorite soup. "

"I know, " said Rob, quietly, "but I don't want any. "

"Are you ill, Robert?" asked his mother. 

"Never felt better in my life, " answered Rob, truthfully. 

Yet Mrs. Joslyn looked worried, and when Rob refused the roast, she wasreally shocked. 

"Let me feel your pulse, my poor boy!" she commanded, and wondered tofind it so regular. 

In fact, Rob's action surprised them all. He sat calmly throughout themeal, eating nothing, but apparently in good health and spirits, whileeven his sisters regarded him with troubled countenances. 

"He's worked too hard, I guess, " said Mr. Joslyn, shaking his headsadly. 

"Oh, no; I haven't, " protested Rob; "but I've decided not to eatanything, hereafter. It's a bad habit, and does more harm than good. "

"Wait till breakfast, " said sister Helen, with a laugh; "you'll behungry enough by that time. "

However, the boy had no desire for food at breakfast time, either, asthe tablet sufficed for an entire day. So he renewed the anxiety ofthe family by refusing to join them at the table. 

"If this goes on, " Mr Joslyn said to his son, when breakfast wasfinished, "I shall be obliged to send you away for your health. "

"I think of making a trip this morning, " said Rob, carelessly. 

"Where to?"

"Oh, I may go to Boston, or take a run over to Cuba or Jamaica, "replied the boy. 

"But you can not go so far by yourself, " declared his father; "andthere is no one to go with you, just now. Nor can I spare the money atpresent for so expensive a trip. "

"Oh, it won't cost anything, " replied Rob, with a smile. 

Mr. Joslyn looked upon him gravely and sighed. Mrs. Joslyn bent overher son with tears in her eyes and said:

"This electrical nonsense has affected your mind, dear. You mustpromise me to keep away from that horrid workshop for a time. "

"I won't enter it for a week, " he answered. "But you needn't worryabout me. I haven't been experimenting with electricity all this timefor nothing, I can tell you. As for my health, I'm as well and strongas any boy need be, and there's nothing wrong with my head, either. Common folks always think great men are crazy, but Edison and Tesla andI don't pay any attention to that. We've got our discoveries to lookafter. Now, as I said, I'm going for a little trip in the interests ofscience. I may be back to-night, or I may be gone several days. Anyhow, I'll be back in a week, and you mustn't worry about me a singleminute. "

"How are you going?" inquired his father, in the gentle, soothing tonepersons use in addressing maniacs. 

"Through the air, " said Rob. 

His father groaned. 

"Where's your balloon?" inquired sister Mabel, sarcastically. 

"I don't need a balloon, " returned the boy. "That's a clumsy way oftraveling, at best. I shall go by electric propulsion. "

"Good gracious!" cried Mr. Joslyn, and the mother murmured: "My poorboy! my poor boy!"

"As you are my nearest relatives, " continued Rob, not noticing theseexclamations, "I will allow you to come into the back yard and see mestart. You will then understand something of my electrical powers. "

They followed him at once, although with unbelieving faces, and on theway Rob clasped the little machine to his left wrist, so that his coatsleeve nearly hid it. 

When they reached the lawn at the back of the house Rob kissed them allgood-by, much to his sisters' amusement, and turned the indicator ofthe little instrument to the word "up. "

Immediately he began to rise into the air. 

"Don't worry about me!" he called down to them. "Good-by!"

Mrs. Joslyn, with a scream of terror, hid her face in her hands. 

"He'll break his neck!" cried the astounded father, tipping back hishead to look after his departing son. 

"Come back! Come back!" shouted the girls to the soaring adventurer. 

"I will--some day!" was the far-away answer. 

Having risen high enough to pass over the tallest tree or steeple, Robput the indicator to the east of the compass-dial and at once beganmoving rapidly in that direction. 

The sensation was delightful. He rode as gently as a feather floats, without any exertion at all on his own part; yet he moved so swiftlythat he easily distanced a railway train that was speeding in the samedirection. 

"This is great!" reflected the youth. "Here I am, traveling in finestyle, without a penny to pay any one! And I've enough food to last mea month in my coat pocket. This electricity is the proper stuff, afterall! And the Demon's a trump, and no mistake. Whee-ee! How smalleverything looks down below there. The people are bugs, and the housesare soap-boxes, and the trees are like clumps of grass. I seem to bepassing over a town. Guess I'll drop down a bit, and take in thesights. "

He pointed the indicator to the word "down, " and at once began droppingthrough the air. He experienced the sensation one feels whiledescending in an elevator. When he reached a point just above the townhe put the indicator to the zero mark and remained stationary, while heexamined the place. But there was nothing to interest him, particularly; so after a brief survey he once more ascended andcontinued his journey toward the east. 

At about two o'clock in the afternoon he reached the city of Boston, and alighting unobserved in a quiet street he walked around for severalhours enjoying the sights and wondering what people would think of himif they but knew his remarkable powers. But as he looked just like anyother boy no one noticed him in any way. 

It was nearly evening, and Rob had wandered down by the wharves to lookat the shipping, when his attention was called to an ugly looking bulldog, which ran toward him and began barking ferociously. 

"Get out!" said the boy, carelessly, and made a kick at the brute. 

The dog uttered a fierce growl and sprang upon him with bared teeth andflashing red eyes. Instantly Rob drew the electric tube from hispocket, pointed it at the dog and pressed the button. Almost at thesame moment the dog gave a yelp, rolled over once or twice and laystill. 

"I guess that'll settle him, " laughed the boy; but just then he heardan angry shout, and looking around saw a policeman running toward him. 

"Kill me dog, will ye--eh?" yelled the officer; "well, I'll just run yein for that same, an' ye'll spend the night in the lockup!" And on hecame, with drawn club in one hand and a big revolver in the other. 

"You'll have to catch me first, " said Rob, still laughing, and to theamazement of the policeman he began rising straight into the air. 

"Come down here! Come down, or I'll shoot!" shouted the fellow, flourishing his revolver. 

Rob was afraid he would; so, to avoid accidents, he pointed the tube athim and pressed the button. The red-whiskered policeman keeled overquite gracefully and fell across the body of the dog, while Robcontinued to mount upward until he was out of sight of those in thestreets. 

"That was a narrow escape, " he thought, breathing more freely. "Ihated to paralyze that policeman, but he might have sent a bullet afterme. Anyhow, he'll be all right again in an hour, so I needn't worry. "

It was beginning to grow dark, and he wondered what he should do next. Had he possessed any money he would have descended to the town andtaken a bed at a hotel, but he had left home without a single penny. Fortunately the nights were warm at this season, so he determined totravel all night, that he might reach by morning some place he hadnever before visited. 

Cuba had always interested him, and he judged it ought to lie in asoutheasterly direction from Boston. So he set the indicator to thatpoint and began gliding swiftly toward the southeast. 

He now remembered that it was twenty-four hours since he had eaten thefirst electrical tablet. As he rode through the air he consumedanother. All hunger at once left him, while he felt the sameinvigorating sensations as before. 

After a time the moon came out, and Rob amused himself gazing at thecountless stars in the sky and wondering if the Demon was right when hesaid the world was the most important of all the planets. 

But presently he grew sleepy, and before he realized what was happeninghe had fallen into a sound and peaceful slumber, while the indicatorstill pointed to the southeast and he continued to move rapidly throughthe cool night air. 

5. The Cannibal Island

Doubtless the adventures of the day had tired Rob, for he sleptthroughout the night as comfortably as if he had been within his ownroom, lying upon his own bed. When, at last, he opened his eyes andgazed sleepily about him, he found himself over a great body of water, moving along with considerable speed. 

"It's the ocean, of course, " he said to himself. "I haven't reachedCuba yet. "

It is to be regretted that Rob's knowledge of geography was sosuperficial; for, as he had intended to reach Cuba, he should havetaken a course almost southwest from Boston, instead of southeast. Thesad result of his ignorance you will presently learn, for during theentire day he continued to travel over a boundless waste of ocean, without the sight of even an island to cheer him. 

The sun shone so hot that he regretted he had not brought an umbrella. But he wore a wide-brimmed straw hat, which protected him somewhat, andhe finally discovered that by rising to a considerable distance abovethe ocean he avoided the reflection of the sun upon the water and alsocame with the current of good breeze. 

Of course he dared no stop, for there was no place to land; so hecalmly continued his journey. 

"It may be I've missed Cuba, " he thought; "but I can not change mycourse now, for if I did I might get lost, and never be able to findland again. If I keep on as I am I shall be sure to reach land of somesort, in time, and when I wish to return home I can set the indicatorto the northwest and that will take me directly back to Boston. "

This was good reasoning, but the rash youth had no idea he was speedingover the ocean, or that he was destined to arrive shortly at thebarbarous island of Brava, off the coast of Africa. Yet such was thecase; just as the sun sank over the edge of the waves he saw, to hisgreat relief, a large island directly in his path. 

He dropped to a lower position in the air, and when he judged himselfto be over the center of the island he turned the indicator to zero andstopped short. 

The country was beautifully wooded, while pretty brooks sparkledthrough the rich green foliage of the trees. The island sloped upwardsfrom the sea-coast in all directions, rising to a hill that was almosta mountain in the center. There were two open spaces, one on each sideof the island, and Rob saw that these spaces were occupied byqueer-looking huts built from brushwood and branches of trees. Thisshowed that the island was inhabited, but as Rob had no idea whatisland it was he wisely determined not to meet the natives until he haddiscovered what they were like and whether they were disposed to befriendly. 

So he moved over the hill, the top of which proved to be a flat, grass-covered plateau about fifty feet in diameter. Finding it couldnot be easily reached from below, on account of its steep sides, andcontained neither men nor animals, he alighted on the hill-top andtouched his feet to the earth for the first time in twenty-four hours. 

The ride through the air had not tired him in the least; in fact, hefelt as fresh and vigorous as if he had been resting throughout thejourney. As he walked upon the soft grass of the plateau he feltelated, and compared himself to the explorers of ancient days; for itwas evident that civilization had not yet reached this delightful spot. 

There was scarcely any twilight in this tropical climate and it grewdark quickly. Within a few minutes the entire island, save where hestood, became dim and indistinct. He ate his daily tablet, and afterwatching the red glow fade in the western sky and the gray shadows ofnight settle around him he stretched himself comfortably upon the grassand went to sleep. 

The events of the day must have deepened his slumber, for when he awokethe sun was shining almost directly over him, showing that the day waswell advanced. He stood up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and decidedhe would like a drink of water. From where he stood he could seeseveral little brooks following winding paths through the forest, so hesettled upon one that seemed farthest from the brushwood villages, andturning his indicator in that direction soon floated through the air toa sheltered spot upon the bank. 

Kneeling down, he enjoyed a long, refreshing drink of the clear water, but as he started to regain his feet a coil of rope was suddenly thrownabout him, pinning his arms to his sides and rendering him absolutelyhelpless. 

At the same time his ears were saluted with a wild chattering in anunknown tongue, and he found himself surrounded by a group of nativesof hideous appearance. They were nearly naked, and bore spears andheavy clubs as their only weapons. Their hair was long, curly, andthick as bushes, and through their noses and ears were stuck the teethof sharks and curious metal ornaments. 

These creatures had stolen upon Rob so quietly that he had not heard asound, but now they jabbered loudly, as if much excited. 

Finally one fat and somewhat aged native, who seemed to be a chief, came close to Rob and said, in broken English:

"How get here?"

"I flew, " said the boy, with a grin. 

The chief shook his head, saying:

"No boat come. How white man come?"

"Through the air, " replied Rob, who was rather flattered at beingcalled a "man. "

The chief looked into the air with a puzzled expression and shook hishead again. 

"White man lie, " he said calmly. 

Then he held further conversation with his fellows, after which heturned to Rob and announced:

"Me see white man many times. Come in big boats. White man all bad. Make kill with bang-sticks. We kill white man with club. Then we eatwhite man. Dead white man good. Live white man bad!"

This did not please Rob at all. The idea of being eaten by savages hadnever occurred to him as a sequel to his adventures. So he said ratheranxiously to the chief. 

"Look here, old fellow; do you want to die?"

"Me no die. You die, " was the reply. 

"You'll die, too, if you eat me, " said Rob. "I'm full of poison. "

"Poison? Don't know poison, " returned the chief, much perplexed tounderstand him. 

"Well, poison will make you sick--awful sick. Then you'll die. I'mfull of it; eat it every day for breakfast. It don't hurt white men, you see, but it kills black men quicker than the bang-stick. "

The chief listened to this statement carefully, but only understood itin part. After a moment's reflection he declared:

"White man lie. Lie all time. Me eat plenty white man. Never getsick; never die. " Then he added, with renewed cheerfulness: "Me eatyou, too!"

Before Rob could think of a further protest, his captors caught up theend of the rope and led him away through the forest. He was tightlybound, and one strand of rope ran across the machine on his wrist andpressed it into his flesh until the pain was severe. But he resolvedto be brave, whatever happened, so he stumbled along after the savageswithout a word. 

After a brief journey they came to a village, where Rob was thrust intoa brushwood hut and thrown upon the ground, still tightly bound. 

"We light fire, " said the chief. "Then kill little white man. Theneat him. "

With this comforting promise he went away and left Rob alone to thinkthe matter over. 

"This is tough, " reflected the boy, with a groan. "I never expected tofeed cannibals. Wish I was at home with mother and dad and the girls. Wish I'd never seen the Demon of Electricity and his wonderfulinventions. I was happy enough before I struck that awful Master Key. And now I'll be eaten--with salt and pepper, probably. Wonder ifthere'll be any gravy. Perhaps they'll boil me, with biscuits, asmother does chickens. Oh-h-h-h-h! It's just awful!"

In the midst of these depressing thoughts he became aware thatsomething was hurting his back. After rolling over he found that hehad been lying upon a sharp stone that stuck out of the earth. Thisgave him an idea. He rolled upon the stone again and began rubbing therope that bound him against the sharp edge. 

Outside he could hear the crackling of fagots and the roar of anewly-kindled fire, so he knew he had no time to spare. He wriggledand pushed his body right and left, right and left, sawing away at therope, until the strain and exertion started the perspiration from everypore. 

At length the rope parted, and hastily uncoiling it from his body Robstood up and rubbed his benumbed muscles and tried to regain his lostbreath. He had not freed himself a moment too soon, he found, forhearing a grunt of surprise behind him he turned around and saw anative standing in the door of the hut. 

Rob laughed, for he was not a bit afraid of the blacks now. As thenative made a rush toward him the boy drew the electric tube from hispocket, pointed it at the foe, and pressed the button. The fellow sankto the earth without even a groan, and lay still. 

Then another black entered, followed by the fat chief. When they sawRob at liberty, and their comrade lying apparently dead, the chiefcried out in surprise, using some expressive words in his own language. 

"If it's just the same to you, old chap, " said Rob, coolly, "I won't beeaten to-day. You can make a pie of that fellow on the ground. "

"No! We eat you, " cried the chief, angrily. "You cut rope, but no getaway; no boat!"

"I don't need a boat, thank you, " said the boy; and then, as the othernative sprang forward, he pointed the tube and laid him out beside hisfirst victim. 

At this act the chief stood an instant in amazed uncertainty. Then heturned and rushed from the hut. 

Laughing with amusement at the waddling, fat figure, Rob followed thechief and found himself standing almost in the center of the nativevillage. A big fire was blazing merrily and the blacks were busymaking preparations for a grand feast. 

Rob was quickly surrounded by a crowd of the villagers, who chatteredfiercely and made threatening motions in his direction; but as thechief cried out to them a warning in the native tongue they kept arespectful distance and contented themselves with brandishing theirspears and clubs. 

"If any of your fellows come nearer, " Rob said to the fat chief, "I'llknock 'em over. "

"What you make do?" asked the chief, nervously. 

"Watch sharp, and you'll see, " answered Rob. Then he made a mockingbow to the circle and continued: "I'm pleased to have met you fellows, and proud to think you like me well enough to want to eat me; but I'min a bit of a hurry to-day, so I can't stop to be digested. " Afterwhich, as the crowd broke into a hum of surprise, he added: "Good-day, black folks!" and quickly turned the indicator of his traveling machineto the word "up. "

Slowly he rose into the air, until his heels were just above the gapingblacks; but there he stopped short. With a thrill of fear he glancedat the indicator. It was pointed properly, and he knew at once thatsomething was wrong with the delicate mechanism that controlled it. Probably the pressure of the rope across its face, when he was bound, had put it out of order. There he was, seven feet in the air, butwithout the power to rise an inch farther. 

This short flight, however, had greatly astonished the blacks, who, seeing his body suspended in mid-air, immediately hailed him as a god, and prostrated themselves upon the ground before him. 

The fat chief had seen something of white men in his youth, and hadlearned to mistrust them. So, while he remained as prostrate as therest, he peeped at Rob with one of his little black eyes and saw thatthe boy was ill at ease, and seemed both annoyed and frightened. 

So he muttered some orders to the man next him, who wriggled along theground until he had reached a position behind Rob, when he rose andpricked the suspended "god" with the point of his spear. 

"Ouch!" yelled the boy; "stop that!"

He twisted his head around, and seeing the black again make a movementwith the spear, Rob turned his electric tube upon him and keeled himover like a ten-pin. 

The natives, who had looked up at his cry of pain, again prostratedthemselves, kicking their toes against the ground in a terrified tattooat this new evidence of the god's powers. 

The situation was growing somewhat strained by this time, and Rob didnot know what the savages would decide to do next; so he thought itbest to move away from them, since he was unable to rise to a greaterheight. He turned the indicator towards the south, where a level spaceappeared between the trees; but instead of taking that direction hemoved towards the northeast, a proof that his machine had now becomeabsolutely unreliable. Moreover, he was slowly approaching the fire, which, although it had ceased blazing, was a mass of glowing red embers. 

In his excitement he turned the indicator this way and that, trying tochange the direction of his flight, but the only result of his endeavorwas to carry him directly over the fire, where he came to a full stop. 

"Murder! Help! Fire and blazes!" he cried, as he felt the glow of thecoals beneath him. "I'll be roasted, after all! Here; help, Fatty, help!"

The fat chief sprang to his feet and came to the rescue. He reachedup, caught Rob by the heels, and pulled him down to the ground, awayfrom the fire. But the next moment, as he clung to the boy's feet, they both soared into the air again, and, although now far enough fromthe fire to escape its heat, the savage, finding himself lifted fromthe earth, uttered a scream of horror and let go of Rob, to fall headover heels upon the ground. 

The other blacks had by this time regained their feet, and now theycrowded around their chief and set him upright again. 

Rob continued to float in the air, just above their heads, and nowabandoned all thoughts of escaping by means of his wrecked travelingmachine. But he resolved to regain a foothold upon the earth and takehis chances of escape by running rather than flying. So he turned theindicator to the word "down, " and very slowly it obeyed, allowing him, to his great relief, to sink gently to the ground. 

6. The Buccaneers

Once more the blacks formed a circle around our adventurer, who coollydrew his tube and said to the chief:

"Tell your people I'm going to walk away through those trees, and ifany one dares to interfere with me I'll paralyze him. "

The chief understood enough English to catch his meaning, and repeatedthe message to his men. Having seen the terrible effect of theelectric tube they wisely fell back and allowed the boy to pass. 

He marched through their lines with a fine air of dignity, although hewas fearful lest some of the blacks should stick a spear into him orbump his head with a war-club. But they were awed by the wonders theyhad seen and were still inclined to believe him a god, so he was notmolested. 

When he found himself outside the village he made for the high plateauin the center of the island, where he could be safe from the cannibalswhile he collected his thoughts. But when he reached the place hefound the sides so steep he could not climb them, so he adjusted theindicator to the word "up" and found it had still had enough power tosupport his body while he clambered up the rocks to the level, grass-covered space at the top. 

Then, reclining upon his back, he gave himself up to thoughts of how hemight escape from his unpleasant predicament. 

"Here I am, on a cannibal island, hundreds of miles from civilization, with no way to get back, " he reflected. "The family will look for meevery day, and finally decide I've broken my neck. The Demon will callupon me when the week is up and won't find me at home; so I'll miss thenext three gifts. I don't mind that so much, for they might bring meinto worst scrapes than this. But how am I to get away from thisbeastly island? I'll be eaten, after all, if I don't look out!"

These and similar thoughts occupied him for some time, yet in spite ofmuch planning and thinking he could find no practical means of escape. 

At the end of an hour he looked over the edge of the plateau and foundit surrounded by a ring of the black cannibals, who had calmly seatedthemselves to watch his movements. 

"Perhaps they intend to starve me into surrender, " he thought; "butthey won't succeed so long as my tablets hold out. And if, in time, they should starve me, I'll be too thin and tough to make good eating;so I'll get the best of them, anyhow. "

Then he again lay down and began to examine his electrical travelingmachine. He did not dare take it apart, fearing he might not be ableto get it together again, for he knew nothing at all about itsconstruction. But he discovered two little dents on the edge, one oneach side, which had evidently been caused by the pressure of the rope. 

"If I could get those dents out, " he thought, "the machine might work. "

He first tried to pry out the edges with his pocket knife, but theattempt resulted in failure, Then, as the sides seemed a little bulgedoutward by the dents, he placed the machine between two flat stones andpressed them together until the little instrument was nearly roundagain. The dents remained, to be sure, but he hoped he had removed thepressure upon the works. 

There was just one way to discover how well he had succeeded, so hefastened the machine to his wrist and turned the indicator to the word"up. "

Slowly he ascended, this time to a height of nearly twenty feet. Thenhis progress became slower and finally ceased altogether. 

"That's a little better, " he thought. "Now let's see if it will gosidewise. "

He put the indicator to "north-west, "--the direction of home--and veryslowly the machine obeyed and carried him away from the plateau andacross the island. 

The natives saw him go, and springing to their feet began utteringexcited shouts and throwing their spears at him. But he was already sohigh and so far away that they failed to reach him, and the boycontinued his journey unharmed. 

Once the branches of a tall tree caught him and nearly tipped him over;but he managed to escape others by drawing up his feet. At last he wasfree of the island and traveling over the ocean again. He was not atall sorry to bid good-by to the cannibal island, but he was worriedabout the machine, which clearly was not in good working order. Thevast ocean was beneath him, and he moved no faster than an ordinarywalk. 

"At this rate I'll get home some time next year, " he grumbled. "However, I suppose I ought to be glad the machine works at all. " Andhe really was glad. 

All the afternoon and all the long summer night he moved slowly overthe water. It was annoying to go at "a reg'lar jog-trot, " as Robcalled it, after his former swift flight; but there was no help for it. 

Just as dawn was breaking he saw in the distance a small vessel, sailing in the direction he was following, yet scarcely moving for lackof wind. He soon caught up with it, but saw no one on deck, and thecraft had a dingy and uncared-for appearance that was not reassuring. But after hovering over it for some time Rob decided to board the shipand rest for a while. He alighted near the bow, where the deck washighest, and was about to explore the place when a man came out of thelow cabin and espied him. 

This person had a most villainous countenance, and was dark-skinned, black-bearded and dressed in an outlandish, piratical costume. Onseeing the boy he gave a loud shout and was immediately joined by fourcompanions, each as disagreeable in appearance as the first. 

Rob knew there would be trouble the moment he looked at this evil crew, and when they drew their daggers and pistols and began fiercelyshouting in an unknown tongue, the boy sighed and took the electrictube from his coat pocket. 

The buccaneers did not notice the movement, but rushed upon him soquickly that he had to press the button at a lively rate. The tubemade no noise at all, so it was a strange and remarkable sight to seethe pirates suddenly drop to the deck and lie motionless. Indeed, onewas so nearly upon him when the electric current struck him that hishead, in falling, bumped into Rob's stomach and sent him reelingagainst the side of the vessel. 

He quickly recovered himself, and seeing his enemies were renderedharmless, the boy entered the cabin and examined it curiously. It wasdirty and ill-smelling enough, but the corners and spare berths wereheaped with merchandise of all kinds which had been taken from those sounlucky as to have met these cruel and desperate men. 

After a short inspection of the place he returned to the deck and againseated himself in the bow. 

The crippled condition of his traveling machine was now his chieftrouble, and although a good breeze had sprung up to fill the sails andthe little bark was making fair headway, Rob knew he could never expectto reach home unless he could discover a better mode of conveyance thanthis. 

He unstrapped the machine from his wrist to examine it better, andwhile holding it carelessly in his hand it slipped and fell with a bangto the deck, striking upon its round edge and rolling quickly past thecabin and out of sight. With a cry of alarm he ran after it, and aftermuch search found it lying against the bulwark near the edge of ascupper hole, where the least jar of the ship would have sent it to thebottom of the ocean. Rob hastily seized his treasure and uponexamining it found the fall had bulged the rim so that the old dentsscarcely showed at all. But its original shape was more distorted thanever, and Rob feared he had utterly ruined its delicate mechanism. Should this prove to be true, he might now consider himself a prisonerof this piratical band, the members of which, although temporarilydisabled, would soon regain consciousness. 

He sat in the bow, sadly thinking of his misfortunes, until he noticedthat one of the men began to stir. The effect of the electric shockconveyed by the tube was beginning to wear away, and now the buccaneersat up, rubbed his head in a bewildered fashion and looked around him. When he saw Rob he gave a shout of rage and drew his knife, but onemotion of the electric tube made him cringe and slip away to the cabin, where he remained out of danger. 

And now the other four sat up, groaning and muttering in theiroutlandish speech; But they had no notion of facing Rob's tube asecond time, so one by one they joined their leader in the cabin, leaving the boy undisturbed. 

By this time the ship had begun to pitch and toss in an uncomfortablefashion, and Rob noticed that the breeze had increased to a gale. There being no one to look after the sails, the vessel was in gravedanger of capsizing or breaking her masts. The waves were now runninghigh, too, and Rob began to be worried. 

Presently the captain of the pirates stuck his head out of the cabindoor, jabbered some unintelligible words and pointed to the sails. Theboy nodded, for he understood they wanted to attend to the rigging. Sothe crew trooped forth, rather fearfully, and began to reef the sailsand put the ship into condition to weather the storm. 

Rob paid no further attention to them. He looked at his travelingmachine rather doubtfully and wondered if he dared risk its power tocarry him through the air. Whether he remained in the ship or trustedto the machine, he stood a good chance of dropping into the sea at anymoment. So, while he hesitated, he attached the machine to his wristand leaned over the bulwarks to watch the progress of the storm. Hemight stay in the ship until it foundered, he thought, and then takehis chances with the machine. He decided to wait until a climaxarrived. 

The climax came the next moment, for while he leaned over the bulwarksthe buccaneers stole up behind him and suddenly seized him in theirgrasp. While two of them held his arms the others searched hispockets, taking from him the electric tube and the silver boxcontaining his tablets. These they carried to the cabin and threw uponthe heap of other valuables they had stolen. They did not notice histraveling machine, however, but seeing him now unarmed they beganjeering and laughing at him, while the brutal captain relieved hisanger by giving the prisoner several malicious kicks. 

Rob bore his misfortune meekly, although he was almost ready to crywith grief and disappointment. But when one of the pirates, to inflictfurther punishment on the boy, came towards him with a heavy strap, heresolved not to await the blow. 

Turning the indicator to the word "up" he found, to his joy and relief, that it would yet obey the influence of the power of repulsion. Seeinghim rise into the air the fellow made a grab for his foot and held itfirmly, while his companions ran to help him. Weight seemed to make nodifference in the machine; it lifted the pirate as well as Rob; itlifted another who clung to the first man's leg, and another who clungto him. The other two also caught hold, hoping their united strengthwould pull him down, and the next minute Rob was soaring through theair with the entire string of five buccaneers dangling from his leftleg. 

At first the villains were too astounded to speak, but as they realizedthat they were being carried through the air and away from their shipthey broke into loud shouts of dismay, and finally the one who graspedRob's leg lost his hold and the five plunged downward and splashed intothe sea. 

Finding the machine disposed to work accurately, Rob left thebuccaneers to swim to the ship in the best way they could, while hedropped down to the deck again and recovered from the cabin his box oftablets and the electric tube. The fellows were just scrambling onboard when he again escaped, shooting into the air with considerablespeed. 

Indeed, the instrument now worked better than at any time since he hadreached the cannibal island, and the boy was greatly delighted. 

The wind at first sent him spinning away to the south, but he continuedto rise until he was above the air currents, and the storm raged farbeneath him. Then he set the indicator to the northwest andbreathlessly waited to see if it would obey. Hurrah! away he sped at afair rate of speed, while all his anxiety changed to a feeling of sweetcontentment. 

His success had greatly surprised him, but he concluded that the jarcaused by dropping the instrument had relieved the pressure upon theworks, and so helped rather than harmed the free action of the electriccurrents. 

While he moved through the air with an easy, gliding motion he watchedwith much interest the storm raging below. Above his head the sun waspeacefully shining and the contrast was strange and impressive. Afteran hour or so the storm abated, or else he passed away from it, for thedeep blue of the ocean again greeted his eyes. He dropped downwarduntil he was about a hundred feet above the water, when he continuedhis northwesterly course. 

But now he regretted having interfered for a moment with the action ofthe machine, for his progress, instead of being swift as a bird'sflight, became slow and jerky, nor was he sure that the damaged machinemight not break down altogether at any moment. Yet so far his progresswas in the right direction, and he resolved to experiment no furtherwith the instrument, but to let it go as it would, so long as itsupported him above the water. However irregular the motion might be, it was sure, if continued, to bring him to land in time, and that wasall he cared about just then. 

When night fell his slumber was broken and uneasy, for he wakened morethan once with a start of fear that the machine had broken and he wasfalling into the sea. Sometimes he was carried along at a swift pace, and again the machine scarcely worked at all; so his anxiety wasexcusable. 

The following day was one of continued uneasiness for the boy, whobegan to be harrassed by doubts as to whether, after all, he was movingin the right direction. The machine had failed at one time in thisrespect and it might again. He had lost all confidence in its accuracy. 

In spite of these perplexities Rob passed the second night of hisuneven flight in profound slumber, being exhausted by the strain andexcitement he had undergone. When he awoke at daybreak, he saw, to hisprofound delight, that he was approaching land. 

The rising sun found him passing over a big city, which he knew to beBoston. 

He did not stop. The machine was so little to be depended upon that hedared make no halt. But he was obliged to alter the direction fromnorthwest to west, and the result of this slight change was so great areduction in speed that it was mid-day before he saw beneath him thefamiliar village in which he lived. 

Carefully marking the location of his father's house, he came to a stopdirectly over it, and a few moments later he managed to land upon theexact spot in the back yard whence he had taken his first successfulflight. 

7. The Demon Becomes Angry

When Rob had been hugged and kissed by his mother and sisters, and evenMr. Joslyn had embraced him warmly, he gave them a brief account of hisadventures. The story was received with many doubtful looks and muchgrave shaking of heads, as was quite natural under the circumstances. 

"I hope, my dear son, " said the father, "that you have now passedthrough enough dangers to last you a lifetime, so that hereafter youwill be contented to remain at home. "

"Oh, Robert!" cried his mother, with tears in her loving eyes, "youdon't know how we've all worried about you for the past week!"

"A week?" asked Rob, with surprise. 

"Yes; it's a week to-morrow morning since you flew into the air anddisappeared. "

"Then, " said the boy, thoughtfully, "I've reached home just in time. "

"In time for what?" she asked. 

But he did not answer that question. He was thinking of the Demon, andthat on the afternoon of this very day he might expect the wise andsplendid genius to visit him a second time. 

At luncheon, although he did not feel hungry, he joined the family atthe table and pleased his mother by eating as heartily as of old. Hewas surprised to find how good the food tasted, and to realize what apleasure it is to gratify one's sense of taste. The tablets were allright for a journey, he thought, but if he always ate them he would besure to miss a great deal of enjoyment, since there was no taste tothem at all. 

At four o'clock he went to his workshop and unlocked the door. Everything was exactly as he had left it, and he looked at his simpleelectrical devices with some amusement. They seemed tame beside thewonders now in his possession; yet he recollected that his numerouswires had enabled him to strike the Master Key, and therefore shouldnot be despised. 

Before long he noticed a quickening in the air, as if it were suddenlysurcharged with electric fluid, and the next instant, in a dazzlingflash of light, appeared the Demon. 

"I am here!" he announced. 

"So am I, " answered Rob. "But at one time I really thought I shouldnever see you again. I've been--"

"Spare me your history, " said the Demon, coldly. "I am aware of youradventures. "

"Oh, you are!" said Rob, amazed. "Then you know--"

"I know all about your foolish experiences, " interrupted the Demon, "for I have been with you constantly, although I remained invisible. "

"Then you know what a jolly time I've had, " returned the boy. "But whydo you call them foolish experiences?"

"Because they were, abominably foolish!" retorted the Demon, bitterly. "I entrusted to you gifts of rare scientific interest--electricaldevices of such utility that their general adoption by mankind wouldcreate a new era in earth life. I hoped your use of these deviceswould convey such hints to electrical engineers that they would quicklycomprehend their mechanism and be able to reproduce them in sufficientquantities to supply the world. And how do you treat these marvelousgifts? Why, you carry them to a cannibal island, where even your crudecivilization has not yet penetrated!"

"I wanted to astonish the natives, " said Rob, grinning. 

The Demon uttered an exclamation of anger, and stamped his foot sofiercely that thousands of electric sparks filled the air, to disappearquickly with a hissing, crinkling sound. 

"You might have astonished those ignorant natives as easily by showingthem an ordinary electric light, " he cried, mockingly. "The power ofyour gifts would have startled the most advanced electricians of theworld. Why did you waste them upon barbarians?"

"Really, " faltered Rob, who was frightened and awed by the Demon'svehement anger, "I never intended to visit a cannibal island. I meantto go to Cuba. "

"Cuba! Is that a center of advanced scientific thought? Why did younot take your marvels to New York or Chicago; or, if you wished tocross the ocean, to Paris or Vienna?"

"I never thought of those places, " acknowledged Rob, meekly. 

"Then you were foolish, as I said, " declared the Demon, in a calmertone. "Can you not realize that it is better to be considered great bythe intelligent thinkers of the earth, than to be taken for a god bystupid cannibals?"

"Oh, yes, of course, " said Rob. "I wish now that I had gone to Europe. But you're not the only one who has a kick coming, " he continued. "Your flimsy traveling machine was nearly the death of me. "

"Ah, it is true, " acknowledged the Demon, frankly. "The case was madeof too light material. When the rim was bent it pressed against theworks and impeded the proper action of the currents. Had you gone to acivilized country such an accident could not have happened; but toavoid possible trouble in the future I have prepared a new instrument, having a stronger case, which I will exchange for the one you now have. "

"That's very kind of you, " said Rob, eagerly handing his batteredmachine to the Demon and receiving the new one in return. "Are yousure this will work?"

"It is impossible for you to injure it, " answered the other. 

"And how about the next three gifts?" inquired the boy, anxiously. 

"Before I grant them, " replied the Demon, "you must give me a promiseto keep away from uncivilized places and to exhibit your acquirementsonly among people of intelligence. "

"All right, " agreed the boy; "I'm not anxious to visit that islandagain, or any other uncivilized country. "

"Then I will add to your possessions three gifts, each more preciousand important than the three you have already received. "

At this announcement Rob began to quiver with excitement, and satstaring eagerly at the Demon, while the latter increased in stature andsparkled and glowed more brilliantly than ever. 

8. Rob Acquires New Powers

"I have seen the folly of sending you into the world with an offensiveinstrument, yet with no method of defense, " resumed the Demon, presently. "You have knocked over a good many people with that tubeduring the past week. "

"I know, " said Rob; "but I couldn't help it. It was the only way I hadto protect myself. "

"Therefore my next gift shall be this Garment of Protection. You mustwear it underneath your clothing. It has power to accumulate andexercise electrical repellent force. Perhaps you do not know what thatmeans, so I will explain more fully. When any missile, such as abullet, sword or lance, approaches your person, its rush through theair will arouse the repellent force of which I speak, and this force, being more powerful than the projective force, will arrest the flightof the missile and throw it back again. Therefore nothing can touchyour person that comes with any degree of force or swiftness, and youwill be safe from all ordinary weapons. When wearing this Garment youwill find it unnecessary to use the electric tube except on rareoccasions. Never allow revenge or animosity to influence your conduct. Men may threaten, but they can not injure you, so you must rememberthat they do not possess your mighty advantages, and that, because ofyour strength, you should bear with them patiently. "

Rob examined the garment with much curiosity. It glittered likesilver, yet was soft and pliable as lamb's wool. Evidently the Demonhad prepared it especially for his use, for it was just Rob's size. 

"Now, " continued the Demon, more gravely, "we approach the subject ofan electrical device so truly marvelous that even I am awed when Icontemplate the accuracy and perfection of the natural laws which guideit and permit it to exercise its functions. Mankind has as yetconceived nothing like it, for it requires full knowledge of electricalpower to understand even its possibilities. "

The Being paused, and drew from an inner pocket something resembling aflat metal box. In size it was about four inches by six, and nearly aninch in thickness. 

"What is it?" asked Rob, wonderingly. 

"It is an automatic Record of Events, " answered the Demon. 

"I don't understand, " said Rob, with hesitation. 

"I will explain to you its use, " returned the Demon, "although theelectrical forces which operate it and the vibratory currents which arethe true records must remain unknown to you until your brain hasmastered the higher knowledge of electricity. At present the practicalside of this invention will be more interesting to you than a review ofits scientific construction. 

"Suppose you wish to know the principal events that are occurring inGermany at the present moment. You first turn this little wheel at theside until the word 'Germany' appears in the slot at the small end. Then open the top cover, which is hinged, and those passing events inwhich you are interested will appear before your eyes. "

The Demon, as he spoke, opened the cover, and, looking within, the boysaw, as in a mirror, a moving picture before him. A regiment ofsoldiers was marching through the streets of Berlin, and at its headrode a body of horsemen, in the midst of which was the Emperor himself. The people who thronged the sidewalks cheered and waved their hats andhandkerchiefs with enthusiasm, while a band of musicians played aGerman air, which Rob could distinctly hear. 

While he gazed, spell-bound, the scene changed, and he looked upon agreat warship entering a harbor with flying pennants. The rails werelined with officers and men straining their eyes for the first sight oftheir beloved "VATERLAND" after a long foreign cruise, and a ringingcheer, as from a thousand throats, came faintly to Rob's ear. 

Again the scene changed, and within a dingy, underground room, hemmedin by walls of stone, and dimly lighted by a flickering lamp, a body ofwild-eyed, desperate men were plighting an oath to murder the Emperorand overthrow his government. 

"Anarchists?" asked Rob, trembling with excitement. 

"Anarchists!" answered the Demon, with a faint sneer, and he shut thecover of the Record with a sudden snap. 

"It's wonderful!" cried the boy, with a sigh that was followed by aslight shiver. 

"The Record is, indeed, proof within itself of the marvelouspossibilities of electricity. Men are now obliged to depend uponnewspapers for information; but these can only relate events long afterthey have occurred. And newspaper statements are often unreliable andsometimes wholly false, while many events of real importance are neverprinted in their columns. You may guess what an improvement is thisautomatic Record of Events, which is as reliable as Truth itself. Nothing can be altered or falsified, for the vibratory currents conveythe actual events to your vision, even as they happen. "

"But suppose, " said Rob, "that something important should happen whileI'm asleep, or not looking at the box?"

"I have called this a Record, " replied the Demon, "and such it reallyis, although I have shown you only such events as are in process ofbeing recorded. By pressing this spring you may open the oppositecover of the box, where all events of importance that have occurredthroughout the world during the previous twenty-four hours will appearbefore you in succession. You may thus study them at your leisure. The various scenes constitute a register of the world's history, andmay be recalled to view as often as you desire. "

"It's--it's like knowing everything, " murmured Rob, deeply impressedfor perhaps the first time in his life. 

"It IS knowing everything, " returning the Demon; "and this mighty giftI have decided to entrust to your care. Be very careful as to whom youpermit to gaze upon these pictures of passing events, for knowledge mayoften cause great misery to the human race. "

"I'll be careful, " promised the boy, as he took the box reverentlywithin his own hands. 

"The third and last gift of the present series, " resumed the Demon, "isone no less curious than the Record of Events, although it has anentirely different value. It is a Character Marker. "

"What's that?" inquired Rob. 

"I will explain. Perhaps you know that your fellow-creatures are moreor less hypocritical. That is, they try to appear good when they arenot, and wise when in reality they are foolish. They tell you they arefriendly when they positively hate you, and try to make you believethey are kind when their natures are cruel. This hypocrisy seems to bea human failing. One of your writers has said, with truth, that amongcivilized people things are seldom what they seem. "

"I've heard that, " remarked Rob. 

"On the other hand, " continued the Demon, "some people with fiercecountenances are kindly by nature, and many who appear to be evil arein reality honorable and trustworthy. Therefore, that you may judgeall your fellow-creatures truly, and know upon whom to depend, I giveyou the Character Marker. It consists of this pair of spectacles. While you wear them every one you meet will be marked upon the foreheadwith a letter indicating his or her character. The good will bear theletter 'G, ' the evil the letter 'E. ' The wise will be marked with a'W' and the foolish with an 'F. ' The kind will show a 'K' upon theirforeheads and the cruel a letter 'C. ' Thus you may determine by asingle look the true natures of all those you encounter. "

"And are these, also, electrical in their construction?" asked the boy, as he took the spectacles. 

"Certainly. Goodness, wisdom and kindness are natural forces, creatingcharacter. For this reason men are not always to blame for badcharacter, as they acquire it unconsciously. All character sends outcertain electrical vibrations, which these spectacles concentrate intheir lenses and exhibit to the gaze of their wearer, as I haveexplained. "

"It's a fine idea, " said the boy; "who discovered it?"

"It is a fact that has always existed, but is now utilized for thefirst time. "

"Oh!" said Rob. 

"With these gifts, and the ones you acquired a week ago, you are nowequipped to astound the world and awaken mankind to a realization ofthe wonders that may be accomplished by natural forces. See that youemploy these powers wisely, in the interests of science, and do notforget your promise to exhibit your electrical marvels only to thosewho are most capable of comprehending them. "

"I'll remember, " said Rob. 

"Then adieu until a week from to-day, when I will meet you here at thishour and bestow upon you the last three gifts which you are entitled toreceive. Good-by!"

"Good-by!" repeated Rob, and in a gorgeous flash of color the Demondisappeared, leaving the boy alone in the room with his new andwonderful possessions. 

9. The Second Journey

By this time you will have gained a fair idea of Rob's character. Heis, in truth, a typical American boy, possessing an averageintelligence not yet regulated by the balance-wheel of experience. Themysteries of electricity were so attractive to his eager nature that hehad devoted considerable time and some study to electrical experiment;but his study was the superficial kind that seeks to master only suchdetails as may be required at the moment. Moreover, he was full ofboyish recklessness and irresponsibility and therefore difficult toimpress with the dignity of science and the gravity of human existence. Life, to him, was a great theater wherein he saw himself the mostinteresting if not the most important actor, and so enjoyed the playwith unbounded enthusiasm. 

Aside from the extraordinary accident which had forced the ElectricalDemon into this life, Rob may be considered one of those youngsters whomight possibly develop into a brilliant manhood or enter upon anordinary, humdrum existence, as Fate should determine. Just at presenthe had no thought beyond the passing hour, nor would he bother himselfby attempting to look ahead or plan for the future. 

Yet the importance of his electrical possessions and the sterninjunction of the Demon to use them wisely had rendered the boy morethoughtful than at any previous time during his brief life, and hebecame so preoccupied at the dinner table that his father and mothercast many anxious looks in his direction. 

Of course Rob was anxious to test his newly-acquired powers, anddecided to lose no time in starting upon another journey. But he saidnothing to any of the family about it, fearing to meet with opposition. 

He passed the evening in the sitting-room, in company with his fatherand mother and sisters, and even controlled his impatience to theextent of playing a game of carom with Nell; but he grew so nervous andimpatient at last that his sister gave up the game in disgust and lefthim to his own amusement. 

At one time he thought of putting on the electric spectacles and seeingwhat the real character of each member of his family might be; but asudden fear took possession of him that he might regret the act foreverafterward. They were his nearest and dearest friends on earth, and inhis boyish heart he loved them all and believed in their goodness andsincerity. The possibility of finding a bad character mark on any oftheir familiar faces made him shudder, and he determined then and therenever to use the spectacles to view the face of a friend or relative. Had any one, at that moment, been gazing at Rob through the lenses ofthe wonderful Character Marker, I am sure a big "W" would have beenfound upon the boy's forehead. 

When the family circle broke up, and all retired for the night, Robkissed his parents and sisters with real affection before going to hisown room. But, on reaching his cozy little chamber, instead ofpreparing for bed Rob clothed himself in the Garment of Repulsion. Then he covered the glittering Garment with his best summer suit ofclothes, which effectually concealed it. 

He now looked around to see what else he should take, and thought of anumbrella, a rain-coat, a book or two to read during the journey, andseveral things besides; but he ended by leaving them all behind. 

"I can't be loaded down with so much truck, " he decided; "and I'm goinginto civilized countries, this time, where I can get anything I need. "

However, to prevent a recurrence of the mistake he had previously made, he tore a map of the world and a map of Europe from his geography, and, folding them up, placed them in his pocket. He also took a smallcompass that had once been a watch-charm, and, finally, the contents ofa small iron bank that opened with a combination lock. Thisrepresented all his savings, amounting to two dollars and seventeencents in dimes, nickles and pennies. 

"It isn't a fortune, " he thought, as he counted it up, "but I didn'tneed any money the last trip, so perhaps I'll get along somehow. Idon't like to tackle Dad for more, for he might ask questions and tryto keep me at home. "

By the time he had finished his preparations and stowed all hiselectrical belongings in his various pockets, it was nearly midnightand the house was quiet. So Rob stole down stairs in his stocking feetand noiselessly opened the back door. 

It was a beautiful July night and, in addition to the light of the fullmoon, the sky was filled with the radiance of countless thousands ofbrilliant stars. 

After Rob had put on his shoes he unfolded the map, which was plainlyvisible by the starlight, and marked the direction he must take tocross the Atlantic and reach London, his first stopping place. Then heconsulted his compass, put the indicator of his traveling machine tothe word "up, " and shot swiftly into the air. When he had reached asufficient height he placed the indicator to a point north of east and, with a steady and remarkably swift flight, began his journey. 

"Here goes, " he remarked, with a sense of exaltation, "for another weekof adventure! I wonder what'll happen between now and next Saturday. "

10. How Rob Served a Mighty King

The new traveling machine was a distinct improvement over the old one, for it carried Rob with wonderful speed across the broad Atlantic. 

He fell asleep soon after starting, and only wakened when the sun washigh in the heavens. But he found himself whirling along at a goodrate, with the greenish shimmer of the peaceful ocean waves spreadbeneath him far beyond his range of vision. 

Being in the track of the ocean steamers it was not long before hefound himself overtaking a magnificent vessel whose decks were crowdedwith passengers. He dropped down some distance, to enable him to seethese people more plainly, and while he hovered near he could hear theexcited exclamations of the passengers, who focused dozens of marineglasses upon his floating form. This inspection somewhat embarrassedhim, and having no mind to be stared at he put on additional speed andsoon left the steamer far behind him. 

About noon the sky clouded over, and Rob feared a rainstorm wasapproaching. So he rose to a point considerably beyond the clouds, where the air was thin but remarkably pleasant to inhale and the raysof the sun were not so hot as when reflected by the surface of thewater. 

He could see the dark clouds rolling beneath him like volumes of smokefrom a factory chimney, and knew the earth was catching a severe showerof rain; yet he congratulated himself on his foresight in not beingburdened with umbrella or raincoat, since his elevated positionrendered him secure from rain-clouds. 

But, having cut himself off from the earth, there remained nothing tosee except the clear sky overhead and the tumbling clouds beneath; sohe took from his pocket the Automatic Record of Events, and watchedwith breathless interest the incidents occurring in different parts ofthe world. A big battle was being fought in the Philippines, and sofiercely was it contested that Rob watched its progress for hours, withrapt attention. Finally a brave rally by the Americans sent their foesto the cover of the woods, where they scattered in every direction, only to form again in a deep valley hidden by high hills. 

"If only I was there, " thought Rob, "I could show that captain where tofind the rebels and capture them. But I guess the Philippines arerather out of my way, so our soldiers will never know how near they areto a complete victory. "

The boy also found considerable amusement in watching the course of aninsurrection in Venezuela, where opposing armies of well-armed menpreferred to bluster and threaten rather than come to blows. 

During the evening he found that an "important event" was MadameBernhardt's production of a new play, and Rob followed it frombeginning to end with great enjoyment, although he felt a bit guilty atnot having purchased a ticket. 

"But it's a crowded house, anyway, " he reflected, "and I'm not takingup a reserved seat or keeping any one else from seeing the show. Sowhere's the harm? Yet it seems to me if these Records get to becommon, as the Demon wishes, people will all stay at home and see theshows, and the poor actors 'll starve to death. "

The thought made him uneasy, and he began, for the first time, toentertain a doubt of the Demon's wisdom in forcing such devices uponhumanity. 

The clouds had now passed away and the moon sent her rays to turn theedges of the waves into glistening showers of jewels. 

Rob closed the lid of the wonderful Record of Events and soon fell intoa deep sleep that held him unconscious for many hours. 

When he awoke he gave a start of surprise, for beneath him was land. How long it was since he had left the ocean behind him he could notguess, but his first thought was to set the indicator of the travelingmachine to zero and to hover over the country until he could determinewhere he was. 

This was no easy matter. He saw green fields, lakes, groves andvillages; but these might exist in any country. Being still at a greatelevation he descended gradually until he was about twenty feet fromthe surface of the earth, where he paused near the edge of a smallvillage. 

At once a crowd of excited people assembled, shouting to one anotherand pointing towards him in wonder. In order to be prepared foremergencies Rob had taken the electric tube from his pocket, and now, as he examined the dress and features of the people below, the tubesuddenly slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground, where one endstuck slantingly into the soft earth. 

A man rushed eagerly towards it, but the next moment he threw up hishands and fell upon his back, unconscious. Others who ran to assisttheir fallen comrade quickly tumbled into a heap beside him. 

It was evident to Rob that the tube had fallen in such a position thatthe button was being pressed continually and a current of electricfluid issued to shock whoever came near. Not wishing to injure thesepeople he dropped to the ground and drew the tube from the earth, thusreleasing the pressure upon the button. 

But the villagers had now decided that the boy was their enemy, and nosooner had he touched the ground than a shower of stones and sticksrained about him. Not one reached his body, however, for the Garmentof Repulsion stopped their flight and returned them to rattle with moreor less force against those who had thrown them--"like regularboomerangs, " thought Rob. 

To receive their own blows in this fashion seemed so like magic to thesimple folk that with roars of fear and pain they ran away in alldirections. 

"It's no use stopping here, " remarked Rob, regretfully, "for I'vespoiled my welcome by this accident. I think these people are Irish, by their looks and speech, so I must be somewhere in the Emerald Isle. "

He consulted his map and decided upon the general direction he shouldtake to reach England, after which he again rose into the air andbefore long was passing over the channel towards the shores of England. 

Either his map or compass or his calculations proved wrong, for it washigh noon before, having changed his direction a half dozen times, hecame to the great city of London. He saw at a glance that it wouldnever do to drop into the crowded streets, unless he wanted to becomean object of public curiosity; so he looked around for a suitable placeto alight. 

Near by was a monstrous church that sent a sharp steeple far into theair. Rob examined this spire and saw a narrow opening in the masonrythat led to a small room where a chime of bells hung. He crept throughthe opening and, finding a ladder that connected the belfry with aplatform below, began to descend. 

There were three ladders, and then a winding flight of narrow, ricketystairs to be passed before Rob finally reached a small room in the bodyof the church. This room proved to have two doors, one connecting withthe auditorium and the other letting into a side street. Both werelocked, but Rob pointed the electric tube at the outside door and brokethe lock in an instant. Then he walked into the street as composedlyas if he had lived all his life in London. 

There were plenty of sights to see, you may be sure, and Rob walkedaround until he was so tired that he was glad to rest upon one of thebenches in a beautiful park. Here, half hidden by the trees, he amusedhimself by looking at the Record of Events. 

"London's a great town, and no mistake, " he said to himself; "but let'ssee what the British are doing in South Africa to-day. "

He turned the cylinder to "South Africa, " and, opening the lid, at oncebecame interested. An English column, commanded by a brave butstubborn officer, was surrounded by the Boer forces and fightingdesperately to avoid capture or annihilation. 

"This would be interesting to King Edward, " thought the boy. "GuessI'll hunt him up and tell him about it. "

A few steps away stood a policeman. Rob approached him and asked:

"Where's the king to-day?"

The officer looked at him with mingled surprise and suspicion. 

"'Is Majesty is sojournin' at Marlb'ro 'Ouse, just now, " was the reply. "Per'aps you wants to make 'im a wissit, " he continued, with loftysarcasm. 

"That's it, exactly, " said Rob. "I'm an American, and thought while Iwas in London I'd drop in on His Royal Highness and say 'hello' to him. "

The officer chuckled, as if much amused. 

"Hamericans is bloomin' green, " he remarked, "so youse can stand forHamerican, right enough. No other wissitors is such blarsted fools. But yon's the palace, an' I s'pose 'is Majesty'll give ye a 'otreception. "

"Thanks; I'll look him up, " said the boy, and left the officerconvulsed with laughter. 

He soon knew why. The palace was surrounded by a cordon of the king'sown life guards, who admitted no one save those who presented propercredentials. 

"There's only one thing to do;" thought Rob, "and that's to walkstraight in, as I haven't any friends to give me a regularintroduction. "

So he boldly advanced to the gate, where he found himself stopped bycrossed carbines and a cry of "Halt!"

"Excuse me, " said Rob; "I'm in a hurry. "

He pushed the carbines aside and marched on. The soldiers made thrustsat him with their weapons, and an officer jabbed at his breast with aglittering sword, but the Garment of Repulsion protected him from thesedangers as well as from a hail of bullets that followed his advancingfigure. 

He reached the entrance of the palace only to face another group ofguardsmen and a second order to halt, and as these soldiers were oversix feet tall and stood shoulder to shoulder Rob saw that he could nothope to pass them without using his electric tube. 

"Stand aside, you fellows!" he ordered. 

There was no response. He extended the tube and, as he pressed thebutton, described a semi-circle with the instrument. Immediately thetall guardsmen toppled over like so many tenpins, and Rob steppedacross their bodies and penetrated to the reception room, where abrilliant assemblage awaited, in hushed and anxious groups, foropportunity to obtain audience with the king. 

"I hope his Majesty isn't busy, " said Rob to a solemn-visaged officialwho confronted him. "I want to have a little talk with him. "

"I--I--ah--beg pardon!" exclaimed the astounded master of ceremonies. "What name, please?"

"Oh, never mind my name, " replied Rob, and pushing the gentleman asidehe entered the audience chamber of the great king. 

King Edward was engaged in earnest consultation with one of hisministers, and after a look of surprise in Rob's direction and a gravebow he bestowed no further attention upon the intruder. 

But Rob was not to be baffled now. 

"Your Majesty, " he interrupted, "I've important news for you. A bigfight is taking place in South Africa and your soldiers will probablybe cut into mince meat. "

The minister strode towards the boy angrily. 

"Explain this intrusion!" he cried. 

"I have explained. The Boers are having a regular killing-bee. Here!take a look at it yourselves. "

He drew the Record from his pocket, and at the movement the ministershrank back as if he suspected it was an infernal machine and mightblow his head off; but the king stepped quietly to the boy's side andlooked into the box when Rob threw open the lid. 

As he comprehended the full wonder of the phenomenon he was observingEdward uttered a low cry of amazement, but thereafter he silently gazedupon the fierce battle that still raged far away upon the African VELD. Before long his keen eye recognized the troops engaged and realizedtheir imminent danger. 

"They'll be utterly annihilated!" he gasped. "What shall we do?"

"Oh, we can't do anything just now, " answered Rob. "But it's curiousto watch how bravely the poor fellows fight for their lives. "

The minister, who by this time was also peering into the box, groanedaloud, and then all three forgot their surroundings in the tragedy theywere beholding. 

Hemmed in by vastly superior numbers, the English were calmly andstubbornly resisting every inch of advance and selling their lives asdearly as possible. Their leader fell pierced by a hundred bullets, and the king, who had known him from boyhood, passed his hand acrosshis eyes as if to shut out the awful sight. But the fascination of thebattle forced him to look again, and the next moment he cried aloud:

"Look there! Look there!"

Over the edge of a line of hills appeared the helmets of a file ofEnglish soldiers. They reached the summit, followed by rank afterrank, until the hillside was alive with them. And then, with a ringingcheer that came like a faint echo to the ears of the three watchers, they broke into a run and dashed forward to the rescue of their bravecomrades. The Boers faltered, gave back, and the next moment fledprecipitately, while the exhausted survivors of the courageous bandfell sobbing into the arms of their rescuers. 

Rob closed the lid of the Record with a sudden snap that betrayed hisdeep feeling, and the king pretended to cough behind his handkerchiefand stealthily wiped his eyes. 

"'Twasn't so bad, after all, " remarked the boy, with assumedcheerfulness; "but it looked mighty ticklish for your men at one time. "

King Edward regarded the boy curiously, remembering his abrupt entranceand the marvelous device he had exhibited. 

"What do you call that?" he asked, pointing at the Record with a fingerthat trembled slightly from excitement. 

"It is a new electrical invention, " replied Rob, replacing it in hispocket, "and so constructed that events are reproduced at the exactmoment they occur. "

"Where can I purchase one?" demanded the king, eagerly. 

"They're not for sale, " said Rob. "This one of mine is the first thatever happened. "

"Oh!"

"I really think, " continued the boy, nodding sagely, "that it wouldn'tbe well to have these Records scattered around. Their use would givesome folks unfair advantage over others, you know. "

"Certainly. "

"I only showed you this battle because I happened to be in London atthe time and thought you'd be interested. "

"It was very kind of you, " said Edward; "but how did you gainadmittance?"

"Well, to tell the truth, I was obliged to knock over a few of yourtall life-guards. They seem to think you're a good thing and needlooking after, like jam in a cupboard. "

The king smiled. 

"I hope you haven't killed my guards, " said he. 

"Oh, no; they'll come around all right. "

"It is necessary, " continued Edward, "that public men be protected fromintrusion, no matter how democratic they may be personally. You wouldprobably find it as difficult to approach the President of the UnitedStates as the King of England. "

"Oh, I'm not complaining, " said Rob. "It wasn't much trouble to breakthrough. "

"You seem quite young to have mastered such wonderful secrets ofNature, " continued the king. 

"So I am, " replied Rob, modestly; "but these natural forces have reallyexisted since the beginning of the world, and some one was sure todiscover them in time. " He was quoting the Demon, althoughunconsciously. 

"You are an American, I suppose, " said the minister, coming close toRob and staring him in the face. 

"Guessed right the first time, " answered the boy, and drawing hisCharacter Marking spectacles from his pocket, he put them on and staredat the minister in turn. 

Upon the man's forehead appeared the letter "E. "

"Your Majesty, " said Rob, "I have here another queer invention. Willyou please wear these spectacles for a few moments?"

The king at once put them on. 

"They are called Character Markers, " continued the boy, "because thelenses catch and concentrate the character vibrations radiating fromevery human individual and reflect the true character of the personupon his forehead. If a letter 'G' appears, you may be sure hisdisposition is good; if his forehead is marked with an 'E' hischaracter is evil, and you must beware of treachery. "

The king saw the "E" plainly marked upon his minister's forehead, buthe said nothing except "Thank you, " and returned the spectacles to Rob. 

But the minister, who from the first had been ill at ease, now becamepositively angry. 

"Do not believe him, your Majesty!" he cried. "It is a trick, andmeant to deceive you. "

"I did not accuse you, " answered the king, sternly. Then he added: "Iwish to be alone with this young gentleman. "

The minister left the room with an anxious face and hanging head. 

"Now, " said Rob, "let's look over the record of the past day and see ifthat fellow has been up to any mischief. "

He turned the cylinder of the Record to "England, " and slowly theevents of the last twenty-four hours were reproduced, one after theother, upon the polished plate. 

Before long the king uttered an exclamation. The Record pictured asmall room in which were seated three gentlemen engaged in earnestconversation. One of them was the accused minister. 

"Those men, " said the king in a low voice, while he pointed out theother two, "are my avowed enemies. This is proof that your wonderfulspectacles indicated my minister's character with perfect truth. I amgrateful to you for thus putting me upon my guard, for I have trustedthe man fully. "

"Oh, don't mention it, " replied the boy, lightly; "I'm glad to havebeen of service to you. But it's time for me to go. "

"I hope you will favor me with another interview, " said the king, "forI am much interested in your electrical inventions. I will instruct myguards to admit you at any time, so you will not be obliged to fightyour way in. "

"All right. But it really doesn't matter, " answered Rob. "It's notrouble at all to knock 'em over. "

Then he remembered his manners and bowed low before the king, whoseemed to him "a fine fellow and not a bit stuck up. " And then hewalked calmly from the palace. 

The people in the outer room stared at him wonderingly and the officerof the guard saluted the boy respectfully. But Rob only smiled in anamused way as he marched past them with his hands thrust deep into histrousers' pockets and his straw hat tipped jauntily upon the back ofhis head. 

11. The Man of Science

Rob passed the remainder of the day wandering about London and amusinghimself by watching the peculiar ways of the people. When it became sodark that there was no danger of his being observed, he rose throughthe air to the narrow slit in the church tower and lay upon the floorof the little room, with the bells hanging all around him, to pass thenight. 

He was just falling asleep when a tremendous din and clatter nearlydeafened him, and set the whole tower trembling. It was the midnightchime. 

Rob clutched his ears tightly, and when the vibrations had died awaydescended by the ladder to a lower platform. But even here the nexthourly chime made his ears ring, and he kept descending from platformto platform until the last half of a restless night was passed in thelittle room at the bottom of the tower. 

When, at daylight, the boy sat up and rubbed his eyes, he said, wearily: "Churches are all right as churches; but as hotels they arerank failures. I ought to have bunked in with my friend, King Edward. "

He climbed up the stairs and the ladders again and looked out thelittle window in the belfry. Then he examined his map of Europe. 

"I believe I'll take a run over to Paris, " he thought. "I must be homeagain by Saturday, to meet the Demon, so I'll have to make every daycount. "

Without waiting for breakfast, since he had eaten a tablet the eveningbefore, he crept through the window and mounted into the fresh morningair until the great city with its broad waterway lay spread out beneathhim. Then he sped away to the southeast and, crossing the channel, passed between Amiens and Rouen and reached Paris before ten o'clock. 

Near the outskirts of the city appeared a high tower, upon the flatroof of which a man was engaged in adjusting a telescope. Upon seeingRob, who was passing at no great distance from this tower, the mancried out:

"APPROCHEZ!--VENEZ ICI!"

Then he waved his hands frantically in the air, and fairly danced withexcitement. So the boy laughed and dropped down to the roof where, standing beside the Frenchman, whose eyes were actually protruding fromtheir sockets, he asked, coolly:

"Well, what do you want?"

The other was for a moment speechless. He was a tall, lean man, havinga bald head but a thick, iron-gray beard, and his black eyes sparkledbrightly from behind a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles. Afterattentively regarding the boy for a time he said, in broken English:

"But, M'sieur, how can you fly wizout ze--ze machine? I haveexperiment myself wiz some air-ship; but you--zere is nossing to makego!"

Rob guessed that here was his opportunity to do the Demon a favor byexplaining his electrical devices to this new acquaintance, who wasevidently a man of science. 

"Here is the secret, Professor, " he said, and holding out his wristdisplayed the traveling machine and explained, as well as he could, theforces that operated it. 

The Frenchman, as you may suppose, was greatly astonished, and to showhow perfectly the machine worked Rob turned the indicator and rose ashort distance above the tower, circling around it before he rejoinedthe professor on the roof. Then he showed his food tablets, explaininghow each was stored with sufficient nourishment for an entire day. 

The scientist positively gasped for breath, so powerful was theexcitement he experienced at witnessing these marvels. 

"Eet is wonderful--grand--magnifique!" he exclaimed. 

"But here is something of still greater interest, " continued Rob, andtaking the Automatic Record of Events from his pocket he allowed theprofessor to view the remarkable scenes that were being enactedthroughout the civilized world. 

The Frenchman was now trembling violently, and he implored Rob to tellhim where he might obtain similar electrical machines. 

"I can't do that, " replied the boy, decidedly; "but, having seen these, you may be able to discover their construction for yourself. Now thatyou know such things to be possible and practical, the hint should besufficient to enable a shrewd electrician to prepare duplicates ofthem. "

The scientist glared at him with evident disappointment, and Robcontinued:

"These are not all the wonders I can exhibit. Here is anotherelectrical device that is, perhaps, the most remarkable of any Ipossess. "

He took the Character Marking spectacles from his pocket and fittedthem to his eyes. Then he gave a whistle of surprise and turned hisback upon his new friend. He had seen upon the Frenchman's foreheadthe letters "E" and "C. "

"Guess I've struck the wrong sort of scientist, after all!" hemuttered, in a disgusted tone. 

His companion was quick to prove the accuracy of the Character Marker. Seeing the boy's back turned, he seized a long iron bar that was usedto operate the telescope, and struck at Rob so fiercely that had he notworn the Garment of Protection his skull would have been crushed by theblow. At it was, the bar rebounded with a force that sent themurderous Frenchman sprawling upon the roof, and Rob turned around andlaughed at him. 

"It won't work, Professor, " he said. "I'm proof against assassins. Perhaps you had an idea that when you had killed me you could rob me ofmy valuable possessions; but they wouldn't be a particle of use to ascoundrel like you, I assure you! Good morning. "

Before the surprised and baffled scientist could collect himselfsufficiently to reply, the boy was soaring far above his head andsearching for a convenient place to alight, that he might investigatethe charms of this famed city of Paris. 

It was indeed a beautiful place, with many stately buildings lining theshady boulevards. So thronged were the streets that Rob well knew hewould soon be the center of a curious crowd should he alight upon them. Already a few sky-gazers had noted the boy moving high in the air, above their heads, and one or two groups stood pointing their fingersat him. 

Pausing at length above the imposing structure of the Hotel Anglais, Rob noticed at one of the upper floors an open window, before which wasa small iron balcony. Alighting upon this he proceeded to enter, without hesitation, the open window. He heard a shriek and a cry of"AU VOLEUR!" and caught sight of a woman's figure as she dashed into anadjoining room, slamming and locking the door behind her. 

"I don't know as I blame her, " observed Rob, with a smile at the paniche had created. "I s'pose she takes me for a burglar, and thinks I'veclimbed up the lightning rod. "

He soon found the door leading into the hallway and walked down severalflights of stairs until he reached the office of the hotel. 

"How much do you charge a day?" he inquired, addressing a fat andpompous-looking gentlemen behind the desk. 

The man looked at him in a surprised way, for he had not heard the boyenter the room. But he said something in French to a waiter who waspassing, and the latter came to Rob and made a low bow. 

"I speak ze Eengliss ver' fine, " he said. "What desire have you?"

"What are your rates by the day?" asked the boy. 

"Ten francs, M'sieur. "

"How many dollars is that?"

"Dollar Americaine?"

"Yes; United States money. "

"Ah, OUI! Eet is ze two dollar, M'sieur. "

"All right; I can stay about a day before I go bankrupt. Give me aroom. "

"CERTAINEMENT, M'sieur. Have you ze luggage?"

"No; but I'll pay in advance, " said Rob, and began counting out hisdimes and nickles and pennies, to the unbounded amazement of thewaiter, who looked as if he had never seen such coins before. 

He carried the money to the fat gentleman, who examined the piecescuriously, and there was a long conference between them before it wasdecided to accept them in payment for a room for a day. But at thisseason the hotel was almost empty, and when Rob protested that he hadno other money the fat gentleman put the coins into his cash box with aresigned sigh and the waiter showed the boy to a little room at thevery top of the building. 

Rob washed and brushed the dust from his clothes, after which he satdown and amused himself by viewing the pictures that constantly formedupon the polished plate of the Record of Events. 

12. How Rob Saved A Republic

While following the shifting scenes of the fascinating Record Rob notedan occurrence that caused him to give a low whistle of astonishment anddevote several moments to serious thought. 

"I believe it's about time I interfered with the politics of thisRepublic, " he said, at last, as he closed the lid of the metal box andrestored it to his pocket. "If I don't take a hand there probablywon't be a Republic of France very long and, as a good American, Iprefer a republic to a monarchy. "

Then he walked down-stairs and found his English-speaking waiter. 

"Where's President Loubet?" he asked. 

"Ze President! Ah, he is wiz his mansion. To be at his residence, M'sieur. "

"Where is his residence?"

The waiter began a series of voluble and explicit directions which soconfused the boy that he exclaimed:

"Oh, much obliged!" and walked away in disgust. 

Gaining the street he approached a gendarme and repeated his question, with no better result than before, for the fellow waved his arms wildlyin all directions and roared a volley of incomprehensible Frenchphrases that conveyed no meaning whatever. 

"If ever I travel in foreign countries again, " said Rob, "I'll learntheir lingo in advance. Why doesn't the Demon get up a conversationmachine that will speak all languages?"

By dint of much inquiry, however, and after walking several milesfollowing ambiguous directions, he managed to reach the residence ofPresident Loubet. But there he was politely informed that thePresident was busily engaged in his garden, and would see no one. 

"That's all right, " said the boy, calmly. "If he's in the garden I'llhave no trouble finding him. "

Then, to the amazement of the Frenchmen, Rob shot into the air fiftyfeet or so, from which elevation he overlooked a pretty garden in therear of the President's mansion. The place was protected from ordinaryintrusion by high walls, but Rob descended within the enclosure andwalked up to a man who was writing at a small table placed under thespreading branches of a large tree. 

"Is this President Loubet?" he inquired, with a bow. 

The gentleman looked up. 

"My servants were instructed to allow no one to disturb me, " he said, speaking in excellent English. 

"It isn't their fault; I flew over the wall, " returned Rob. "The factis, " he added, hastily, as he noted the President's frown, "I have cometo save the Republic; and I haven't much time to waste over a bundle ofFrenchmen, either. "

The President seemed surprised. 

"Your name!" he demanded, sharply. 

"Robert Billings Joslyn, United States of America!"

"Your business, Monsieur Joslyn!"

Rob drew the Record from his pocket and placed it upon the table. 

"This, sir, " said he, "is an electrical device that records allimportant events. I wish to call your attention to a scene enacted inParis last evening which may have an effect upon the future history ofyour country. "

He opened the lid, placed the Record so that the President could seeclearly, and then watched the changing expressions upon the great man'sface; first indifference, then interest, the next moment eagerness andamazement. 

"MON DIEU!" he gasped; "the Orleanists!"

Rob nodded. 

"Yes; they've worked up a rather pretty plot, haven't they?"

The President did not reply. He was anxiously watching the Record andscribbling notes on a paper beside him. His face was pale and his lipstightly compressed. 

Finally he leaned back in his chair and asked:

"Can you reproduce this scene again?"

"Certainly, sir, " answered the boy; "as often as you like. "

"Will you remain here while I send for my minister of police? It willrequire but a short time. "

"Call him up, then. I'm in something of a hurry myself, but now I'vemixed up with this thing I'll see it through. "

The President touched a bell and gave an order to his servant. Then heturned to Rob and said, wonderingly:

"You are a boy!"

"That's true, Mr. President, " was the answer; "but an American boy, youmust remember. That makes a big difference, I assure you. "

The President bowed gravely. 

"This is your invention?" he asked. 

"No; I'm hardly equal to that. But the inventor has made me a presentof the Record, and it's the only one in the world. "

"It is a marvel, " remarked the President, thoughtfully. "More! It isa real miracle. We are living in an age of wonders, my young friend. "

"No one knows that better than myself, sir, " replied Rob. "But, tellme, can you trust your chief of police?"

"I think so, " said the President, slowly; "yet since your invention hasshown me that many men I have considered honest are criminallyimplicated in this royalist plot, I hardly know whom to depend upon. "

"Then please wear these spectacles during your interview with theminister of police, " said the boy. "You must say nothing, while he iswith us, about certain marks that will appear upon his forehead; butwhen he has gone I will explain those marks so you will understandthem. "

The President covered his eyes with the spectacles. 

"Why, " he exclaimed, "I see upon your own brow the letters--"

"Stop, sir!" interrupted Rob, with a blush; "I don't care to know whatthe letters are, if it's just the same to you. "

The President seemed puzzled by this speech, but fortunately theminister of police arrived just then and, under Rob's guidance, thepictured record of the Orleanist plot was reproduced before thestartled eyes of the official. 

"And now, " said the boy, "let us see if any of this foolishness isgoing on just at present. "

He turned to the opposite side of the Record and allowed the Presidentand his minister of police to witness the quick succession of eventseven as they occurred. 

Suddenly the minister cried, "Ha!" and, pointing to the figure of a mandisembarking from an English boat at Calais, he said, excitedly:

"That, your Excellency, is the Duke of Orleans, in disguise! I mustleave you for a time, that I may issue some necessary orders to my men;but this evening I shall call to confer with you regarding the bestmode of suppressing this terrible plot. "

When the official had departed, the President removed the spectaclesfrom his eyes and handed them to Rob. 

"What did you see?" asked the boy. 

"The letters 'G' and 'W'. "

"Then you may trust him fully, " declared Rob, and explained theconstruction of the Character Marker to the interested and amazedstatesman. 

"And now I must go, " he continued, "for my stay in your city will be ashort one and I want to see all I can. "

The President scrawled something on a sheet of paper and signed hisname to it, afterward presenting it, with a courteous bow, to hisvisitor. 

"This will enable you to go wherever you please, while in Paris, " hesaid. "I regret my inability to reward you properly for the greatservice you have rendered my country; but you have my sincerestgratitude, and may command me in any way. "

"Oh, that's all right, " answered Rob. "I thought it was my duty towarn you, and if you look sharp you'll be able to break up thisconspiracy. But I don't want any reward. Good day, sir. "

He turned the indicator of his traveling machine and immediately roseinto the air, followed by a startled exclamation from the President ofFrance. 

Moving leisurely over the city, he selected a deserted thoroughfare toalight in, from whence he wandered unobserved into the beautifulboulevards. These were now brilliantly lighted, and crowds of pleasureseekers thronged them everywhere. Rob experienced a decided sense ofrelief as he mixed with the gay populace and enjoyed the sights of thesplendid city, for it enabled him to forget, for a time, theresponsibilities thrust upon him by the possession of the Demon'smarvelous electrical devices. 

13. Rob Loses His Treasures

Our young adventurer had intended to pass the night in the little bedat his hotel, but the atmosphere of Paris proved so hot anddisagreeable that he decided it would be more enjoyable to sleep whilejourneying through the cooler air that lay far above the earth'ssurface. So just as the clocks were striking the midnight hour Robmounted skyward and turned the indicator of the traveling machine tothe east, intending to make the city of Vienna his next stop. 

He had risen to a considerable distance, where the air was remarkablyfresh and exhilarating, and the relief he experienced from the closeand muggy streets of Paris was of such a soothing nature that hepresently fell fast asleep. His day in the metropolis had been a busyone, for, like all boys, he had forgotten himself in the delight ofsight-seeing and had tired his muscles and exhausted his strength to anunusual degree. 

It was about three o'clock in the morning when Rob, moving restlesslyin his sleep, accidently touched with his right hand the indicator ofthe machine which was fastened to his left wrist, setting it a coupleof points to the south of east. He was, of course, unaware of theslight alteration in his course, which was destined to prove of seriousimportance in the near future. For the boy's fatigue induced him tosleep far beyond daybreak, and during this period of unconsciousness hewas passing over the face of European countries and approaching thelawless and dangerous dominions of the Orient. 

When, at last, he opened his eyes, he was puzzled to determine where hewas. Beneath him stretched a vast, sandy plain, and speeding acrossthis he came to a land abounding in luxuriant vegetation. 

The centrifugal force which propelled him was evidently, for somereason, greatly accelerated, for the scenery of the country he wascrossing glided by him at so rapid a rate of speed that it nearly tookhis breath away. 

"I wonder if I've passed Vienna in the night, " he thought. "It oughtnot to have taken me more than a few hours to reach there from Paris. "

Vienna was at that moment fifteen hundred miles behind him; but Rob'sgeography had always been his stumbling block at school, and he had notlearned to gage the speed of the traveling machine; so he wascompletely mystified as to his whereabouts. 

Presently a village having many queer spires and minarets whisked byhim like a flash. Rob became worried, and resolved to slow up at thenext sign of habitation. 

This was a good resolution, but Turkestan is so thinly settled thatbefore the boy could plan out a course of action he had passed thebarren mountain range of Thian-Shan as nimbly as an acrobat leaps ajumping-bar. 

"This won't do at all!" he exclaimed, earnestly. "The travelingmachine seems to be running away with me, and I'm missing no end ofsights by scooting along up here in the clouds. "

He turned the indicator to zero, and was relieved to find it obey withcustomary quickness. In a few moments he had slowed up and stopped, when he found himself suspended above another stretch of sandy plain. Being too high to see the surface of the plain distinctly he droppeddown a few hundred feet to a lower level, where he discovered he wassurrounded by billows of sand as far as his eye could reach. 

"It's a desert, all right, " was his comment; "perhaps old Saharaherself. "

He started the machine again towards the east, and at a more moderaterate of speed skimmed over the surface of the desert. Before long henoticed a dark spot ahead of him which proved to be a large body offierce looking men, riding upon dromedaries and slender, spiritedhorses and armed with long rifles and crookedly shaped simitars. 

"Those fellows seem to be looking for trouble, " remarked the boy, as heglided over them, "and it wouldn't be exactly healthy for an enemy toget in their way. But I haven't time to stop, so I'm not likely to getmixed up in any rumpus with them. "

However, the armed caravan was scarcely out of sight before Robdiscovered he was approaching a rich, wooded oasis of the desert, inthe midst of which was built the walled city of Yarkand. Not that hehad ever heard of the place, or knew its name; for few Europeans andonly one American traveler had ever visited it. But he guessed it wasa city of some importance from its size and beauty, and resolved tomake a stop there. 

Above the high walls projected many slender, white minarets, indicatingthat the inhabitants were either Turks or some race of Mohammedans; soRob decided to make investigations before trusting himself to theircompany. 

A cluster of tall trees with leafy tops stood a short distance outsidethe walls, and here the boy landed and sat down to rest in therefreshing shade. 

The city seemed as hushed and still as if it were deserted, and beforehim stretched the vast plain of white, heated sands. He strained hiseyes to catch a glimpse of the band of warriors he had passed, but theywere moving slowly and had not yet appeared. 

The trees that sheltered Rob were the only ones without the city, although many low bushes or shrubs grew scattering over the spacebetween him and the walls. An arched gateway broke the enclosure athis left, but the gates were tightly shut. 

Something in the stillness and the intense heat of the mid-day sun madethe boy drowsy. He stretched himself upon the ground beneath the densefoliage of the biggest tree and abandoned himself to the languor thatwas creeping over him. 

"I'll wait until that army of the desert arrives, " he thought, sleepily. "They either belong in this city or have come to capture it, so I can tell better what to dance when I find out what the band plays. "

The next moment he was sound asleep, sprawling upon his back in theshade and slumbering as peacefully as an infant. 

And while he lay motionless three men dropped in quick succession fromthe top of the city wall and hid among the low bushes, crawlingnoiselessly from one to another and so approaching, by degrees, thelittle group of trees. 

They were Turks, and had been sent by those in authority within thecity to climb the tallest tree of the group and discover if the enemywas near. For Rob's conjecture had been correct, and the city ofYarkand awaited, with more or less anxiety, a threatened assault fromits hereditary enemies, the Tatars. 

The three spies were not less forbidding in appearance than the hordeof warriors Rob had passed upon the desert. Their features were coarseand swarthy, and their eyes had a most villainous glare. Old fashionedpistols and double-edged daggers were stuck in their belts and theirclothing, though of gorgeous colors, was soiled and neglected. 

With all the caution of the American savage these Turks approached thetree, where, to their unbounded amazement, they saw the boy lyingasleep. His dress and fairness of skin at once proclaimed him, intheir shrewd eyes, a European, and their first thought was to glancearound in search of his horse or dromedary. Seeing nothing of the kindnear they were much puzzled to account for his presence, and stoodlooking down at him with evident curiosity. 

The sun struck the polished surface of the traveling machine which wasattached to Rob's wrist and made the metal glitter like silver. Thisattracted the eyes of the tallest Turk, who stooped down and stealthilyunclasped the band of the machine from the boy's outstretched arm. Then, after a hurried but puzzled examination of the little instrument, he slipped it into the pocket of his jacket. 

Rob stirred uneasily in his sleep, and one of the Turks drew a slightbut stout rope from his breast and with gentle but deft movement passedit around the boy's wrists and drew them together behind him. Theaction was not swift enough to arouse the power of repulsion in theGarment of Protection, but it awakened Rob effectually, so that he satup and stared hard at his captors. 

"What are you trying to do, anyhow?" he demanded. 

The Turks laughed and said something in their own language. They hadno knowledge of English. 

"You're only making fools of yourselves, " continued the boy, wrathfully. "It's impossible for you to injure me. "

The three paid no attention to his words. One of them thrust his handinto Rob's pocket and drew out the electric tube. His ignorance ofmodern appliances was so great that he did not know enough to push thebutton. Rob saw him looking down the hollow end of the tube andmurmured:

"I wish it would blow your ugly head off!"

But the fellow, thinking the shining metal might be of some value tohim, put the tube in his own pocket and then took from the prisoner thesilver box of tablets. 

Rob writhed and groaned at losing his possessions in this way, andwhile his hands were fastened behind him tried to feel for and touchthe indicator of the traveling machine. When he found that the machinealso had been taken, his anger gave way to fear, for he realized he wasin a dangerously helpless condition. 

The third Turk now drew the Record of Events from the boy's innerpocket. He knew nothing of the springs that opened the lids, so, aftera curious glance at it, he secreted the box in the folds of his sashand continued the search of the captive. The Character MarkingSpectacles were next abstracted, but the Turk, seeing in them nothingbut spectacles, scornfully thrust them back into Rob's pocket, whilehis comrades laughed at him. The boy was now rifled of seventeen centsin pennies, a broken pocket knife and a lead-pencil, the last articleseeming to be highly prized. 

After they had secured all the booty they could find, the tall Turk, who seemed the leader of the three, violently kicked at the prisonerwith his heavy boot. His surprise was great when the Garment ofRepulsion arrested the blow and nearly overthrew the aggressor in turn. Snatching a dagger from his sash, he bounded upon the boy so fiercelythat the next instant the enraged Turk found himself lying upon hisback three yards away, while his dagger flew through the air and landeddeep in the desert sands. 

"Keep it up!" cried Rob, bitterly. "I hope you'll enjoy yourself. "

The other Turks raised their comrade to his feet, and the three staredat one another in surprise, being unable to understand how a boundprisoner could so effectually defend himself. But at a whispered wordfrom the leader, they drew their long pistols and fired point blankinto Rob's face. The volley echoed sharply from the city walls, but asthe smoke drifted slowly away the Turks were horrified to see theirintended victim laughing at them. 

Uttering cries of terror and dismay, the three took to their heels andbounded towards the wall, where a gate quickly opened to receive them, the populace feeling sure the Tatar horde was upon them. 

Nor was this guess so very far wrong; for as Rob, sitting disconsolateupon the sand, raised his eyes, he saw across the desert a dark linethat marked the approach of the invaders. 

Nearer and nearer they came, while Rob watched them and bemoaned thefoolish impulse that had led him to fall asleep in an unknown landwhere he could so easily be overpowered and robbed of his treasures. 

"I always suspected these electrical inventions would be my ruin someday, " he reflected, sadly; "and now I'm side-tracked and left helplessin this outlandish country, without a single hope of ever getting homeagain. They probably won't be able to kill me, unless they find myGarment of Repulsion and strip that off; but I never could cross thisterrible desert on foot and, having lost my food tablets, I'd soonstarve if I attempted it. "

Fortunately, he had eaten one of the tablets just before going tosleep, so there was no danger of immediate starvation. But he wasmiserable and unhappy, and remained brooding over his cruel fate untila sudden shout caused him to look up. 

14. Turk and Tatar

The Tatars had arrived, swiftly and noiselessly, and a dozen of thewarriors, still mounted, were surrounding him. 

His helpless condition aroused their curiosity, and while some of themhastily cut away his bonds and raised him to his feet, other plied himwith questions in their own language. Rob shook his head to indicatethat he could not understand; so they led him to the chief--an immense, bearded representative of the tribe of Kara-Khitai, the terrible andrelentless Black Tatars of Thibet. The huge frame of this fellow wasclothed in flowing robes of cloth-of-gold, braided with jewels, and hesat majestically upon the back of a jet-black camel. 

Under ordinary circumstances the stern features and flashing black eyesof this redoubtable warrior would have struck a chill of fear to theboy's heart; but now under the influence of the crushing misfortunes hehad experienced, he was able to gaze with indifference upon theterrible visage of the desert chief. 

The Tatar seemed not to consider Rob an enemy. Instead, he looked uponhim as an ally, since the Turks had bound and robbed him. 

Finding it impossible to converse with the chief, Rob took refuge inthe sign language. He turned his pockets wrong side out, showed thered welts left upon his wrists by the tight cord, and then shook hisfists angrily in the direction of the town. 

In return the Tatar nodded gravely and issued an order to his men. 

By this time the warriors were busily pitching tents before the wallsof Yarkand and making preparations for a formal siege. In obedience tothe chieftain's orders, Rob was given a place within one of the tentsnearest the wall and supplied with a brace of brass-mounted pistols anda dagger with a sharp, zigzag edge. These were evidently to assist theboy in fighting the Turks, and he was well pleased to have them. Hisspirits rose considerably when he found he had fallen among friends, although most of his new comrades had such evil faces that it wasunnecessary to put on the Character Markers to judge their natures witha fair degree of accuracy. 

"I can't be very particular about the company I keep, " he thought, "andthis gang hasn't tried to murder me, as the rascally Turks did. So forthe present I'll stand in with the scowling chief and try to get a shotat the thieves who robbed me. If our side wins I may get a chance torecover some of my property. It's a slim chance, of course, but it'sthe only hope I have left. "

That very evening an opportunity occurred for Rob to win glory in theeyes of his new friends. Just before sundown the gates of the cityflew open and a swarm of Turks, mounted upon fleet horses and camels, issued forth and fell upon their enemies. The Tatars, who did notexpect the sally, were scarcely able to form an opposing rank when theyfound themselves engaged in a hand-to-hand conflict, fightingdesperately for their lives. In such a battle, however, the Turks wereat a disadvantage, for the active Tatars slipped beneath their horsesand disabled them, bringing both the animals and their riders to theearth. 

At the first onslaught Rob shot his pistol at a Turk and wounded him soseverely that he fell from his horse. Instantly the boy seized thebridle and sprang upon the steed's back, and the next moment he haddashed into the thickest part of the fray. Bullets and blows rainedupon him from all sides, but the Garment of Repulsion saved him from asingle scratch. 

When his pistols had been discharged he caught up the broken handle ofa spear, and used it as a club, galloping into the ranks of the Turksand belaboring them as hard as he could. The Tatars cheered andfollowed him, and the Turks were so amazed at his miraculous escapefrom their bullets that they became terrified, thinking he bore acharmed life and was protected by unseen powers. 

This terror helped turn the tide of battle, and before long the enemywas pressed back to the walls and retreated through the gates, whichwere hastily fastened behind them. 

In order to prevent a repetition of this sally the Tatars at onceinvested the gates, so that if the Turks should open them they were aslikely to let their foes in as to oppose them. 

While the tents were being moved up Rob had an opportunity to searchthe battlefield for the bodies of the three Turks who had robbed him, but they were not among the fallen. 

"Those fellows were too cowardly to take part in a fair fight, "declared the boy; but he was much disappointed, nevertheless, as hefelt very helpless without the electric tube or the traveling machine. 

The Tatar chief now called Rob to his tent and presented him with abeautiful ring set with a glowing pigeon's-blood ruby, inacknowledgment of his services. This gift made the boy feel veryproud, and he said to the chief:

"You're all right, old man, even if you do look like a pirate. If youcan manage to capture that city, so I can get my electrical devicesback, I'll consider you a trump as long as I live. "

The chief thought this speech was intended to express Rob's gratitude, so he bowed solemnly in return. 

During the night that followed upon the first engagement of the Turksand Tatars, the boy lay awake trying to devise some plan to capture thecity. The walls seemed too high and thick to be either scaled orbroken by the Tatars, who had no artillery whatever; and within thewalls lay all the fertile part of the oasis, giving the besieged a goodsupply of water and provisions, while the besiegers were obliged tosubsist on what water and food they had brought with them. 

Just before dawn Rob left his tent and went out to look at the greatwall. The stars gave plenty of light, but the boy was worried to findthat, according to Eastern custom, no sentries or guards whatever hadbeen posted and all the Tatars were slumbering soundly. 

The city was likewise wrapped in profound silence, but just as Rob wasturning away he saw a head project stealthily over the edge of the wallbefore him, and recognized in the features one of the Turks who hadrobbed him. 

Finding no one awake except the boy the fellow sat upon the edge of thewall, with his feet dangling downward, and grinned wickedly at hisformer victim. Rob watched him with almost breathless eagerness. 

After making many motions that conveyed no meaning whatever, the Turkdrew the electric tube from his pocket and pointed his finger first atthe boy and then at the instrument, as if inquiring what it was usedfor. Rob shook his head. The Turk turned the tube over several timesand examined it carefully, after which he also shook his head, seeminggreatly puzzled. 

By this time the boy was fairly trembling with excitement. He longedto recover this valuable weapon, and feared that at any moment thecurious Turk would discover its use. He held out his hand toward thetube, and tried to say, by motions, that he would show the fellow howto use it. The man seemed to understand, by he would not let theglittering instrument out of his possession. 

Rob was almost in despair, when he happened to notice upon his hand theruby ring given him by the chief. Drawing the jewel from his finger hemade offer, by signs, that he would exchange it for the tube. 

The Turk was much pleased with the idea, and nodded his headrepeatedly, holding out his hand for the ring. Rob had littleconfidence in the man's honor, but he was so eager to regain the tubethat he decided to trust him. So he threw the ring to the top of thewall, where the Turk caught it skilfully; but when Rob held out hishand for the tube the scoundrel only laughed at him and began toscramble to his feet in order to beat a retreat. Chance, however, foiled this disgraceful treachery, for in his hurry the Turk allowedthe tube to slip from his grasp, and it rolled off the wall and fellupon the sand at Rob's very feet. 

The robber turned to watch its fall and, filled with sudden anger, theboy grabbed the weapon, pointed it at his enemy, and pressed thebutton. Down tumbled the Turk, without a cry, and lay motionless atthe foot of the wall. 

Rob's first thought was to search the pockets of his captive, and tohis delight he found and recovered his box of food tablets. The Recordof Events and the traveling machine were doubtless in the possession ofthe other robbers, but Rob did not despair of recovering them, now thathe had the tube to aid him. 

Day was now breaking, and several of the Tatars appeared and examinedthe body of the Turk with grunts of surprise, for there was no markupon him to show how he had been slain. Supposing him to be dead, theytossed him aside and forgot all about him. 

Rob had secured his ruby ring again, and going to the chief's tent heshowed the jewel to the guard and was at once admitted. Theblack-bearded chieftain was still reclining upon his pillows, but Robbowed before him, and by means of signs managed to ask for a band ofwarriors to assist him in assaulting the town. The chieftain appearedto doubt the wisdom of the enterprise, not being able to understand howthe boy could expect to succeed; but he graciously issued the requiredorder, and by the time Rob reached the city gate he found a large groupof Tatars gathered to support him, while the entire camp, roused tointerest in the proceedings, stood looking on. 

Rob cared little for the quarrel between the Turks and Tatars, andunder ordinary circumstances would have refused to side with one or theother; but he knew he could not hope to recover his electrical machinesunless the city was taken by the band of warriors who had befriendedhim, so he determined to force an entrance for them. 

Without hesitation he walked close to the great gate and shattered itsfastenings with the force of the electric current directed upon themfrom the tube. Then, shouting to his friends the Tatars forassistance, they rushed in a body upon the gate and dashed it open. 

The Turks had expected trouble when they heard the fastenings of thehuge gate splinter and fall apart, so they had assembled in forcebefore the opening. As the Tatars poured through the gateway in acompact mass they were met by a hail of bullets, spears and arrows, which did fearful execution among them. Many were killed outright, while others fell wounded to be trampled upon by those who pressed onfrom the rear. 

Rob maintained his position in the front rank, but escaped all injurythrough the possession of the Garment of Repulsion. But he took anactive part in the fight and pressed the button of the electric tubeagain and again, tumbling the enemy into heaps on every side, even thehorses and camels falling helplessly before the resistless current ofelectricity. 

The Tatars shouted joyfully as they witnessed this marvelous feat andrushed forward to assist in the slaughter; but the boy motioned themall back. He did not wish any more bloodshed than was necessary, andknew that the heaps of unconscious Turks around him would soon recover. 

So he stood alone and faced the enemy, calmly knocking them over asfast as they came near. Two of the Turks managed to creep up behindthe boy, and one of them, who wielded an immense simitar with atwo-edged blade as sharp as a razor, swung the weapon fiercely to cutoff Rob's head. But the repulsive force aroused in the Garment was soterrific that it sent the weapon flying backwards with redoubledswiftness, so that it caught the second Turk at the waist and cut himfairly in two. 

Thereafter they all avoided coming near the boy, and in a surprisinglyshort time the Turkish forces were entirely conquered, all having beenreduced to unconsciousness except a few cowards who had run away andhidden in the cellars or garrets of the houses. 

The Tatars entered the city with shouts of triumph, and the chief wasso delighted that he threw his arms around Rob's neck and embraced himwarmly. 

Then began the sack of Yarkand, the fierce Tatars plundering thebazaars and houses, stripping them of everything of value they couldfind. 

Rob searched anxiously among the bodies of the unconscious Turks forthe two men who had robbed him, but neither could be found. He wasmore successful later, for in running through the streets he came upona band of Tatars leading a man with a rope around his neck, whom Robquickly recognized as one of the thieves he was hunting for. TheTatars willingly allowed him to search the fellow, and in one of hispockets Rob found the Record of Events. 

He had now recovered all his property, except the traveling machine, the one thing that was absolutely necessary to enable him to escapefrom this barbarous country. 

He continued his search persistently, and an hour later found the deadbody of the third robber lying in the square in the center of the city. But the traveling machine was not on his person, and for the first timethe boy began to give way to despair. 

In the distance he heard loud shouts and sound of renewed strife, warning him that the Turks were recovering consciousness and engagingthe Tatars with great fierceness. The latter had scattered throughoutthe town, thinking themselves perfectly secure, so that not only werethey unprepared to fight, but they became panic-stricken at seeingtheir foes return, as it seemed, from death to life. Their usualcourage forsook them, and they ran, terrified, in every direction, onlyto be cut down by the revengeful Turkish simitars. 

Rob was sitting upon the edge of a marble fountain in the center of thesquare when a crowd of victorious Turks appeared and quickly surroundedhim. The boy paid no attention to their gestures and the Turks fearedto approach him nearly, so they stood a short distance away and firedvolleys at him from their rifles and pistols. 

Rob glared at them scornfully, and seeing they could not injure him theTurks desisted; but they still surrounded him, and the crowd grewthicker every moment. 

Women now came creeping from their hiding places and mingled with theranks of the men, and Rob guessed, from their joyous chattering, thatthe Turks had regained the city and driven out or killed the Tatarwarriors. He reflected, gloomily, that this did not affect his ownposition in any way, since he could not escape from the oasis. 

Suddenly, on glancing at the crowd, Rob saw something that arrested hisattention. A young girl was fastening some article to the wrist of aburly, villainous-looking Turk. The boy saw a glitter that remindedhim of the traveling machine, but immediately afterward the man and thegirl bent their heads over the fellow's wrist in such a way that Robcould see nothing more. 

While the couple were apparently examining the strange device, Robstarted to his feet and walked toward them. The crowd fell back at hisapproach, but the man and the girl were so interested that they did notnotice him. He was still several paces away when the girl put out herfinger and touched the indicator on the dial. 

To Rob's horror and consternation the big Turk began to rise slowlyinto the air, while a howl of fear burst from the crowd. But the boymade a mighty spring and caught the Turk by his foot, clinging to itwith desperate tenacity, while they both mounted steadily upward untilthey were far above the city of the desert. 

The big Turk screamed pitifully at first, and then actually faintedaway from fright. Rob was much frightened, on his part, for he knew ifhis hands slipped from their hold he would fall to his death. Indeed, one hand was slipping already, so he made a frantic clutch and caughtfirmly hold of the Turk's baggy trousers. Then, slowly and carefully, he drew himself up and seized the leather belt that encircled the man'swaist. This firm grip gave him new confidence, and he began to breathemore freely. 

He now clung to the body of the Turk with both legs entwined, in theway he was accustomed to cling to a tree-trunk when he climbed aftercherries at home. He had conquered his fear of falling, and took timeto recover his wits and his strength. 

They had now reached such a tremendous height that the city looked likea speck on the desert beneath them. Knowing he must act quickly, Robseized the dangling left arm of the unconscious Turk and raised ituntil he could reach the dial of the traveling machine. He feared tounclasp the machine just then, for two reasons: if it slipped from hisgrasp they would both plunge downward to their death; and he was notsure the machine would work at all if in any other position thanfastened to the left wrist. 

Rob determined to take no chances, so he left the machine attached tothe Turk and turned the indicator to zero and then to "East, " for hedid not wish to rejoin either his enemies the Turks or his equallyundesirable friends the Tatars. 

After traveling eastward a few minutes he lost sight of the cityaltogether; so, still clinging to the body of the Turk, he again turnedthe indicator and began to descend. When, at last, they landed gentlyupon a rocky eminence of the Kuen-Lun mountains, the boy's strength wasalmost exhausted, and his limbs ached with the strain of clinging tothe Turk's body. 

His first act was to transfer the traveling machine to his own wristand to see that his other electrical devices were safely bestowed inhis pockets. Then he sat upon the rock to rest until the Turkrecovered consciousness. 

Presently the fellow moved uneasily, rolled over, and then sat up andstared at his surroundings. Perhaps he thought he had been dreaming, for he rubbed his eyes and looked again with mingled surprise andalarm. Then, seeing Rob, he uttered a savage shout and drew his dagger. 

Rob smiled and pointed the electric tube at the man, who doubtlessrecognized its power, for he fell back scowling and trembling. 

"This place seems like a good jog from civilization, " remarked the boy, as coolly as if his companion could understand what he said; "but asyour legs are long and strong you may be able to find your way. It'strue you're liable to starve to death, but if you do it will be yourown misfortune and not my fault. "

The Turk glared at him sullenly, but did not attempt to reply. 

Rob took out his box of tablets, ate one of them and offered another tohis enemy. The fellow accepted it ungraciously enough, but seeing Robeat one he decided to follow his example, and consumed the tablet witha queer expression of distrust upon his face. 

"Brave man!" cried Rob, laughingly; "you've avoided the pangs ofstarvation for a time, anyhow, so I can leave you with a clearconscience. "

Without more ado, he turned the indicator of the traveling machine andmounted into the air, leaving the Turk sitting upon the rocks andstaring after him in comical bewilderment. 

15. A Battle with Monsters

Our young adventurer never experienced a more grateful feeling ofrelief and security than when he found himself once more high in theair, alone, and in undisputed possession of the electrical devicesbestowed upon him by the Demon. 

The dangers he had passed through since landing at the city of thedesert and the desperate chance that alone had permitted him to regainthe traveling machine made him shudder at the bare recollection andrendered him more sober and thoughtful than usual. 

We who stick closely to the earth's surface can scarcely realize howRob could travel through the air at such dizzy heights without any fearor concern whatsoever. But he had come to consider the air a veritablerefuge. Experience had given him implicit confidence in the powers ofthe electrical instrument whose unseen forces carried him so swiftlyand surely, and while the tiny, watch-like machine was clasped to hiswrist he felt himself to be absolutely safe. 

Having slipped away from the Turk and attained a fair altitude, he setthe indicator at zero and paused long enough to consult his map anddecide what direction it was best for him to take. The mischance thathad swept him unwittingly over the countries of Europe had also carriedhim more than half way around the world from his home. Therefore thenearest way to reach America would be to continue traveling to theeastward. 

So much time had been consumed at the desert oasis that he felt he mustnow hasten if he wished to reach home by Saturday afternoon; so, havingquickly come to a decision, he turned the indicator and began a swiftflight into the east. 

For several hours he traveled above the great desert of Gobi, but bynoon signs of a more fertile country began to appear, and, dropping toa point nearer the earth, he was able to observe closely the country ofthe Chinese, with its crowded population and ancient but crudecivilization. 

Then he came to the Great Wall of China and to mighty Peking, abovewhich he hovered some time, examining it curiously. He really longedto make a stop there, but with his late experiences fresh in his mindhe thought it much safer to view the wonderful city from a distance. 

Resuming his flight he presently came to the gulf of Laou Tong, whosefair face was freckled with many ships of many nations, and so on toKorea, which seemed to him a land fully a century behind the times. 

Night overtook him while speeding across the Sea of Japan, and having agreat desire to view the Mikado's famous islands, he put the indicatorat zero, and, coming to a full stop, composed himself to sleep untilmorning, that he might run no chances of being carried beyond hisknowledge during the night. 

You might suppose it no easy task to sleep suspended in mid-air, yetthe magnetic currents controlled by the traveling machine were soevenly balanced that Rob was fully as comfortable as if reposing upon abed of down. He had become somewhat accustomed to passing the night inthe air and now slept remarkably well, having no fear of burglars orfire or other interruptions that dwellers in cities are subject to. 

One thing, however, he should have remembered: that he was in anancient and little known part of the world and reposing above a seafamous in fable as the home of many fierce and terrible creatures;while not far away lay the land of the dragon, the simurg and otherferocious monsters. 

Rob may have read of these things in fairy tales and books of travel, but if so they had entirely slipped his mind; so he slumberedpeacefully and actually snored a little, I believe, towards morning. 

But even as the red sun peeped curiously over the horizon he wasawakened by a most unusual disturbance--a succession of hoarse screamsand a pounding of the air as from the quickly revolving blades of somehuge windmill. 

He rubbed his eyes and looked around. 

Coming towards him at his right hand was an immense bird, whose bodyseemed almost as big as that of a horse. Its wide-open, curving beakwas set with rows of pointed teeth, and the talons held against itsbreast and turned threateningly outward were more powerful and dreadfulthan a tiger's claws. 

While, fascinated and horrified, he watched the approach of thisfeathered monster, a scream sounded just behind him and the nextinstant the stroke of a mighty wing sent him whirling over and overthrough the air. 

He soon came to a stop, however, and saw that another of the monstershad come upon him from the rear and was now, with its mate, circlingclosely around him, while both uttered continuously their hoarse, savage cries. 

Rob wondered why the Garment of Repulsion had not protected him fromthe blow of the bird's wing; but, as a matter of fact, it had protectedhim. For it was not the wing itself but the force of the eddyingcurrents of air that had sent him whirling away from the monster. Withthe indicator at zero the magnetic currents and the opposing powers ofattraction and repulsion were so evenly balanced that any violentatmospheric disturbance affected him in the same way that thistledownis affected by a summer breeze. He had noticed something of thisbefore, but whenever a strong wind was blowing he was accustomed torise to a position above the air currents. This was the first time hehad slept with the indicator at zero. 

The huge birds at once renewed their attack, but Rob had now recoveredhis wits sufficiently to draw the electric tube from his pocket. Thefirst one to dart towards him received the powerful electric currentdirect from the tube, and fell stunned and fluttering to the surface ofthe sea, where it floated motionless. Its mate, perhaps warned by thissudden disaster, renewed its circling flight, moving so swiftly thatRob could scarcely follow it, and drawing nearer and nearer everymoment to its intended victim. The boy could not turn in the air veryquickly, and he feared an attack in the back, mistrusting the savingpower of the Garment of Repulsion under such circumstances; so indesperation he pressed his finger upon the button of the tube andwhirled the instrument around his head in the opposite direction tothat in which the monster was circling. Presently the current and thebird met, and with one last scream the creature tumbled downwards tojoin its fellow upon the waves, where they lay like two floatingislands. 

Their presence had left a rank, sickening stench in the surroundingatmosphere, so Rob made haste to resume his journey and was soon movingrapidly eastward. 

He could not control a shudder at the recollection of his recentcombat, and realized the horror of a meeting with such creatures by onewho had no protection from their sharp beaks and talons. 

"It's no wonder the Japs draw ugly pictures of those monsters, " hethought. "People who live in these parts must pass most of their livesin a tremble. "

The sun was now shining brilliantly, and when the beautiful islands ofJapan came in sight Rob found that he had recovered his wontedcheerfulness. He moved along slowly, hovering with curious interestover the quaint and picturesque villages and watching the industriousJapanese patiently toiling at their tasks. Just before he reachedTokio he came to a military fort, and for nearly an hour watched theskilful maneuvers of a regiment of soldiers at their morning drill. They were not very big people, compared with other nations, but theyseemed alert and well trained, and the boy decided it would require abrave enemy to face them on a field of battle. 

Having at length satisfied his curiosity as to Japanese life andcustoms Rob prepared for his long flight across the Pacific Ocean. 

By consulting his map he discovered that should he maintain his coursedue east, as before, he would arrive at a point in America very near toSan Francisco, which suited his plans excellently. 

Having found that he moved more swiftly when farthest from the earth'ssurface, because the air was more rarefied and offered less resistance, Rob mounted upwards until the islands of Japan were mere specks visiblethrough the clear, sunny atmosphere. 

Then he began his eastward flight, the broad surface of the Pacificseeming like a blue cloud far beneath him. 

16. Shipwrecked Mariners

Ample proof of Rob's careless and restless nature having been franklyplaced before the reader in these pages, you will doubtless besurprised when I relate that during the next few hours our younggentleman suffered from a severe attack of homesickness, becoming asgloomy and unhappy in its duration as ever a homesick boy could be. 

It may have been because he was just then cut off from all hisfellow-creatures and even from the world itself; it may have beenbecause he was satiated with marvels and with the almost absolutecontrol over the powers which the Demon had conferred upon him; or itmay have been because he was born and reared a hearty, healthy Americanboy, with a disposition to battle openly with the world and take hischances equally with his fellows, rather than be placed in such anexclusive position that no one could hope successfully to oppose him. 

Perhaps he himself did not know what gave him this horrible attack of"the blues, " but the truth is he took out his handkerchief and criedlike a baby from very loneliness and misery. 

There was no one to see him, thank goodness! and the tears gave himconsiderable relief. He dried his eyes, made an honest struggle toregain his cheerfulness, and then muttered to himself:

"If I stay up here, like an air-bubble in the sky, I shall certainly gocrazy. I suppose there's nothing but water to look at down below, butif I could only sight a ship, or even see a fish jump, it would do meno end of good. "

Thereupon he descended until, as the ocean's surface same nearer andnearer, he discovered a tiny island lying almost directly underneathhim. It was hardly big enough to make a dot on the biggest map, but aclump of trees grew in the central portion, while around the edges werejagged rocks protecting a sandy beach and a stretch of flower-strewnupland leading to the trees. 

It looked beautiful from Rob's elevated position, and his spiritsbrightened at once. 

"I'll drop down and pick a bouquet, " he exclaimed, and a few momentslater his feet touched the firm earth of the island. 

But before he could gather a dozen of the brilliant flowers a gladshout reached his ears, and, looking up, he saw two men running towardshim from the trees. 

They were dressed in sailor fashion, but their clothing was reduced torags and scarcely clung to their brown, skinny bodies. As theyadvanced they waved their arms wildly in the air and cried in joyfultones:

"A boat! a boat!"

Rob stared at them wonderingly, and had much ado to prevent the poorfellows from hugging him outright, so great was their joy at hisappearance. One of them rolled upon the ground, laughing and crying byturns, while the other danced and cut capers until he became soexhausted that he sank down breathless beside his comrade. 

"How came you here?" then inquired the boy, in pitying tones. 

"We're shipwrecked American sailors from the bark 'Cynthia Jane, ' whichwent down near here over a month ago, " answered the smallest andthinnest of the two. "We escaped by clinging to a bit of wreckage andfloated to this island, where we have nearly starved to death. Indeed, we now have eaten everything on the island that was eatable, and hadyour boat arrived a few days later you'd have found us lying dead uponthe beach!"

Rob listened to this sad tale with real sympathy. 

"But I didn't come here in a boat, " said he. 

The men sprang to their feet with white, scared faces. 

"No boat!" they cried; "are you, too, shipwrecked?"

"No;" he answered. "I flew here through the air. " And then heexplained to them the wonderful electric traveling machine. 

But the sailors had no interest whatever in the relation. Theirdisappointment was something awful to witness, and one of them laid hishead upon his comrade's shoulder and wept with unrestrained grief, soweak and discouraged had they become through suffering. 

Suddenly Rob remembered that he could assist them, and took the box ofconcentrated food tablets from his pocket. 

"Eat these, " he said, offering one of each to the sailors. 

At first they could not understand that these small tablets would beable to allay the pangs of hunger; but when Rob explained their virtuesthe men ate them greedily. Within a few moments they were so greatlyrestored to strength and courage that their eyes brightened, theirsunken cheeks flushed, and they were able to converse with theirbenefactor with calmness and intelligence. 

Then the boy sat beside them upon the grass and told them the story ofhis acquaintance with the Demon and of all his adventures since he hadcome into possession of the wonderful electric contrivances. In hispresent mood he felt it would be a relief to confide in some one, andso these poor, lonely men were the first to hear his story. 

When he related the manner in which he had clung to the Turk while bothascended into the air, the elder of the two sailors listened with raptattention, and then, after some thought, asked:

"Why couldn't you carry one or both of us to America?"

Rob took time seriously to consider this idea, while the sailors eyedhim with eager interest. Finally he said:

"I'm afraid I couldn't support your weight long enough to reach anyother land. It's a long journey, and you'd pull my arms out of jointbefore we'd been up an hour. "

Their faces fell at this, but one of them said:

"Why couldn't we swing ourselves over your shoulders with a rope? Ourtwo bodies would balance each other and we are so thin and emaciatedthat we do not weigh very much. "

While considering this suggestion Rob remembered how at one time fivepirates had clung to his left leg and been carried some distancethrough the air. 

"Have you a rope?" he asked. 

"No, " was the answer; "but there are plenty of long, tough vinesgrowing on the island that are just as strong and pliable as ropes. "

"Then, if you are willing to run the chances, " decided the boy, "I willmake the attempt to save you. But I must warn you that in case I findI can not support the weight of your bodies I shall drop one or both ofyou into the sea. "

They looked grave at this prospect, but the biggest one said:

"We would soon meet death from starvation if you left us here on theisland; so, as there is at least a chance of our being able to escapein your company I, for one, am willing to risk being drowned. It iseasier and quicker than being starved. And, as I'm the heavier, Isuppose you'll drop me first. "

"Certainly, " declared Rob, promptly. 

This announcement seemed to be an encouragement to the little sailor, but he said, nervously:

"I hope you'll keep near the water, for I haven't a good head forheights--they always make me dizzy. "

"Oh, if you don't want to go, " began Rob, "I can easily--"

"But I do! I do! I do!" cried the little man, interrupting him. "Ishall die if you leave me behind!"

"Well, then, get your ropes, and we'll do the best we can, " said theboy. 

They ran to the trees, around the trunks of which were clinging manytendrils of greenish-brown vine which possessed remarkable strength. With their knives they cut a long section of this vine, the ends ofwhich were then tied into loops large enough to permit the sailors tosit in them comfortably. The connecting piece Rob padded with seaweedgathered from the shore, to prevent its cutting into his shoulders. 

"Now, then, " he said, when all was ready, "take your places. "

The sailors squatted in the loops, and Rob swung the vine over hisshoulders and turned the indicator of the traveling machine to "up. "

As they slowly mounted into the sky the little sailor gave a squeal ofterror and clung to the boy's arm; but the other, although seeminglyanxious, sat quietly in his place and made no trouble. 

"D--d--don't g--g--go so high!" stammered the little one, tremblingly;"suppose we should f--f--fall!"

"Well, s'pose we should?" answered Rob, gruffly. "You couldn't drownuntil you struck the water, so the higher we are the longer you'll livein case of accident. "

This phase of the question seemed to comfort the frightened fellowsomewhat; but, as he said, he had not a good head for heights, and socontinued to tremble in spite of his resolve to be brave. 

The weight on Rob's shoulders was not so great as he had feared, thetraveling machine seeming to give a certain lightness and buoyancy toeverything that came into contact with its wearer. 

As soon as he had reached a sufficient elevation to admit of good speedhe turned the indicator once more to the east and began moving rapidlythrough the air, the shipwrecked sailors dangling at either side. 

"This is aw--aw--awful!" gasped the little one. 

"Say, you shut up!" commanded the boy, angrily. "If your friend was asbig a coward as you are I'd drop you both this minute. Let go my armand keep quiet, if you want to reach land alive. "

The fellow whimpered a little, but managed to remain silent for severalminutes. Then he gave a sudden twitch and grabbed Rob's arm again. 

"S'pose--s'pose the vine should break!" he moaned, a horrified lookupon his face. 

"I've had about enough of this, " said Rob, savagely. "If you haven'tany sense you don't deserve to live. " He turned the indicator on thedial of the machine and they began to descend rapidly. 

The little fellow screamed with fear, but Rob paid no attention to himuntil the feet of the two suspended sailors were actually dipping intothe waves, when he brought their progress to an abrupt halt. 

"Wh--wh--what are you g--g--going to do?" gurgled the cowardly sailor. 

"I'm going to feed you to the sharks--unless you promise to keep yourmouth shut, " retorted the boy. "Now, then; decide at once! Which willit be--sharks or silence?"

"I won't say a word--'pon my honor, I won't!" said the sailorshudderingly. 

"All right; remember your promise and we'll have no further trouble, "remarked Rob, who had hard work to keep from laughing at the man'sabject terror. 

Once more he ascended and continued the journey, and for several hoursthey rode along swiftly and silently. Rob's shoulders were beginningto ache with the continued tugging of the vine upon them, but thethought that he was saving the lives of two unfortunatefellow-creatures gave him strength and courage to persevere. 

Night was falling when they first sighted land; a wild and seeminglyuninhabited stretch of the American coast. Rob made no effort toselect a landing place, for he was nearly worn out with a strain andanxiety of the journey. He dropped his burden upon the brow of a highbluff overlooking the sea and, casting the vine from his shoulders, fell to the earth exhausted and half fainting. 

17. The Coast of Oregon

When he had somewhat recovered, Rob sat up and looked around him. Theelder sailor was kneeling in earnest prayer, offering grateful thanksfor his escape from suffering and death. The younger one lay upon theground sobbing and still violently agitated by recollections of thefrightful experiences he had undergone. Although he did not show hisfeelings as plainly as the men, the boy was none the less gratified athaving been instrumental in saving the lives of two fellow-beings. 

The darkness was by this time rapidly enveloping them, so Rob asked hiscompanions to gather some brushwood and light a fire, which theyquickly did. The evening was cool for the time of year, and the heatfrom the fire was cheering and grateful; so they all lay near theglowing embers and fell fast asleep. 

The sound of voices aroused Rob next morning, and on opening his eyesand gazing around he saw several rudely dressed men approaching. Thetwo shipwrecked sailors were still sound asleep. 

Rob stood up and waited for the strangers to draw near. They seemed tobe fishermen, and were much surprised at finding three people asleepupon the bluff. 

"Whar 'n thunder 'd ye come from?" asked the foremost fisherman, in asurprised voice. 

"From the sea, " replied the boy. "My friends here are shipwreckedsailors from the 'Cynthia Jane. '"

"But how'd ye make out to climb the bluff?" inquired a secondfisherman; "no one ever did it afore, as we knows on. "

"Oh, that is a long story, " replied the boy, evasively. 

The two sailors had awakened and now saluted the new-comers. Soon theywere exchanging a running fire of questions and answers. 

"Where are we?" Rob heard the little sailor ask. 

"Coast of Oregon, " was the reply. "We're about seven miles from PortOrford by land an' about ten miles by sea. "

"Do you live at Port Orford?" inquired the sailor. 

"That's what we do, friend; an' if your party wants to join us we'll doour best to make you comf'table, bein' as you're shipwrecked an' needhelp. "

Just then a loud laugh came from another group, where the elder sailorhad been trying to explain Rob's method of flying through the air. 

"Laugh all you want to, " said the sailor, sullenly; "it's true--ev'ryword of it!"

"Mebbe you think it, friend, " answered a big, good-natured fisherman;"but it's well known that shipwrecked folks go crazy sometimes, an'imagine strange things. Your mind seems clear enough in other ways, soI advise you to try and forget your dreams about flyin'. "

Rob now stepped forward and shook hands with the sailors. 

"I see you have found friends, " he said to them, "so I will leave youand continue my journey, as I'm in something of a hurry. "

Both sailors began to thank him profusely for their rescue, but he cutthem short. 

"That's all right. Of course I couldn't leave you on that island tostarve to death, and I'm glad I was able to bring you away with me. "

"But you threatened to drop me into the sea, " remarked the littlesailor, in a grieved voice. 

"So I did, " said Rob, laughing; "but I wouldn't have done it for theworld--not even to have saved my own life. Good-by!"

He turned the indicator and mounted skyward, to the unbounded amazementof the fishermen, who stared after him with round eyes and wide openmouths. 

"This sight will prove to them that the sailors are not crazy, " hethought, as he turned to the south and sped away from the bluff. "Isuppose those simple fishermen will never forget this wonderfuloccurrence, and they'll probably make reg'lar heroes of the two men whohave crossed the Pacific through the air. "

He followed the coast line, keeping but a short distance above theearth, and after an hour's swift flight reached the city of SanFrancisco. 

His shoulders were sore and stiff from the heavy strain upon them ofthe previous day, and he wished more than once that he had some of hismother's household liniment to rub them with. Yet so great was hisdelight at reaching once more his native land that all discomforts werespeedily forgotten. 

Much as he would have enjoyed a day in the great metropolis of thePacific slope, Rob dared not delay longer than to take a general viewof the place, to note its handsome edifices and to wonder at the throngof Chinese inhabiting one section of the town. 

These things were much more plainly and quickly viewed by Rob fromabove than by threading a way through the streets on foot; for helooked down upon the city as a bird does, and covered miles with asingle glance. 

Having satisfied his curiosity without attempting to alight, he turnedto the southeast and followed the peninsula as far as Palo Alto, wherehe viewed the magnificent buildings of the university. Changing hiscourse to the east, he soon reached Mount Hamilton, and, beingattracted by the great tower of the Lick Observatory, he hovered overit until he found he had attracted the excited gaze of the inhabitants, who doubtless observed him very plainly through the big telescope. 

But so unreal and seemingly impossible was the sight witnessed by thelearned astronomers that they have never ventured to make the incidentpublic, although long after the boy had darted away into the east theyargued together concerning the marvelous and incomprehensible vision. Afterward they secretly engrossed the circumstance upon their records, but resolved never to mention it in public, lest their wisdom andveracity should be assailed by the skeptical. 

Meantime Rob rose to a higher altitude, and sped swiftly across thegreat continent. By noon he sighted Chicago, and after a briefinspection of the place from the air determined to devote at least anhour to forming the acquaintance of this most wonderful andcosmopolitan city. 

18. A Narrow Escape

The Auditorium Tower, where "the weather man" sits to flash his reportsthroughout the country, offered an inviting place for the boy toalight. He dropped quietly upon the roof of the great building andwalked down the staircase until he reached the elevators, by means ofwhich he descended to the ground floor without exciting specialattention. 

The eager rush and hurry of the people crowding the sidewalks impressedRob with the idea that they were all behind time and were trying hardto catch up. He found it impossible to walk along comfortably withoutbeing elbowed and pushed from side to side; so a half hour'ssight-seeing under such difficulties tired him greatly. It was abeautiful afternoon, and finding himself upon the Lake Front, Robhunted up a vacant bench and sat down to rest. 

Presently an elderly gentleman with a reserved and dignified appearanceand dressed in black took a seat next to the boy and drew a magazinefrom his pocket. Rob saw that he opened it to an article on "TheProgress of Modern Science, " in which he seemed greatly interested. 

After a time the boy remembered that he was hungry, not having eaten atablet in more than twenty-four hours. So he took out the silver boxand ate one of the small, round disks it contained. 

"What are those?" inquired the old gentleman in a soft voice. "You aretoo young to be taking patent medicines. "

"There are not medicines, exactly, " answered the boy, with a smile. "They are Concentrated Food Tablets, sorted with nourishment by meansof electricity. One of them furnishes a person with food for an entireday. "

The old gentleman stared at Rob a moment and then laid down hismagazine and took the box in his hands, examining the tablets curiously. 

"Are these patented?" he asked. 

"No, " said Rob; "they are unknown to any one but myself. "

"I will give you a half million dollars for the recipe to make them, "said the gentleman. 

"I fear I must refuse your offer, " returned Rob, with a laugh. 

"I'll make it a million, " said the gentleman, coolly. 

Rob shook his head. 

"Money can't buy the recipe, " he said; "for I don't know it myself. "

"Couldn't the tablets be chemically analyzed, and the secretdiscovered?" inquired the other. 

"I don't know; but I'm not going to give any one the chance to try, "declared the boy, firmly. 

The old gentleman picked up his magazine without another word, andresumed his reading. 

For amusement Rob took the Record of Events from his pocket and beganlooking at the scenes reflected from its polished plate. 

Presently he became aware that the old gentleman was peering over hisshoulder with intense interest. General Funston was just then engagedin capturing the rebel chief, Aguinaldo, and for a few moments both manand boy observed the occurrence with rapt attention. As the scene wasreplaced by one showing a secret tunnel of the Russian Nihilists, withthe conspirators carrying dynamite to a recess underneath the palace ofthe Czar, the gentleman uttered a long sigh and asked:

"Will you sell that box?"

"No, " answered Rob, shortly, and put it back into his pocket. 

"I'll give you a million dollars to control the sale in Chicago alone, "continued the gentleman, with an eager inflection in his smooth voice. 

"You seem quite anxious to get rid of money, " remarked Rob, carelessly. "How much are you worth?"

"Personally?"

"Yes. "

"Nothing at all, young man. I am not offering you my own money. Butwith such inventions as you have exhibited I could easily securemillions of capital. Suppose we form a trust, and place them upon themarket. We'll capitalize it for a hundred millions, and you can have aquarter of the stock--twenty-five millions. That would keep you fromworrying about grocery bills. "

"But I wouldn't need groceries if I had the tablets, " said Rob, laughing. 

"True enough! But you could take life easily and read your newspaperin comfort, without being in any hurry to get down town to business. Twenty-five millions would bring you a cozy little income, if properlyinvested. "

"I don't see why one should read newspapers when the Record of Eventsshows all that is going on in the world, " objected Rob. 

"True, true! But what do you say to the proposition?"

"I must decline, with thanks. These inventions are not for sale. "

The gentleman sighed and resumed his magazine, in which he became muchabsorbed. 

Rob put on the Character Marking Spectacles and looked at him. Theletters "E, " "W" and "C" were plainly visible upon the composed, respectable looking brow of his companion. 

"Evil, wise and cruel, " reflected Rob, as he restored the spectacles tohis pocket. "How easily such a man could impose upon people. To lookat him one would think that butter wouldn't melt in his mouth!"

He decided to part company with this chance acquaintance and, risingfrom his seat, strolled leisurely up the walk. A moment later, onlooking back, he discovered that the old gentleman had disappeared. 

He walked down State Street to the river and back again, amused by theactivity displayed in this busy section of the city. But the time hehad allowed himself in Chicago had now expired, so he began lookingaround for some high building from the roof of which he could departunnoticed. 

This was not at all difficult, and selecting one of many stores heascended by an elevator to the top floor and from there mounted an ironstairway leading to the flat roof. As he climbed this stairway hefound himself followed by a pleasant looking young man, who also seemeddesirous of viewing the city from the roof. 

Annoyed at the inopportune intrusion, Rob's first thought was to goback to the street and try another building; but, upon reflecting thatthe young man was not likely to remain long and he would soon be alone, he decided to wait. So he walked to the edge of the roof and appearedto be interested in the scenery spread out below him. 

"Fine view from here, ain't it?" said the young man, coming up to himand placing his hand carelessly upon the boy's shoulder. 

"It is, indeed, " replied Rob, leaning over the edge to look into thestreet. 

As he spoke he felt himself gently but firmly pushed from behind and, losing his balance, he plunged headforemost from the roof and whirledthrough the intervening space toward the sidewalk far below. 

Terrified though he was by the sudden disaster, the boy had still witenough remaining to reach out his right hand and move the indicator ofthe machine upon his left wrist to the zero mark. Immediately hepaused in his fearful flight and presently came to a stop at a distanceof less than fifteen feet from the flagstones which had threatened tocrush out his life. 

As he stared downward, trying to recover his self-possession, he sawthe old gentleman he had met on the Lake Front standing just below andlooking at him with a half frightened, half curious expression in hiseyes. 

At once Rob saw through the whole plot to kill him and thus securepossession of his electrical devices. The young man upon the roof whohad attempted to push him to his death was a confederate of theinnocent appearing old gentleman, it seemed, and the latter had calmlyawaited his fall to the pavement to seize the coveted treasures fromhis dead body. It was an awful idea, and Rob was more frightened thanhe had ever been before in his life--or ever has been since. 

But now the shouts of a vast concourse of amazed spectators reached theboy's ears. He remembered that he was suspended in mid-air over thecrowded street of a great city, while thousands of wondering eyes werefixed upon him. 

So he quickly set the indicator to the word "up, " and mounted sky-warduntil the watchers below could scarcely see him. Then he fled awayinto the east, even yet shuddering with the horror of his recent escapefrom death and filled with disgust at the knowledge that there werepeople who held human life so lightly that they were willing to destroyit to further their own selfish ends. 

"And the Demon wants such people as these to possess his electricaldevices, which are as powerful to accomplish evil when in wrong handsas they are good!" thought the boy, resentfully. "This would be a fineworld if Electric Tubes and Records of Events and Traveling Machinescould be acquired by selfish and unprincipled persons!"

So unnerved was Rob by his recent experiences that he determined tomake no more stops. However, he alighted at nightfall in the country, and slept upon the sweet hay in a farmer's barn. 

But, early the next morning, before any one else was astir, he resumedhis journey, and at precisely ten o'clock of this day, which wasSaturday, he completed his flying trip around the world by alightingunobserved upon the well-trimmed lawn of his own home. 

19. Rob Makes a Resolution

When Rob opened the front door he came face to face with Nell, who gavean exclamation of joy and threw herself into his arms. 

"Oh, Rob!" she cried, "I'm so glad you've come. We have all beendreadfully worried about you, and mother--"

"Well, what about mother?" inquired the boy, anxiously, as she paused. 

"She's been very ill, Rob; and the doctor said to-day that unless weheard from you soon he would not be able to save her life. Theuncertainty about you is killing her. "

Rob stood stock still, all the eager joy of his return frozen intohorror at the thought that he had caused his dear mother so muchsuffering. 

"Where is she, Nell?" he asked, brokenly. 

"In her room. Come; I'll take you to her. "

Rob followed with beating heart, and soon was clasped close to hismother's breast. 

"Oh, my boy--my dear boy!" she murmured, and then for very joy and loveshe was unable to say more, but held him tight and stroked his hairgently and kissed him again and again. 

Rob said little, except to promise that he would never again leave homewithout her full consent and knowledge. But in his mind he contrastedthe love and comfort that now surrounded him with the lonely andunnatural life he had been leading and, boy though he was in years, amighty resolution that would have been creditable to an experienced mantook firm root in his heart. 

He was obliged to recount all his adventures to his mother and, although he made light of the dangers he had passed through, the storydrew many sighs and shudders from her. 

When luncheon time arrived he met his father, and Mr. Joslyn tookoccasion to reprove his son in strong language for running away fromhome and leaving them filled with anxiety as to his fate. However, when he saw how happy and improved in health his dear wife was at herboy's return, and when he had listened to Rob's manly confession oferror and expressions of repentance, he speedily forgave the culpritand treated him as genially as ever. 

Of course the whole story had to be repeated, his sisters listeningthis time with open eyes and ears and admiring their adventurousbrother immensely. Even Mr. Joslyn could not help becoming profoundlyinterested, but he took care not to show any pride he might feel in hisson's achievements. 

When his father returned to his office Rob went to his own bed-chamberand sat for a long time by the window in deep thought. When at last hearoused himself, he found it was nearly four o'clock. 

"The Demon will be here presently, " he said, with a thrill of aversion, "and I must be in the workshop to receive him. "

Silently he stole to the foot of the attic stairs and then paused tolisten. The house seemed very quiet, but he could hear his mother'svoice softly humming a cradle-song that she had sung to him when he wasa baby. 

He had been nervous and unsettled and a little fearful until then, butperhaps the sound of his mother's voice gave him courage, for he boldlyascended the stairs and entered the workshop, closing and locking thedoor behind him. 

20. The Unhappy Fate of the Demon

Again the atmosphere quickened and pulsed with accumulating vibrations. Again the boy found himself aroused to eager expectancy. There was awhirl in the air; a crackling like distant musketry; a flash ofdazzling light--and the Demon stood before him for the third time. 

"I give you greetings!" said he, in a voice not unkindly. 

"Good afternoon, Mr. Demon, " answered the boy, bowing gravely. 

"I see you have returned safely from your trip, " continued theApparition, cheerfully, "although at one time I thought you would beunable to escape. Indeed, unless I had knocked that tube from therascally Turk's hand as he clambered to the top of the wall, I believeyou would have been at the Yarkand oasis yet--either dead or alive, aschance might determine. "

"Were you there?" asked Rob. 

"To be sure. And I recovered the tube for you, without which you wouldhave been helpless. But that is the only time I saw fit to interferein any way. "

"I'm afraid I did not get a chance to give many hints to inventors orscientists, " said Rob. 

"True, and I have deeply regretted it, " replied the Demon. "But yourunusual powers caused more astonishment and consternation than you, perhaps, imagined; for many saw you whom you were too busy to notice. As a result several able electricians are now thinking new thoughtsalong new lines, and some of them may soon give these or similarinventions to the world. "

"You are satisfied, then?" asked Rob. 

"As to that, " returned the Demon, composedly, "I am not. But I havehopes that with the addition of the three marvelous devices I shallpresent you with to-day you will succeed in arousing so much popularinterest in electrical inventions as to render me wholly satisfied withthe result of this experiment. "

Rob regarded the brilliant apparition with a solemn face, but made noanswer. 

"No living person, " continued the Demon, "has ever before been favoredwith such comforting devices for the preservation and extension ofhuman life as yourself. You seem quite unappreciative, it is true; butsince our connection I have come to realize that you are but anordinary boy, with many boyish limitations; so I do not condemn yourfoolish actions too harshly. "

"That is kind of you, " said Rob. 

"To prove my friendliness, " pursued the Demon, "I have brought, as thefirst of to-day's offerings this Electro-Magnetic Restorer. You see itis shaped like a thin metal band, and is to be worn upon the brow, clasping at the back of the head. Its virtues surpass those of eitherthe fabulous 'Fountain of Youth, ' or the 'Elixir of Life, ' so vainlysought for in past ages. For its wearer will instantly become freefrom any bodily disease or pain and will enjoy perfect health andvigor. In truth, so great are its powers that even the dead may berestored to life, provided the blood has not yet chilled. Inpresenting you with this appliance, I feel I am bestowing upon you thegreatest blessing and most longed-for boon ever bequeathed of sufferinghumanity. "

Here he held the slender, dull-colored metallic band toward the boy. 

"Keep it, " said Rob. 

The Demon started, and gave him an odd look. 

"What did you say?" he asked. 

"I told you to keep it, " answered Rob. "I don't want it. "

The Demon staggered back as if he had been struck. 

"Don't want it!" he gasped. 

"No; I've had enough of your infernal inventions!" cried the boy, withsudden anger. 

He unclasped the traveling machine from his wrist and laid it on thetable beside the Demon. 

"There's the thing that's responsible for most of my troubles, " saidhe, bitterly. "What right has one person to fly through the air whileall his fellow-creatures crawl over the earth's surface? And whyshould I be cut off from all the rest of the world because you havegiven me this confounded traveling machine? I didn't ask for it, and Iwon't keep it a moment longer. Give it to some one you hate more thanyou do me!"

The Demon stared aghast and turned his glittering eyes wonderingly fromRob to the traveling machine and back again, as if to be sure he hadheard and seen aright. 

"And here are your food tablets, " continued the boy, placing the boxupon the table. "I've only enjoyed one square meal since you gave themto me. They're all right to preserve life, of course, and answer thepurpose for which they were made; but I don't believe nature everintended us to exist upon such things, or we wouldn't have the sense oftaste, which enables us to enjoy natural food. As long as I'm a humanbeing I'm going to eat like a human being, so I've consumed my lastElectrical Concentrated Food Tablet--and don't you forget it!"

The Demon sank into a chair, nerveless and limp, but still staringfearfully at the boy. 

"And there's another of your unnatural devices, " said Rob, putting theAutomatic Record of Events upon the table beside the other things. "What right have you to capture vibrations that radiate from privateand secret actions and discover them to others who have no business toknow them? This would be a fine world if every body could peep intoevery one else's affairs, wouldn't it? And here is your CharacterMarker. Nice thing for a decent person to own, isn't it? Any one whowould take advantage of such a sneaking invention as that would beworse than a thief! Oh, I've used them, of course, and I ought to bespanked for having been so mean and underhanded; but I'll never beguilty of looking through them again. "

The Demon's face was frowning and indignant. He made a motion to rise, but thought better of it and sank back in his chair. 

"As for the Garment of Protection, " resumed the boy, after a pause, "I've worn it for the last time, and here it is, at your service. I'llput the Electric Tube with it. Not that these are such very bad thingsin themselves, but I'll have none of your magical contrivances. I'llsay this, however: if all armies were equipped with Electrical Tubesinstead of guns and swords the world would be spared a lot of miseryand unnecessary bloodshed. Perhaps in time; but that time hasn'tarrived yet. "

"You might have hastened it, " said the Demon, sternly, "if you had beenwise enough to use your powers properly. "

"That's just it, " answered Rob. "I'm NOT wise enough. Nor is themajority of mankind wise enough to use such inventions as yoursunselfishly and for the good of the world. If people were better, andevery one had an equal show, it would be different. "

For some moments the Demon sat quietly thinking. Finally the frownleft his face and he said, with animation:

"I have other inventions, which you may use without any such qualms ofconscience. The Electro-Magnetic Restorer I offered you would be agreat boon to your race, and could not possibly do harm. And, besidesthis, I have brought you what I call the Illimitable Communicator. Itis a simple electric device which will enable you, wherever you may be, to converse with people in any part of the world, without the use ofsuch crude connections as wires. In fact, you may--"

"Stop!" cried Rob. "It is useless for you to describe it, because I'llhave nothing more to do with you or your inventions. I have given thema fair trial, and they've got me into all sorts of trouble and made allmy friends miserable. If I was some high-up scientist it would bedifferent; but I'm just a common boy, and I don't want to be anythingelse. "

"But, your duty--" began the Demon. 

"My duty I owe to myself and to my family, " interrupted Rob. "I havenever cultivated science, more than to fool with some simple electricalexperiments, so I owe nothing to either science or the Demon ofElectricity, so far as I can see. "

"But consider, " remonstrated the Demon, rising to his feet and speakingin a pleading voice, "consider the years that must elapse before anyone else is likely to strike the Master Key! And, in the meanwhile, consider my helpless position, cut off from all interest in the worldwhile I have such wonderful inventions on my hands for the benefit ofmankind. If you have no love for science or for the advancement ofcivilization, DO have some consideration for your fellow-creatures, andfor me!"

"If my fellow-creatures would have as much trouble with your electricalinventions as I had, I am doing them a service by depriving them ofyour devices, " said the boy. "As for yourself, I've no fault to findwith you, personally. You're a very decent sort of Demon, and I've nodoubt you mean well; but there's something wrong about our presentcombination, I'm sure. It isn't natural. "

The Demon made a gesture of despair. 

"Why, oh why did not some intelligent person strike the Master Key!" hemoaned. 

"That's it!" exclaimed Rob. "I believe that's the root of the wholeevil. "

"What is?" inquired the Demon, stupidly. 

"The fact that an intelligent person did not strike the Master Key. You don't seem to understand. Well, I'll explain. You're the Demon ofElectricity, aren't you?"

"I am, " said the other, drawing himself up proudly. 

"Your mission is to obey the commands of whoever is able to strike theMaster Key of Electricity. "

"That is true. "

"I once read in a book that all things are regulated by exact laws ofnature. If that is so you probably owe your existence to those laws. "The Demon nodded. "Doubtless it was intended that when mankind becameintelligent enough and advanced enough to strike the Master Key, youand all your devices would not only be necessary and acceptable tothem, but the world would be prepared for their general use. Thatseems reasonable, doesn't it?"

"Perhaps so. Yes; it seems reasonable, " answered the Demon, thoughtfully. 

"Accidents are always liable to happen, " continued the boy. "Byaccident the Master Key was struck long before the world of science wasready for it--or for you. Instead of considering it an accident andpaying no attention to it you immediately appeared to me--a mereboy--and offered your services. "

"I was very anxious to do something, " returned the Demon, evasively. "You've no idea how stupid it is for me to live invisible and unknown, while all the time I have in my possession secrets of untold benefit tothe world. "

"Well, you'll have to keep cool and bide your time, " said Rob. "Theworld wasn't made in a minute, and while civilization is going on at apretty good pace, we're not up to the Demon of Electricity yet. "

"What shall I do!" groaned the Apparition, wringing his handsmiserably; "oh, what shall I do!"

"Go home and lie down, " replied Rob, sympathetically. "Take it easyand don't get rattled. Nothing was every created without a use, theysay; so your turn will come some day, sure! I'm sorry for you, oldfellow, but it's all your own fault. "

"You are right!" exclaimed the Demon, striding up and down the room, and causing thereby such a crackling of electricity in the air thatRob's hair became rigid enough to stand on end. "You are right, and Imust wait--wait--wait--patiently and silently--until my bonds areloosed by intelligence rather than chance! It is a dreary fate. But Imust wait--I must wait--I must wait!"

"I'm glad you've come to your senses, " remarked Rob, drily. "So, ifyou've nothing more to say--"

"No! I have nothing more to say. There IS nothing more to say. Youand I are two. We should never had met!" retorted the Demon, showinggreat excitement. 

"Oh, I didn't seek your acquaintance, " said Rob. "But I've tried totreat you decently, and I've no fault to find with you except that youforgot you were a slave and tried to be a master. "

The Demon did not reply. He was busily forcing the various electricaldevices that Rob had relinquished into the pockets of his fiery jacket. 

Finally he turned with an abrupt movement. 

"Good-by!" he cried. "When mortal eyes next behold me they will bethose of one fit to command my services! As for you, your days will bepassed in obscurity and your name be unknown to fame. Good-by, --forever!"

The room filled with a flash of white light so like a sheet oflightning that the boy went reeling backwards, half stunned and blindedby its dazzling intensity. 

When he recovered himself the Demon of Electricity had disappeared. 

Rob's heart was very light as he left the workshop and made his waydown the attic stairs. 

"Some people might think I was a fool to give up those electricalinventions, " he reflected; "but I'm one of those persons who know whenthey've had enough. It strikes me the fool is the fellow who can'tlearn a lesson. I've learned mine, all right. It's no fun being acentury ahead of the times!"