"Nothing like this on our Earth, anyhow," continued _Mr. Punch_,
with a satisfied sigh of relief. "But come, we'll hear what the whole
people say of themselves. See here's a chance. I believe there's a lot
of them over there singing their National Anthem."
They listened as _Mr. Punch_ spoke. He was right. There was a vast
crowd collected outside one of the principal buildings on the other
side of the square, and they were clearly finishing some popular
anthem in chorus, for, as Father TIME and _Mr. Punch_ paused to
listen, the well-known familiar refrain--
"Never, never, never,
Shall be slaves!"
smote their ear.
"Capital! Capital!" cried _Mr. Punch_, approaching the throng. "We'll
have that again." He turned his ring once more as he spoke, and the
mob responded by shouting their second verse.
"Fool! Mercurius!
Of greed thy sons are slaves;
And they ever, ever, ever--
Shall be knaves!"
"Come," cried _Mr. Punch_, "I think that judgment of themselves out of
their own mouths settles the matter! I have done with them. Come, let
us seek some healthier place. Up we go!"
He seized hold of Old Father TIME as he spoke, and bounded with him
upwards suddenly into space. In another minute they were in search of
a brighter, a better, and a truer world.
[Illustration]
* * * * *
VISIT TO JUPITER.
Pages:
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31