"Still, even at that distance, the heat, according to Newton, must be
like red-hot iron, and if constituted like our earth, when heated to
that degree, must take fifty thousand years to cool."
"Fifty thousand years!" said Willis, yawning from ear to ear.
"The central position between these extremes, which would either
congeal our earth into a mass of ice or burn it up into a heap of
cinders, is therefore the most congenial to such beings as ourselves.
Whence I conclude--"
Here the crimson flashes of Willis's pipe, which had been gradually
diminishing in brilliance suddenly ceased; _contralto_ notes issued
from the profundities of his breast, and it became evident to the
orator that all his audience were sound asleep.
"Whence I conclude," said Fritz, addressing himself, "that my orations
must be somewhat soporiferous."
Being thus left alone to keep a look-out on shore, his thoughts
gradually receded within his own breast, where all was rose-colored
and smiling, for at his age rust has not had time to corrupt, nor
moths to eat away. And it was not long before he himself, like his two
companions, was fast locked in the arms of sleep.
How long this state of things lasted the chronicle saith not; but the
three sleepers were eventually awakened by a simultaneous howl of the
dogs.
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