Page:A thousand years hence. Being personal experiences (IA thousandyearshen00gree).djvu/409

 the Earth. It was the direct express, and brought of course the very latest despatches. Amongst others to myself was a letter from Bullings. It was expressed in the most grateful terms, acknowledging that my timely remittance, together with the influential and stimulative heading of the honoured name of Nunsowe Green to his share-list, had reinstated his fortunes. His grand consolidation scheme had taken the public fancy, and already the shares were at twenty premium. "That price," added Bullings, "can be had at once for yours; but as they must go to fifty or even a hundred immediately, it would, of course, be madness to sell." So then this is to be "Business first" after all, thought I, as a warm thrill of mingled benevolence and business consideration came over me. But forthwith I telegraphed Bullings, with electro-light speed, even upon the extreme expediting heat-wave, the one sole word, "Sell."

Next, moving outside, great was my astonishment at the surrounding spectacle. The school-children of the neighbourhood had all obtained a partial holiday, alike to witness and to do honour to our departure. The rocks and house-tops all about were covered with the odd-looking little creatures, whose peculiar and soft lullabies, "Ha, ha, Pa, pa," now fell like sweet music upon my ears. I could not help musing at the moment on the similarities of children everywhere, for I could almost have sworn that I heard my own young people's voices in all this far-away solar throng.

Now at last we shove off. White is evidently resolute for despatch, and keeps his eagle eye forward