Agalone Mountains. Indeed, it seems to me that I see that mountain range now beginning to appear before us." 37 37 CHAPTER VIII THE EXPLOSION OF THE SUBMARINE EXPRESS "We must be sure to strike the right road through the Agalone Mountains," said the Private Secretary, peering out through the glass, "because a great many boats get lost hereabouts in the long and winding path. Even were it possible for any mortal to get thus far toward our country, it would be very difficult to trace the way through the Agalone Mountains, which are very high and precipitous indeed. Moreover, to render the road even more difficult to follow, we occasionally have these mountains moved a few hundred leagues from side to 38side, so that not even the boldest mariner from your country could tell a thing about it if he tried to follow us." 38 "It is a wonder to me that no one has ever found this Island of Gee-Whiz," said the Widow Pickle. "Believe me, madam, it is practically impossible," replied the Private Secretary. "Many have sought to discover the Island of Gee-Whiz on account of its great riches, but no one has ever yet done so. Were it not for the fact that these Twins, the Prince and Princess, have corazine and malazite hair, it is scarcely likely that you yourself would ever have seen our Island. "But now," he resumed, "it is nearly time I should go aloft and look ahead. To me it seems that these mountains do not look so entirely familiar as they should." "Go aloft?" inquired the Widow. "How can you go aloft? Do you mean to the surface of the sea?" "Of course," said the Private Secretary. "I can see the Island at a much greater distance from the surface of the sea. As for going aloft, that is perfectly simple. I set this pole in the holes which run up and down through the top and bottom of the boat, like the place for a mast in a sail-boat, and I then attach the clutches of this machine here to the pole and set the engine going up and 39down instead of backward and
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