Page 101 - Jack's victory and other stories about dogs

111 did not say,” returned the spaniel, with the

aid of his interpreter, "th at an air-balloon was

employed for that purpose,—I speak of a voyage

by sea.”

The sailor then said, " that by sea such a voyage
was still more impossible, because, as the fastest

sailing vessel went at the rate of no more than

five leagues per hour, it could never make a
voyage of GOO leagues in half a clay.

The animal persisted in maintaining its asser­

tion, and the sailor was going to lay a consider­

able wager, when the spaniel and his master

added, " that they had performed this voyage in
a country where they kindled fire with ice/’

w If you are particularly anxious to display

your learning/' replied the sailor sulkily, u do

not, I beg of you, utter such absurdities.”

The master of the s])aniel then, addressing the
animal said, u Tell us, my friend, is it not true

that a fire can be kindled by a piece of ice, if it

be cut in the form of a lensf so as to collect the
rays of the sun into a focus, and to throw them

on a siiuill heap of gunpowder T