baking　them。　　But　luck　appeared　to　be　against　him。　　A　volcano　shoved
  itself　through　there　that　night；　and　elevated　his　brickyard　about　two
  thousand　feet　in　the　air。　　It　irritated　him　a　good　deal。　　He　has　been　up
  there；　and　he　says　the　bricks　are　all　baked　right　enough；　but　he　can't
  get　them　down。　　At　first；　he　thought　maybe　the　government　would　get　the
  bricks　down　for　him；　because　since　government　bought　the　island；　it　ought
  to　protect　the　property　where　a　man　has　invested　in　good　faith；　but　all
  he　wants　is　quiet；　and　so　he　is　not　going　to　apply　for　the　subsidy　he　was
  thinking　about。
  He　went　back　there　last　week　in　a　couple　of　ships　of　war；　to　prospect
  around　the　coast　for　a　safe　place　for　a　farm　where　he　could　be　quiet；
  but　a　great　〃tidal　wave〃　came；　and　hoisted　both　of　the　ships　out　into　one
  of　the　interior　counties；　and　he　came　near　losing　his　life。　　So　he　has
  given　up　prospecting　in　a　ship；　and　is　discouraged。
  Well；　now　he　don't　know　what　to　do。　　He　has　tried　Alaska；　but　the　bears
  kept　after　him　so　much；　and　kept　him　so　much　on　the　jump；　as　it　were；
  that　he　had　to　leave　the　country。　　He　could　not　be　quiet　there　with　those
  bears　prancing　after　him　all　the　time。　　That　is　how　he　came　to　go　to　the
  new　island　we　have　boughtSt。　Thomas。　　But　he　is　getting　to　think　St。
  Thomas　is　not　quiet　enough　for　a　man　of　his　turn　of　mind；　and　that　is　why
  he　wishes　me　to　find　out　if　government　is　likely　to　buy　some　more　islands
  shortly。　　He　has　heard　that　government　is　thinking　about　buying　Porto
  Rico。　　If　that　is　true；　he　wishes　to　try　Porto　Rico；　if　it　is　a　quiet
  place。　　How　is　Porto　Rico　for　his　style　of　man？　　Do　you　think　the
  government　will　buy　it？
  SOME　LEARNED　FABLES；　FOR　GOOD　OLD　BOYS　AND　GIRLS
  IN　THREE　PARTS
  PART　FIRST
  HOW　THE　ANIMALS　OF　THE　WOOD　SENT　OUT　A　SCIENTIFIC　EXPEDITION
  Once　the　creatures　of　the　forest　held　a　great　convention　and　appointed　a
  commission　consisting　of　the　most　illustrious　scientists　among　them　to　go
  forth；　clear　beyond　the　forest　and　out　into　the　unknown　and　unexplored
  world；　to　verify　the　truth　of　the　matters　already　taught　in　their　schools
  and　colleges　and　also　to　make　discoveries。　　It　was　the　most　imposing
  enterprise　of　the　kind　the　nation　had　ever　embarked　in。　　True；　the
  government　had　once　sent　Dr。　Bull　Frog；　with　a　picked　crew；　to　hunt　for　a
  northwesterly　passage　through　the　swamp　to　the　right…hand　corner　of　the
  wood；　and　had　since　sent　out　many　expeditions　to　hunt　for　Dr。　Bull　Frog；
  but　they　never　could　find　him；　and　so　government　finally　gave　him　up　and
  ennobled　his　mother　to　show　its　gratitude　for　the　services　her　son　had
  rendered　to　science。　　And　once　government　sent　Sir　Grass　Hopper　to　hunt
  for　the　sources　of　the　rill　that　emptied　into　the　swamp；　and　afterward
  sent　out　many　expeditions　to　hunt　for　Sir　Grass；　and　at　last　they　were
  successfulthey　found　his　body；　but　if　he　had　discovered　the　sources
  meantime；　he　did　not　let　on。　　So　government　acted　handsomely　by　deceased；
  and　many　envied　his　funeral。
  But　these　expeditions　were　trifles　compared　with　the　present　one；　for
  this　one　comprised　among　its　servants　the　very　greatest　among　the
  learned；　and　besides　it　was　to　go　to　the　utterly　unvisited　regions
  believed　to　lie　beyond　the　mighty　forestas　we　have　remarked　before。
  How　the　members　were　banqueted；　and　glorified；　and　talked　about！
  Everywhere　that　one　of　them　showed　himself；　straightway　there　was　a　crowd
  to　gape　and　stare　at　him。
  Finally　they　set　off；　and　it　was　a　sight　to　see　the　long　procession　of
  dry…land　Tortoises　heavily　laden　with　savants；　scientific　instruments；
  Glow…Worms　and　Fire…Flies　for　signal　service；　provisions；　Ants　and
  Tumble…Bugs　to　fetch　and　carry　and　delve；　Spiders　to　carry　the　surveying
  chain　and　do　other　engineering　duty；　and　so　forth　and　so　on；　and　after
  the　Tortoises　came　another　long　train　of　ironcladsstately　and　spacious
  Mud　Turtles　for　marine　transportation　service；　and　from　every　Tortoise
  and　every　Turtle　flaunted　a　flaming　gladiolus　or　other　splendid　banner；
  at　the　head　of　the　column　a　great　band　of　Bumble…Bees；　Mosquitoes；
  Katy…Dids；　and　Crickets　discoursed　martial　music；　and　the　entire　train
  was　under　the　escort　and　protection　of　twelve　picked　regiments　of　the
  Army　Worm。
  At　the　end　of　three　weeks　the　expedition　emerged　from　the　forest　and
  looked　upon　the　great　Unknown　World。　　Their　eyes　were　greeted　with　an
  impressive　spectacle。　　A　vast　level　plain　stretched　before　them；　watered
  by　a　sinuous　stream；　and　beyond　there　towered　up　against　the　sky　along
  and　lofty　barrier　of　some　kind；　they　did　not　know　what。　　The　Tumble…Bug
  said　he　believed　it　was　simply　land　tilted　up　on　its　edge；　because　he
  knew　he　could　see　trees　on　it。　　But　Professor　Snail　and　the　others　said：
  〃You　are　hired　to　dig；　sirthat　is　all。　　We　need　your　muscle；　not　your
  brains。　　When　we　want　your　opinion　on　scientific　matters；　we　will　hasten
  to　let　you　know。　　Your　coolness　is　intolerable；　tooloafing　about　here
  meddling　with　august　matters　of　learning；　when　the　other　laborers　are
  pitching　camp。　　Go　along　and　help　handle　the　baggage。〃
  The　Tumble…Bug　turned　on　his　heel　uncrushed；　unabashed；　observing　to
  himself；　〃If　it　isn't　land　tilted　up；　let　me　die　the　death　of　the
  unrighteous。〃
  Professor　Bull　Frog　（nephew　of　the　late　explorer）　said　he　believed　the
  ridge　was　the　wall　that　inclosed　the　earth。　　He　continued：
  〃Our　fathers　have　left　us　much　learning；　but　they　had　not　traveled　far；
  and　so　we　may　count　this　a　noble　new　discovery。　　We　are　safe　for　renown
  now；　even　though　our　labors　began　and　ended　with　this　single　achievement。
  I　wonder　what　this　wall　is　built　of？　　Can　it　be　fungus？　　Fungus　is　an
  honorable　good　thing　to　build　a　wall　of。〃
  Professor　Snail　adjusted　his　field…glass　and　examined　the　rampart
  critically。　　Finally　he　said：
  〃'The　fact　that　it　is　not　diaphanous　convinces　me　that　it　is　a　dense
  vapor　formed　by　the　calorification　of　ascending　moisture　dephlogisticated
  by　refraction。　　A　few　endiometrical　experiments　would　confirm　this；　but
  it　is　not　necessary。　　The　thing　is　obvious。〃
  So　he　shut　up　his　glass　and　went　into　his　shell　to　make　a　note　of　the
  discovery　of　the　world's　end；　and　the　nature　of　it。
  〃Profound　mind！〃　said　Professor　Angle…Worm　to　Professor　Field…Mouse；
  〃profound　mind！　nothing　can　long　remain　a　mystery　to　that　august　brain。〃
  Night　drew　on　apace；　the　sentinel　crickets　were　posted；　the　Glow…Worm　and
  Fire…Fly　lamps　were　lighted；　and　the　camp　sank　to　silence　and　sleep。
  After　breakfast　in　the　morning；　the　expedition　moved　on。　　About　noon　a
  great　avenue　was　reached；　which　had　in　it　two　endless　parallel　bars　of
  some　kind　of　hard　black　substance；　raised　the　height　of　the　tallest　Bull
  Frog；　above　the　general　level。　　The　scientists　climbed　up　on　these　and
  examined　and　tested　them　in　various　ways。　　They　walked　along　them　for　a
  great　distance；　but　found　no　end　and　no　break　in　them。　　They　could　arrive
  at　no　decision。　　There　was　nothing　in　the　records　of　science　that
  mentioned　anything　of　this　kind。　　But　at　last　the　bald　and　venerable
  geographer；　Professor　Mud　Turtle；　a　person　who；　born　poor；　and　of　a
  drudging　low　family；　had；　by　his　own　native　force　raised　himself　to　the
  headship　of　the　geographers　of　his　generation；　said：
  〃'My　friends；　we　have　indeed　made　a　discovery　here。　　We　have　found　in　a
  palpable；　compact；　and　imperishable　state　what　the　wisest　of　our　fathers
  always　regarded　as　a　mere　thing　of　the　imagination。　　Humble　yourselves；
  my　friends；　for　we　stand　in　a　majestic　presence。　　These　are　parallels　of
  latitude！〃
  Every　heart　and　every　head　was　bowed；　so　awful；　so　sublime　was　the
  magnitude　of　the　discovery。　　Many　shed　tears。
  The　camp　was　pitched　and　the　rest　of　the　day　given　up　to　writing
  voluminous　accounts　of　the　marvel；　and　correcting　astronomical　tables　to
  fit　it。　　Toward　midnight　a　demoniacal　shriek　was　heard；　then　a　clattering
  and　rumbling　noise；　and　the　next　instant　a　vast　terrific　eye　shot　by；
  with　a　long　tail　attached；　and　disappeared　in　the　gloom；　still　uttering
  triumphant　shrieks。
  The　poor　damp　laborers　were　stricken　to　the　heart　with　fright；　and
  stampeded　for　the　high　grass　in　a　body。　　But　not　the　scientists。　　They
  had　no　superstitions。　　They　calmly　proceeded　to　exchange　theories。
  The　ancient　geographer's　opinion　was　asked。　　He　went　into　his　shell　and
  deliberated　long　and　profoundly。　　When　he　came　out　at　last；　they　all　knew
  by　his　worshiping　countenance　that　he　brought　light。　　Said　he：
  〃Give　thanks　for　this　stupendous　thing　which　we　have　been　permitted　to
  witness。　　It　is　the　Vernal　Equinox！〃
  There　were　shoutings　and　great　rejoicings。
  〃But；〃　said　the　Angle…Worm；　uncoiling　after　reflection；　〃this　is　dead
  summer…time。〃
  〃Very　well；〃　said　the　Turtle；　〃we　are　far　from　our　region；　the　season
  differs　with　the　difference　of　time　between　the　two　points。〃
  〃Ah；　true：　　True　enough。　　But　it　is　night。　　How　should　the　sun　pass　in
  the　night？〃
  〃In　these　distant　regions　he　doubtless　passes　always　in　the　night　at　this
  hour。〃
  〃Yes；　doubtless　that　is　true。　　But　it　being　night；　how　is　it　that　we
  could　see　him？〃
  〃It　is　a　great　mystery。　　I　grant　that。　　But　I　am　persuaded　that　the
  humidity　of　the　atmosphere　in　these　remote　regio