"What," I cried, rising in astonishment, "did

you say, the tide, uncle?" "Certainiy I did." 'Tou do not mean to say," I replied, in a tone of i-espectful doubt, "that the influence of the sun and moon is felt here below," "And pray why not? Are not all bodies influ- enced by the law of universal attraction? Why should this vast underground aea he exempt from the general law, the rule of the universe? Be- sides, there is nothing like that which is proved and demonstrated. Despite the great atmospheric .pressui'e down here, you will notice that this in- land sea rises and falls with as much regularity as the Atlantic itself." As my uncle spoke, we reached the sandy shore, and saw and heai'd the waves breaking monoton- ously on the beach. They were evidently rising. "This is truly the flood," I cried, looking at the water at my feet. "Yes, my excellent nephew," replied my uncle, rubbing his hands with the gusto of a philosopher, "and you see by these several streaks of foam, that the tide rises at least ten or twelve feet." "It is indeed marveioua." "By no means," he responded; "on the contrary, it is quite natural," "It may appear so in your eyes, my dear uncle," was my reply, "but the whole group of phenomena of the place appear to me to partake of the mar- velous. It is almost impossible to believe that which I see. Who in his wildest dreams could have imagined that, beneath the crust of our earth, there coild exist a real ocean, with ebbing and flowing tides, with its changes of winds, and even its storms. I for one should have laughed the BUggeation to scorn," > "But, Harry, my boy, why not?" inquired my uncle, -with a pitying smile, "is there any physical reason in opposition to it?" "Not if we give up the great theory of the cen- tral heat of the earth. That point once granted, I certainly can see no reason for doubting the existence of seas and other wonders, even coun- tries, in the interior of the globe." "That is so — but of course these varied coun- tries are uninhabited?" "Well, I grant that it is more likely than not; still, I do not see why this sea should not have given shelter to some species of unknown fish." "Hitherto we have not discovered any, and the probabilities are rather against our ever doing so," observed the Professor. I was losing my skepticism in the presence of these wonders. "Well, I am determined to solve the question. It is my intention to try my luck witE my fishing line and hook." "Certainly; make the experiment," said my uncle, pleased with mj' enthusiasm, "While we are about it, it will certainly be only proper to discover all the secrets of this extraordinary region. "But, after all, where are we now?" I asked; "all this time I have quite forgotten to ask you a question, which, doubtless, your philosophical in- fltruments have long since answered." "Well," replied the Professor, "examining the situation from only one point of view, we are now distant three hundred and fifty leagues from- Ice- land." "So much?" was my exclamation. "I have gone over the matter several times, and am sure not to have made a mistake of five hun- dred yards," replied my uncle positively. "And as to the direction — are we still going to the southeast?" "Yes, with a western declination of nineteen degrees, forty-two minutes, just as it is above. A3 for the inclination I have discovered a very curious fact." "What may that be, uncle? Your information- interests me." "Why that the needle, instead of dipping towards the pole as it does on earth, in the northern hemis- phere, has an upward tendency." "Tliis proves," I cried, "that the great point of magnetic attraction lies somewhere between the surface of the earth and the spot we have suc- ceeded in reaching." "Exactly, my observant nephew," exclaimed my uncle, elated and delighted, "and it is quite prob- . able that if we succeed in getting toward the polar regions — somewhere near the seventy-third degree . of latitude, where Sir James Ross discovered the magnetic pole, we shall behold the needle point directly upward. We have therefore discovered that this great center of attraetio]i is not situated at a very great depth." "Well," said I, rather surprised, "this discovery will astonish experimental philosophers. It was never suspected." "Science, great, mighty and in the end uner- ring," replied my uncle dogmatically, "science has fallen into many errors — errors which have been fortunate and useful rather than otherwise, for they have been the stepping-stones to truth." After some further discussion, I turned ,to an- other matter. "Have you any idea of the depth we have reached?" "We are now," continued the Professor, "ex- actly thirty-five leagues — above a hundred miles— 3 down into the interior of the earth." "So," said I, after measuring the distance on the map, "we are now beneath the Scottish Highlands, and have over our heads the lofty Grampian hills." "You are quite right," said the Professor laugh- ing, "it sounds very alarming, the weight being heavy — but the vault which supports this vast mass of earth and rock is solid and safe — the mighty Architect of the Universe has constructed it of Boiid materials. Man, even in his liighest flights of vivid and poetic imagination, never thought of such things! What are the finest arches of our - bridges, what the vaulted roofs of our cathedrals, to that mighty dome above us, and beneath which floats an ocean with its storms and calms and tides!" "I admire it all as much as you can, uncle, and have no fear that our granite sky will fall upon our heads. But now that we have discussed mat- ters of science and discovery, what are your future .intentions? Are you not thinking of getting back to the surface of our beautiful earth?" This was said more as a feeler than with any hope of suc- "Go back, nephew," cried my uncle in a tone of