"Not very pretty one," he answered, little ashamed "My whole name is Zebediah; but folks just call me 'Zeb ' You've been to Australia, haven't you ? "

"Yes; with Uncle Henry," she answered "We got to San Francisco week ago, and Uncle Henry went right on to Hugson's Ranch for visit while I stayed city with some friends we had met "

"How long be ? " he asked

"Only day Tomorrow Uncle Henry and start back for Kansas We've been away , , and so we're anxious home again "

The boy flicked the big, boney horse whip and looked thoughtful Then he started something little companion, but before speak the buggy began to sway dangerously from side to side earth seemed to rise up before them Next minute roar and sharp crash, and at her side Dorothy saw the ground open in wide crack and then come together again

"Goodness ! " she cried, grasping the iron rail seat "What ? "

"That was an awful big quake," replied Zeb, with white face "It almost got us , Dorothy "

The horse had stopped short, and stood firm as rock Zeb shook the reins and urged him , but Jim was stubborn Then the boy cracked his whip and touched the animal's flanks with it, and after low moan of protest Jim stepped slowly along the road

Neither the boy nor the girl spoke again for some minutes breath of danger very air, and every the earth would shake violently Jim's ears were standing erect upon his head and every muscle big body was tense as he trotted toward home not going very fast, but flanks specks of foam began to appear and at times tremble like leaf

The sky had grown darker again wind made queer sobbing sounds as it swept over the valley

Suddenly rending, tearing sound, earth split into another great crack just beneath the spot where the horse was standing With wild neigh of terror the animal fell bodily pit, drawing the buggy and its occupants after him

Dorothy grabbed fast hold buggy top boy did the same The sudden rush into space confused them think

Blackness engulfed them on every side, and in breathless silence they waited fall to end and crush them against jagged rocks or earth to close in on them again and bury them forever in its dreadful depths

The horrible sensation of falling, the darkness terrifying noises, proved more than Dorothy could endure and for the little girl lost consciousness Zeb, being boy, faint, but badly frightened, and clung buggy seat with tight grip, expecting every moment his last

2 The Glass City

When Dorothy recovered her senses they were still falling, but not so fast The top buggy caught the air like parachute or an umbrella filled with wind, and held them back so floated downward with gentle motion that was not so very disagreeable to bear The worst thing was their terror of reaching the bottom great crack earth, natural fear that sudden death was about to overtake them at any moment Crash after crash echoed far above their heads, earth came together where it had split, and stones and chunks of clay rattled around them on every side These see, but feel them pelting the buggy top, and Jim screamed almost like human being when stone overtook him and struck his boney body really hurt the poor horse, because everything was falling together; only the stones and rubbish fell faster horse and buggy, which were held back pressure air, so terrified animal was actually more frightened than injured

How long this state of things continued Dorothy even guess, she was so greatly bewildered But bye and bye, as she stared ahead black chasm with beating heart, she began to dimly see the form horse Jim--his head up air, his ears erect long legs sprawling in every direction as he tumbled through space Also, turning her head, she found that she the boy beside her, who had until now remained as still and silent as she herself

Dorothy sighed and commenced to breathe easier She began to death was not in store for her, after all, but that she had merely started upon another adventure, which promised just as queer and unusual as were those she had before encountered

thought in mind the girl took heart and leaned her head over the side buggy where the strange light was coming from Far below her she found six great glowing balls suspended air The central and largest one was white, and reminded her sun Around it were arranged, like the five points of star, the other five brilliant balls; one being rose colored, one violet, one yellow, one blue and one orange This splendid group of colored suns sent rays darting in every direction, and horse and buggy--with Dorothy and Zeb--sank steadily downward and came nearer lights, the rays began on all the delicate tintings of rainbow, growing more and more distinct every moment until all the space was brilliantly illuminated

Dorothy was too dazed much, but she watched one of Jim's big ears turn to violet other to rose, and wondered that his tail yellow body striped with blue and orange like the stripes of zebra Then she looked at Zeb, whose face was blue and whose hair was pink, and gave little laugh that sounded bit nervous

"Isn't it funny ? " she said

The boy was startled eyes were big Dorothy had green streak center of her face where the blue and yellow lights came together, and her appearance seemed to add fright

"I--I don't s-s-see any-thing funny--'bout it ! " he stammered

Just then the buggy tipped slowly over upon its side, the body horse tipping also But they continued , all together, boy and girl had no difficulty in remaining seat, just were before Then they turned bottom side up, and continued to roll slowly over until they were right side up again During Jim struggled frantically, all his legs kicking the air; but on finding himself former position the horse said, in relieved tone of voice:

"Well, that's better ! "

Dorothy and Zeb looked at one another in wonder

"Can your horse talk ? " she asked

"Never knew him to, before," replied the boy

"Those were the first words I ever said," called out the horse, who had overheard them, "and 't explain why I happened then nice scrape you've got me into, isn't it ? "

"As , same scrape ourselves," answered Dorothy, cheerfully "But never mind; something will happen pretty soon "

" ," growled the horse, "and then sorry it happened "

Zeb gave shiver All so terrible and unreal that understand it at all, and so had good reason afraid

Swiftly they drew near flaming colored suns, and passed close beside them The light was then so bright dazzled their eyes, covered their faces with their hands to escape being blinded no heat colored suns, however, and after they had passed below them the top buggy shut out piercing rays so boy and girl could open their eyes again

"We've got bottom ," remarked Zeb, with deep sigh " 't keep falling forever, "

" not," said Dorothy " somewhere middle earth, chances are we'll reach the other side of it before long But it's big hollow, isn't it ? "

"Awful big ! " answered the boy

"We're coming to something now," announced the horse

they both put their heads over the side buggy and looked down Yes; land below them; and not so very far away, either But they were floating very, very slowly--so slowly could no longer be called fall-- children had ample time heart and look

They saw landscape with mountains and plains, lakes and rivers, very like those earth's surface; but all the scene was splendidly colored variegated lights six suns Here and there were groups of houses that seemed made of clear glass, because they sparkled so brightly

"I'm sure in no danger," said Dorothy, in sober voice " falling so slowly that 't be dashed to pieces when we land, and this country that coming to seems quite pretty "

"We'll never get home again, though ! " declared Zeb, with groan

"Oh, I'm not so sure ," replied the girl "But don't worry over such things, Zeb; 't help ourselves just now, , and I've always been told it's foolish to borrow trouble "

The boy became silent, having no reply to so sensible speech, and soon both were fully occupied in staring strange scenes spread out below them They seemed falling right middle of big city which had many tall buildings with glass domes and sharp-pointed spires These spires were like great spear-points, and tumbled upon they were likely to suffer serious injury

Jim the horse had seen these spires, also, ears stood straight up with fear, while Dorothy and Zeb held their breaths in suspense But no; they floated gently down upon broad, flat roof, and came to stop at last

When Jim felt something firm under his feet the poor beast's legs trembled that hardly stand; but Zeb at once leaped buggy roof, and so awkward and hasty that he kicked over Dorothy's bird-cage, which rolled out roof so bottom came off At once pink kitten crept upset cage, sat down glass roof, and yawned and blinked its round eyes

"Oh," said Dorothy "There's Eureka "

"First time I ever saw pink cat," said Zeb

"Eureka isn't pink; she's white It's this queer light that gives her that color "

"Where's my milk ? " asked the kitten, looking up into Dorothy's face "I'm 'most starved to death "

"Oh, Eureka ! talk ? "

"Talk ! Am I talking ? Good gracious, I believe Isn't it funny ? " asked the kitten