"No, indeed," answered her father. "We are crossing the Apennine Mountains, which stretch down through Italy like the backbone of a fish. But we shall soon be leaving the mountains behind us and shall see the canals and the rice fields on the other side of them. Then you may think you are in Japan."
And so they traveled northward, seeing many new and interesting sights, until just at sunset they came to what their father called the "Jumping-off Place."
"Close your eyes for a moment," he said. "I will tell you when to open them."
So Molly and May closed their eyes very tightly until their father said, "Now you may look."
"Oh! Oh! Where are we? Our train is running right on the water!" exclaimed May as she opened her eyes.
"Why, yes! There is water on both sides of us!" cried Molly. "There is water all around us. It looks like the sea. O father! Is there a bridge under us? Will our train sink?"
"No, our train will not sink," answered her father, laughing. "There is a real railroad track under us. The track is built on strong wooden posts or piles which are sunk deep down into the ground under the water."
"Our train is running right on the water!"
"How far out on the water will the train go?" May asked, in a voice just a little frightened.