“What you hear,” said Mercury, “are the church bells that ring at sunrise and at sunset. Are they not the sweetest-toned chimes you ever listened to?”
“Indeed they are,” replied the Prince.
When the music of the bells had ceased, Mercury told them it was time to start for Saturn as it would take some time to reach it even with their magic robes, as it was out in space some seven hundred and eighty million of miles away from the sun and they were only part way there, Jupiter being but four hundred and twenty-six million miles distant from the sun.
“As we travel there, Harold will tell you what a surprise we have for you,” said the Prince.
“Oh, how nice, for if there is anything I enjoy it is a surprise,” said the Princess. “I hope it is a nice one, though,” she added.
“Of course it is, or we would not tell you,” said the Prince.
“Do let’s hurry and get off, then,” said Ione, “for I, too, am anxious to know what it is. I am simply dying with curiosity.”
“I never knew a girl to die so often and come to life so easily,” said Harold in a teasing voice.
“I suggest that we take hold of hands so that we can keep close together,” said Mercury, “if you people talk while we are travelling; otherwise, some one will lag behind and lose part of the story.”
His suggestion was followed and soon all found themselves floating smoothly and rapidly through space.