"I would only I can't keep 'em off the North Pole there," said Phœbe, as she gazed fascinated through the north window opposite.
"Why, what's the matter with the child!" Rebecca exclaimed, in alarm. "Air ye struck silly, Phœbe?"
"No, but I guess you'd want to watch it too if you could see that ring we're tied to spinnin' round right close to the top of the pole. There—there!" she continued, shrilly. "It'll fly right off in another minute! There! Oh, dear!"
Their attachment did indeed appear precarious. The increased speed acting through the inclined aeroplane had caused the vessel to rise sharply, and the rope had raised the ring by which it was attached to the pole until it came in contact with the steel ball at the top, when it could rise no farther. Here the iron ring was grinding against and under the retaining ball which alone prevented its slipping off the top of the pole.
"I don't see's we'd be any wuss off ef we did come loose," said Rebecca, with eyes still closed. "At least we wouldn't be gummed here ez tight's if the walls was fly-paper."
"No, but we'd fly off at a tangent into infinite space, Rebecca Wise," Phœbe said, sharply.
"Where's that?" asked her sister. "I'll engage 'tain't any wuss place than the North Pole."
"Why, it's off into the ether. There isn't any air there or anythin'. An' they say it's fifty times colder than the North Pole."
"Who's ben there?"
"Why, nobody—" Phœbe began.