By this method a package could be delivered in the average space of forty minutes from the time of purchase. Some packages could be delivered in a much shorter time and others which had to travel to the city limits took much longer.
"How wonderful!" Alice exclaimed after Ralph had explained the system. "It must have taken decades to build such a stupendous system."
"No, not quite," was the reply. "It was built gradually by an enormous number of workers. The tubes are even now extended almost daily to keep pace with the growth of the city."
From the stores Ralph took his guests to the roof of an aerocab stand and they boarded a fast flyer.
"Take us about 10,000 feet up," Ralph instructed the driver.
"You haven't much time," the man answered, "at 12 o'clock all cabs must be out of the air."
"Why?"
"Today is the 15th of September, the night of the aerial carnival, and it's against the law to go up over New York until it's all over. You have twenty-five minutes left, however, if you wish to go up."
"I forgot all about this aerial carnival," said Ralph, "but twenty-five minutes will be time enough for us if you speed up your machine."
The aerial flyer rose quickly and silently. The objects below seemed to shrink in size and within three minutes the light became fainter.