“That must be the Zone over there,” Andy continued, eagerly; “because you can see a monster seesaw, with one arm away up hundreds of feet in the air, and what looks like a car on it full of folks. Yes, I remember it now; it is called the Aëroscope.”
“Just what it is, Andy,” said Rob, “and when we get up there for a look over the harbor, the Exposition grounds and the city, we’ll find ourselves just three hundred and twenty-five feet off the earth—high enough to make you dizzy.”
“Huh! seems like they do things on a big scale out this way,” grunted Hiram.
“I reckon our Coney Island would hardly be in the swim with this show,” Andy declared, as they paid their way at the gate and entered the grounds.
Colossal buildings could be seen on all sides, most of them dazzling in the sunlight. Rob had studied the arrangement of these buildings so well that he appeared to recognize them now as though entirely familiar with his surroundings. It was evident that the little party would not have much use for a guide as long as Rob was along to serve them in that capacity.
“I calculate that this is the Panama-Pacific Court of the Universe,” he told his chums, “and that building over there is the Palace of Agriculture, while this other must be the Palace of Transportation; then there’s the Palace of Horticulture where you can see that huge glass dome. Over there is the Column of Progress, more than a hundred and fifty feet high, and overlooking the Marino.”
The boys surveyed these sights with more or less awe.
“I suppose,” ventured Hiram, “after we’ve nosed around here for a week or two we’ll feel as much to hum with these big buildings as if we were in Hampton, and lookin’ at our Odd Fellows’ Temple. But what a heap of things they must all of ’em hold. It’ll keep us hustlin’ to see the hull lot, workin’ ten hours a day for weeks.”
“Oh! well, none of us expect to see everything that’s on exhibit here,” said Rob. “Our tastes are not wholly alike, either. I may want to spend most of my time in a certain quarter that wouldn’t interest you other fellows to any great extent; and on your part I’ve no doubt there are certain things that will hold you spellbound, yet which we may only care to take one good look at.”
At that Andy started to chuckle.