By shading their eyes from the Sun, Gran’ma, Gran’pa and the children could see a blue-green Star winking and blinking in the sky and could faintly make out the shape of the land and the oceans upon its surface.
As they sped along above the Moon, they watched the wonderful changes in coloring below them. They saw many cities and villages and looked into enormous craters of extinct volcanoes.
At last they saw in the distance a city of white with wonderful steeples and towers on the great building standing in the center. It was a regular fairy book castle with glistening windows and hanging gardens.
“There it is!” David shouted. “Guide the Flying Boat to the balcony at the right of the Palace!” And as Gran’pa brought the Flying Boat to rest as directed, many people rushed out of the Palace, and knelt before David. “Our King has returned!” they shouted. “Long live the King!” And they all came and kissed his hand.
When David saw Gran’ma and Gran’pa and Janey and Johnny looking at him in astonishment he put his arms around them and helped them from the boat.
“We did not know you were a King!” exclaimed Janey.
The King laughed for the first time and it was such a cheery, pleasant laugh they almost forgot that he was a King and Gran’ma gave his hand a squeeze.
“There it is!” David shouted. “Guide the Flying Boat to the balcony at the right of the Palace!” (page [154])
As the King led them inside the Palace all the bells in the city began chiming. “You must at least stay and have dinner with me,” he said.