“To their cost and shame,” said Jansen.
“And the Arctic regions will remain under their eternal ice!” said Professor Harald.
“Hurrah for the Sun!” shouted Donellan. “He is good enough for us as he is!”
“Hurrah! hurrah!” said the others on the balcony.
Then it was that Todrin, who had said nothing, remarked judiciously, “Perhaps they have not fired!”
“Not fired?” ejaculated the Major aghast.
And that, with a different intonation, was what J. T. Maston and Mrs. Scorbitt said.
“Not fired?”
And that was what the wise and the foolish were asking; and it was what Alcide Pierdeux said, adding,—
“Whether they fired or no, it does not matter! The Earth will still spin on its old axis!”