It was a wonderful thing to ponder upon. Indeed, the more one studied upon it the more befogged one became.
What had carried off this vast nation of people?
Was it a pestilence, or a war of extermination, or had their seed by some strange fate exhausted itself and they became extinct as the dodo or the megatherium, or any other antediluvian animal?
There was nothing at hand to answer this question, and there seemed no other way but to accept it as a mystery never to be solved.
The Steam Man jogged leisurely along the broad street.
The occupants of the wagon gazed with wonder upon the stupendous piles upon either side.
Suddenly Barney gave an exclamation and picked up his rifle.
From one of the buildings a spotted leopard had leaped.
The pretty creature crouched for a moment in the Steam Man’s path, snarling and defiant.
“Begorra, ain’t he a beauty?” cried Barney, eulogistically. “Shure, I’m goin’ to have the skin of the baste.”