[CHAPTER XVII.]
WHY THE MOON DOES NOT FALL.
Next evening Monsieur Roger, as well as his friend Monsieur Dalize, seemed to have forgotten completely that there was such a thing as physical science. He sat in a corner and chatted about this thing and that with Monsieur and Madame Dalize. Still, the air-pump was there, and the children touched it, looked at it, and examined the different portions of it.
At last there was a conversation in a low tone between Paul and Miette, and in the midst of the whispering were heard these words, clearly pronounced by the lips of Miette,—
"Ask him yourself."
Then Monsieur Roger heard Paul answer,—
"No, I don't dare to."
Miette then came forward towards her friend Roger, and said to him, without any hesitation,—