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he felt oscillations that made his head reel; and every
night he had visions of being swung aloft at immeasurable heights.

We must add that, during these fearful nightmares,
he once or twice fell out of bed. His first care then was
to show Ferguson a severe contusion that he had received
on the cranium. "And yet," he would add, with
warmth, "that was at the height of only three feet--not
an inch more--and such a bump as this! Only think, then!"

This insinuation, full of sad meaning as it was, did not
seem to touch the doctor's heart.

"We'll not fall," was his invariable reply.

"But, still, suppose that we WERE to fall!"

"We will NOT fall!"

This was decisive, and Kennedy had nothing more to say.

What particularly exasperated Dick was, that the doctor
seemed completely to lose sight of his personality--
of his--Kennedy's--and to look upon him as irrevocably
destined to become his aerial companion. Not even the
shadow of a doubt was ever suggested; and Samuel made
an intolerable misuse of the first person plural:

"'We' are getting along; 'we' shall be ready on
the ----; 'we' shall start on the ----," etc., etc.

And then there was the singular possessive adjective:

"'Our' balloon; 'our' car; 'our' expedition."

And the same in the plural, too:

"'Our' preparations; 'our' discoveries; 'our' ascensions."

Dick shuddered at them, although he was determined
not to go; but he did not want to annoy his friend. Let
us also disclose the fact that, without knowing exactly
why himself, he had sent to Edinburgh for a certain
selection of heavy clothing, and his best hunting-gear and
fire-arms.

One day, after having admitted that, with an overwhelming
run of good-luck, there MIGHT be one chance of
success in a thousand, he pretended to yield entirely to
the doctor's wishes; but, in order to still put off the
journey, he opened the most varied series of subterfuges. He
threw himself back upon questioning the utility of the
expedition--its opportuneness, etc. This discovery of the
sources of the Nile, was it likely to be of any use?--Would
one have really labored for the welfare of humanity?--
When, after all, the African tribes should have been civilized,
would they be any happier?--Were folks certain

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