High spirits Author:James Payn Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: anchored in a fog immediately over London, and the Admiral's ship grappled St. Paul's, and when the weather cleared was captured in consequence. Why, a hundred y... more »ears ago navies used to fight at sea, and what is more, at the top of the water.' ' That is so,' corroborated Sir Eupert, seeing the two young people look incredulous; ' but speaking of prophets, I remember an old tract of that date, called the " Cruise of the Anti-Torpedo," in which the under-water inventions were anticipated.' ' I know it well,' said Mr. Eaymond gravely; ' it was a remarkable advance upon the knowledge of that time; but, like most other pioneers of science, the author is nameless. But we were talking of the failing powers of the sun. Is it not terrible to think that yonder beautiful invention must some day, and we know not how soon, be rendered useless through lack of material ?' He pointed to the fireplace, a disc of splendour, produced as usual by the combination of rays from the sun, and with a reversible side to receive moonshine after dark. ' However, between ourselves, my friend' —here his voice grew very grave and impressive—' I am not without hope that a substitute for even the sun itself may be discovered; that at all events, for all domestic purposes of light and warmth, we may be made quite independent of that waning luminary.' ' Why you don't mean to say that you've got anything in your mind ' ' Well, it's not in your mind,' answered Mr. Eaymond, with sudden asperity; ' you've got your title, and I've got to get mine, my good friend. All I say is, that it is possible that some extraordinarily intelligent person may work out some plan to emancipate us from our dependence upon the sun; just as, when the coal deposits gave out, the universal refractorsaved us from being froz...« less