`The next Specimen,' the Professor proclaimed, after carefully placing the little elephant in the tray, among the Crystals and other things, `is a Flea, which we will enlarge for the purposes of observation.' Taking a small pill-box from the tray, he advanced to the Megaloscope, and reversed all the tubes. `The Specimen is ready!' he cried, with his eye at one of the tubes, while he carefully emptied the pill-box through a little hole at the side. `It is now the size of the Common Horse--Equus Communis!'

There was another general rush, to look through the tubes, and the Pavilion rang with shouts of delight, through which the Professor's anxious tones could scarcely be heard. `Keep the door of the Microscope shut!' he cried. `If the creature were to escape, this size, it would--' But the mischief was done. The door had swung open, and in another moment the Monster had got out, and was trampling down the terrified, shrieking spectators.

But the Professor's presence of mind did not desert him. `Undraw those curtains!' he shouted. It was done. The Monster gathered its legs together, and in one tremendous bound vanished into the sky.

`Where is it?' said the Emperor, rubbing his eyes.

`In the next Province, I fancy,' the Professor replied. `That jump would take it at least five miles! The next thing is to explain a Process or two. But I find there is hardly room enough to operate--the smaller animal is rather in my way--'

`Who does he mean?' Bruno whispered to Sylvie.

`He means you!' Sylvie whispered back. `Hush!'

`Be kind enough to move--angularly--to this corner,' the Professor said, addressing himself to Bruno.

Bruno hastily moved his chair in the direction indicated. `Did I move angrily enough?' he inquired. But the Professor was once more absorbed in his Lecture, which he was reading from his note-book.

`I will now explain the process of--the name is blotted, I'm sorry to say. It will be illustrated by a number of--of--' here he examined the pages for some time, and at last said `It seems to be either "Experiments" or "Specimens"--'

`Let it be Experiments,' said the Emperor. `We've seen plenty of Specimens.'

`Certainly, certainly!' the Professor assented. `We will have some Experiments.'

`May I do them?' Bruno eagerly asked.

`Oh dear no!' The Professor looked dismayed. `I really don't know what would happen if you did them!'

`Nor nobody doosn't know what'll happen if oo doos them!' Bruno retorted.

`Our First Experiment requires a Machine. It has two knobs--only two -vou can count them, if vou like.'

The Head-Cook stepped forwards, counted them, and retired satisfied.

`Now you might press those two knobs together--but that's not the way to do it. Or you might turn the Machine upside-down--but that's not the way to do it!'

`What are the way to do it?' said Bruno, who was listening very attentively.

The Professor smiled benignantly. `Ah, yes!' he said, in a voice like the heading of a chapter. `The Way To Do It! Permit me!' and in a moment he had whisked Bruno upon the table. `I divide my subject,' he began, `into three parts--'