             ,,*APT] ,,XVII         #DHH

  ,,! ,,V5TURE ,,MADE
  ,:AT WD 2 ! 3SEQU;ES ( ? SU45 & -PLETE
4RUP;N1 ,S]VADAC & 8 P H>DLY D>$ 6?9K4
  ,! F/ *ANGE T CAME "U _! OBS]V,N 0 !
RAPID;Y (! SUN'S APPE>.ES & 4APPE>.ES1
=C+ !M 6! 3VIC;N T AL? ! -ET / ROTAT$ ON
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& SUNRISE2 ?REE H\RS AF RIS+ 9 ! WE/ !
SUN 0 S9K+ AG 9 ! EA/4
  8,WE >E -+ 6"S?+60 EXCLAIM$ ,S]VADAC4
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,ZOOF4
  ,S]VADAC LAU<$1 & REM>K$ T !Y %D H !
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#CBE? ( ,DECEMB]4
  ,X SOON 2CAME EVID5T T ! DETA*$ POR;N
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ANY POR;N ( ATMOSPH]E1 :E!R X POSSESS$ANY O!R 3DI;N = SUPPORT+ LIFE1 &    #DHI
:E!R X 0 LIKELY "E AG 6APPROA* 6! E>?1 7
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( PROGRESS8 & Z !Y 7 ALR 3SCI\S (A FUR!R
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-ET WD N RESULT 9 XS MISS+ ! EXPECT$
CO9CID;E )! E>? ALT4
  ,AL? HE PROFESS$ HMF 9COMPET5T
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PROFESSOR WD H BE5 Q UNA# 63C1L 8
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! VIEWS ( 8 ORD]LY2 HE 3SEQU5TLY BR"\ ^U
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  ,ROSETTE'S LANGUAGE 2CAME M & MVIOL5T1 TILL ,S]VADAC1 FEIGN+ 6BE   #DIA
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  8,Y =GET1 SIR1 T Y >E A4RESS+ !
,GOV]NOR-,G5]AL ( ,GALLIA40
  8,GOV]NOR-,G5]AL6 HUMBUG60 RO>$
,ROSETTE4 8,GALLIA IS MY -ET60
  8,I D5Y X10 SD ,S]VADAC4 8,GALLIA HAS
LO/ XS *.E ( GETT+ BACK 6! E>?4 ,GALLIA
HAS NO?+ 6D ) Y4 ,GALLIA IS M9E2 & Y M/
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  8,& :O TOLD Y T ,GALLIA IS N GO+ BACK
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SCORN4
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PROFESSOR1 )A SNE]4
  8,"EYBODY4 ,"EYBODY "KS X1 ( C\RSE10
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  8,"EYBODY IS V CL"E4 ,& Y ALW 7 A V
CL"E S*OL> TOO4 ,WE REMEMB] T ( OLD1
DON'T WE80
  8,SIR60
  8,Y NE>LY MA/]$ ! F/ ELE;TS ( SCI;E1DIDN'T Y80                          #DIB
  8,SIR60
  8,A CR$IT 6YR CLASS60
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IS ALT]$80
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?AN "E4
  8,:AT HAS MASS 6D )! ORBIT8 ,( H[ _M
-ETS D Y "K ! MASS1 & YET Y "K _!
MOVE;TS8 ,IGNOR.E60 %\T$ ,ROSETTE4
  8,9SOL;E60 RETORT$ ,S]VADAC4
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MADE A ?R1T5+ MOVE;T T[>DS ! PROFESSOR4
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FIGURE WD ALL[4 8,Y % ANSW] = YR 3DUCT
2F A C\RT ( JU/ICE60
  8,":8 ,ON ,GALLIA80 ASK$ ! CAPTA94
  8,NO2 ON ! E>?40
  8,! E>?6 ,P%AW6 ,Y "K WE % N"E GET "!2
\R VELOC;Y IS *ANG$40  8,ON ! E>?10 REP1T$ !             #DIC
PROFESSOR1 ) DECI.N4
  8,TRA%60 CRI$ ,B5 ,ZOOF4 8,! E>? W 2
TOO F> (F60
  8,N TOO F> (F = U 6-E ACR H] ORBIT AT
#DB M9UTES & #CE.F SECONDS PA/ TWO O'C
ON ! MORN+ ( ? -+ #A/ ( ,JANU>Y40
  8,?ANKS1 MY DE> PROFESSOR--_M ?ANKS4
,Y H GIV5 ME ALL ! 9=M,N ,I REQUIR$20 &1
)A L[ B[ &A GRACI\S SMILE1 ! CAPTA9
)DREW4 ,! ORD]LY MADE AN EQU,Y POLITE
B[1 & FOLL[$ 8 MA/]4 ,! PROFESSOR1
-PLETELY NONPLUSS$1 0 LEFT AL"O4
  ,?IRTE5 "DS1 !N--TW5TY-SIX (! ORIG9AL
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ALL ! "T = PREP>,N T N[ REMA9$4 ,E
PRELIM9>Y >RANGE;T 0 HURRI$ ON )! GRTE/
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  ,"! 0 A G5]AL EAG];S 6BE QUIT (
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NECESS>ILY ATT5D A BALLOON ASC5T "U S*
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,LIEUT5ANT ,PROCOPE'S W>N+ T ! SLI<TE/
*ECK 9 _! PROGRESS WD RESULT 9
9/ANTANE\S -BUS;N1 !Y ALL SEEM$ 63CLUDET X M/ 2 ! SIMPLE/ ?+ POSSI#        #DID
6GLIDE F "O ATMOSPH]E 6ANO!R1 S T !Y 7 Q
SANGU9E Z 6! SU3ESS;L ISSUE ( _!
5T]PRISE4 ,CAPTA9 ,S]VADAC MADE A PO9T (
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SUPREME HEI<T ( 8 AMBI;N4 ,! C.T &!
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TEMP]A;T1 ALIKE SEEM$ 6R1LIZE ! POSSI#
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A BOLD FACE ^U E DI6ICULTY4
  ,! SEA _H N[ 2COME NAVIGA#1 & ?REE
VOYAGES 7 MADE 6,G\RBI ,ISL& 9 ! /1M
LAUN*1 3SUM+ ! LA/ ( _! LL RES]VE (
COAL4
  ,! F/ VOYAGE _H BE5 MADE 0,S]VADAC )
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9FLU;E (! EQUATORIAL SUN1 &! LUXURIANT
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F ! VOLCANO4 ,SUMM] _H ALM ABRUPTLY
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:;E ! />T WD H BE5 E6ECT$2 B Z X WAS1 X
0 M 3V5I5T 6BR+ ! -BU/I# MAT]IAL 6!
BALLOON4
  ,! LA/ (! COAL HAV+ BE5 3SUM$1 !
FRAG;TS (! %IPWRECK$ VESSELS _H 6BE US$
"D 0"D = FUEL4 ,HAKKABUT 2GAN MAK+ A GRT
HU2UB :5 HE F.D T !Y 7 BURN+ "S (! SP>S
(! @__,HANSA@__2 B HE 0 E6ECTU,Y SIL;ED
0,B5 ,ZOOF1 :O TOLD HM T IF HE MADE ANY
M FUSS1 HE %D 2 -PELL$ 6PAY #EJ1JJJ
FRANCS =A BALLOON-TICKET1 OR ELSE HE %D
2 LEFT 2H4
  ,0,*RI/MAS ,"D "EY?+ 0 9 R1DI;S = IMM
DE"PURE4 ,! FE/IVAL 0 OBS]V$ )A SOLEMN;Y
/ M M>K$ ?AN ! ANNIV]S>Y (! PREC$+ YE>4
,E "O LOOK$ =W>D 6SP5D+ ,NEW ,YE>'S ,"D
9 ANO!R SPH]E ALT1 & ,B5 ,ZOOF _H ALR
PROMIS$ ,PABLO & ,N9A ALL SORTS ( ,NEW
,YE>'S GIFTS4
  ,X MAY SEEM /RANGE1 B ! NE>] !
CRITICAL MO;T APPROA*$1 ! LESS ,HECTOR,S]VADAC & ,C.T ,TIMAS*EFF _H       #DIF
6SAY 6EA* O!R ON ! SUBJECT4 ,_! MUTUAL
RES]VE 2CAME M APP>5T2 ! EXP]I;ES (! LA/
TWO YE>S 7 FAD+ F _! M9DS L A DR1M2 &!
FAIR IMAGE T _H BE5 ! CAUSE ( _! ORIG9AL
RIVALRY 0 "E RIS+1 Z A VI.N1 2T !M4
  ,! CAPTA9'S ?"\S 2GAN 6TURN 6HIS
UNF9I%$ RONDO2 9 8 LEISURE MO;TS1 RHYMES
SUITA# & UNSUITA#1 POSSI# & IMPOSSI#1 7
P]PETU,Y J+L+ 9 8 IMAG9,N4 ,HE LABOR$ "U
! 3VIC;N T HE _H A "W ( G5IUS 6-PLETE4
,A POET HE _H LEFT ! E>?1 &A POET HE M/
RETURN4
  ,C.T ,TIMAS*EFF'S DESIRE 6RETURN 6! _W
0 Q EQUAL$ 0,LIEUT5ANT ,PROCOPE'S4 ,!
,RUSSIAN SAILORS' ONLY ?"\ 0 6FOLL[ _!
MA/]1 :]"E HE W5T4 ,! ,SPANI>DS1 ?\< !Y
WD H BE5 UNCONC]N$ 6"K T !Y 7 6REMA9 ^U
,GALLIA1 7 N"E!.S LOOK+ =W>D ) "S DEGREE
( PL1SURE 6REVISIT+ ! PLA9S ( ,&ALUSIA2
& ,N9A & ,PABLO 7 ONLY TOO DELI<T$ AT !
PROSPECT ( A3OMPANY+ _! K9D PROTECTORS
ON ANY FRE% EXCUR.N :AT"E4
  ,! ONLY MALCONT5T 0 ,PALMYR9 ,ROSETTE4
,"D & NI<T HE P]SEV]$ 9 8 A/RONOMICALPURSUITS1 DCLD 8 9T5;N ( N"E        #DIG
AB&ON+ 8 -ET1 & SWORE POSITIVELY T NO?+
%D 9DUCE HM 6SET FOOT 9 ! C> (! BALLOON4
  ,! MIS=TUNE T _H 2FALL5 8 TELESCOPE 0
A N"E-5D+ !ME ( -PLA9T2 & J N[1 :5
,GALLIA 0 5T]+ ! N>R[ Z"O ( %OOT+-/>S1 &
NEW 4COV]IES MI<T H BE5 )9 8 R1*1 8 LOSS
MADE HM M 9CONSOLA# ?AN "E4 ,9 %E]
DESP],N1 HE 5D1VOR$ 69CR1SE ! 9T5S;Y ( 8
VI.N 0APPLY+ 6HIS EYES "S BELLADONNA :
HE F.D 9 ! @__,DOBRYNA'S@__ M$IC9E *E/2
) H]OIC =TITUDE HE 5DUR$ ! TORTURES (!
EXP]I;T1 & GAZ$ UP 96! SKY UNTIL HE 0
NE>LY BL4 ,B ALL 9 VA92 N A S+LE FRE%
4COV]Y REW>D$ 8 SU6]+S4
  ,NO "O 0 Q EXEMPT F ! FEV]I% EXCITE;T
: PREVAIL$ DUR+ ! LA/ "DS ( ,DECEMB]4
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>RANGE;TS4 ,! TWO L[ MA/S (! S*OON] _H
BE5 ERECT$ FIRMLY ON ! %ORE1 & =M$
SUPPORTS =! RNONTGOLFI]1 : _H BE5 DULY
COV]$ )! NETT+1 & 0 R1DY AT ANY MO;T 6BE
9FLAT$4 ,! C> 0 CLOSE AT H&4 ,"S 9FLAT$
SK9S _H BE5 ATTA*$ 6XS SIDES1 S T !
BALLOON MI<T FLOAT =A "T1 9 ! EV5T ( XSDESC5D+ 9 ! SEA AT A %ORT 4T.E F    #DIH
! %ORE4 ,IF UN=TUNATELY1 X %D -E D[N 9
MID-OC1N1 NO?+ B ! HAPPY *.E ( "S PASS+
VESSEL CD SAVE !M ALL F ! C]TA9 FATE (
2+ DR[N$4
  ,! #CA/ CAME4 ,TW5TY-F\R H\RS H;E &!
BALLOON1 ) XS L>GE LIV+ FREI<T1 WD 2 HI<
9 ! AIR4 ,! ATMOSPH]E 0 LESS BUOYANT ?AN
T (! E>?1 B NO DI6ICULTY 9 ASC5D+ 0 6BE
APPREH5D$4
  ,GALLIA 0 N[ )9 #IF1JJJ1JJJ MILES (!
SUN1 3SEQU5TLY N M* M ?AN #D1JJJ1JJJ
MILES F ! E>?2 & ? 9T]VAL 0 2+ DIM9I%$
AT ! RATE ( NE>LY #BJH1JJJ MILES AN H\R1
! SPE$ (! E>? 2+ AB #GJ1JJJ MILES1 T (!
-ET 2+ LL LESS ?AN #ACH1JJJ MILES AN
H\R4
  ,X 0 DET]M9$ 6MAKE ! />T AT TWO O'C1
?REE-QU>T]S ( AN H\R1 OR1 6SP1K
CORRECTLY #DB M9UTES #CE.F SECONDS1 2F !
"T PREDICT$ 0! PROFESSOR Z ! 9/ANT (
COLLI.N4 ,! MODIFI$ ROT,N (! -ET CAUS$ X
6BE "DLI<T AT ! "T4
  ,AN H\R PREVI\SLY ! BALLOON 0 9FLAT$ )
P]FECT SU3ESS1 &! C> 0 SECURELY ATTA*$6! NET"W4                           #DII
  ,X ONLY AWAIT$ ! /[AGE (! PASS5G]S4
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9 ! C>4 ,B SC>CELY _H HE D"O S1 :5
,S]VADAC NOTIC$ T 8 WAI/ 0 5COMPASS$ 0AN
ENORM\S GIRDLE T BULG$ \ 6A V
EXTRAORD9>Y EXT5T4 8,:AT'S ALL ?1
,HAKKABUT80 HE ASK$4
  8,X'S ONLY MY LL BIT ( M"OY1 YR
,EXCELL5CY2 MY MODE/ LL =TUNE--A M]E
BAGATELLE10 SD ! ,JEW4
  8,& :AT MAY YR LL =TUNE WEI<80 9QUIR$
! CAPTA94
  8,ONLY AB SIXTY-SIX P.DS60 SD ,ISAAC4
  8,SIXTY-SIX P.DS60 CRI$ ,S]VADAC4 8,WE
HAV5'T RECKON$ = ?40
  8,M]CI;L H1V5S60 2GAN ! ,JEW4
  8,SIXTY-SIX P.DS60 REP1T$ ,S]VADAC4
8,WE C H>DLY C>RY \RVS2 WE C'T H ANY D1D
WEI<T "H4 ,PIT* X \1 MAN1 PIT* X \60
  8,GOD ( ,ISRAEL60 :9$ ,HAKKABUT4
  8,\ ) X1 ,I SAY60 CRI$ ,S]VADAC4
  8,:AT1 ALL MY M"OY1 : ,I H SAV$ S L;G1
& TOIL$ = S H>D80
  8,X C'T 2 HELP$10 SD ! CAPTA91 UNMOV$4  8,OH1 YR ,EXCELL5CY60 CRI$ !      #EJJ
,JEW4
  8,N[1 OLD ,NICODEMUS1 LI/5 6ME10
9T]POS$ ,B5 ,ZOOF2 8Y J GET RID ( T P\*
( YRS1 OR WE W GET RID ( Y4 ,TAKE YR
*OICE4 ,QK1 OR \ Y G60
  ,! AV>ICI\S OLD MAN 0 F.D 6VALUE 8
LIFE ABV 8 M"OY2 HE MADE A LA;TA# \TCRY
AB X1 B HE UNFA/5$ 8 GIRDLE AT LA/1 &
PUT X \ (! C>4
  ,V DI6]5T 0 ! CASE ) ,PALMYR9
,ROSETTE4 ,HE AV[$ OV] & OV] AG 8 9T5;N
( N"E QUITT+ ! NUCLEUS ( 8 -ET4 ,:Y %D
HE TRU/ HMF 6A BALLOON1 T WD BLAZE UP L
A PIECE ( PAP]8 ,:Y %D HE L1VE ! -ET8
,:Y %D HE N G ONCE AG ^U XS SURFACE 96!
F>-(F R1LMS ( SPACE8
  ,8 VOLUBIL;Y 0 BR"\ 6A SU45 *ECK
0,S]VADAC'S BI4+ TWO (! SAILORS1 )\T M
ADO1 6TAKE HM 9 _! >MS & PUT HM QUIETLY
D[N AT ! BOTTOM (! C>4
  ,6! GRT REGRET ( _! [N]S1 ! TWO HORSES
& ,N9A'S PET GOAT 7 OBLIG$ 6BE LEFT 2H4
,! ONLY CR1TURE = : "! 0 F.D A PLACE 0 !
C>RI]-PIGEON T _H BR"\ ! PROFESSOR'SMESSAGE 6! ,HIVE4 ,S]VADAC ?"\ X    #EJA
MI<T PROBABLY 2 ( S]VICE 9 C>RY+ "S
-MUNIC,N 6! E>?4
  ,:5 E "O1 EXCEPT ! CAPTA9 & 8 ORD]LY1
_H TAK5 _! PLACES1 ,S]VADAC SD1 8,GET
IN1 ,B5 ,ZOOF40
  8,AF Y1 SIR10 SD ,B5 ,ZOOF1
RESPECT;LLY4
  8,NO1 NO60 9SI/$ ,S]VADAC2 8! CAPTA9
M/ 2 ! LA/ 6L1VE ! %IP60
  ,A MO;T'S HESIT,N &! ORD]LY CLAMB]$
OV] ! SIDE (! C>4 ,S]VADAC FOLL[$4 ,!
CORDS 7 CUT4 ,! BALLOON ROSE ) /ATELY
CALM;S 96! AIR4

