But the idea that my bothered ears could turn a mere confused, muzzled, buzzing reverberation into a sweet, harmonious, articulate, though unintelligible, human language, made me sure that I was fast becoming crazy, if I was not so already." "Ha! ha! ha!" roared Ardan, laughing till the tears came.

"Now I understand why the poor Captain made me no reply all the time, and looked at me with such a hapless woe-begone expression of countenance.
The fact is, Barbican, that shock was too much both for M'Nicholl and myself.

You are the only man among us whose head is fire-proof, blast-proof, and powder-proof.

I really believe a burglar would have greater difficulty in blowing your head-piece open than in bursting one of those famous American safes your papers make such a fuss about.

A wonderful head, the Boss's, isn't it M'Nicholl ?" "Yes," said the Captain, as slowly as if every word were a gem of the profoundest thought, "the Boss has a fearful and a wonderful head!" "But now to business!" cried the versatile Ardan, "Why do you think, Barbican, that we are at present beyond the limits of the terrestrial atmosphere ?" "For a very simple reason," said Barbican, pointing to the chronometer; "it is now more than seven minutes after 11.