“But we didn’t tumble to the roof,” said the girl; “by the time we reached here we were floating very slowly, and I’m almost sure we could float down to the street without getting hurt.  Eureka walks on the air all right.”

“Eureka weights only about half a pound,” replied the horse, in a scornful tone, “while I weigh about half a ton.”

“You don’t weigh as much as you ought to, Jim,” remarked the girl, shaking her head as she looked at the animal.  “You’re dreadfully skinny.”

“Oh, well; I’m old,” said the horse, hanging his head despondently, “and I’ve had lots of trouble in my day, little one.  For a good many years I drew a public cab in Chicago, and that’s enough to make anyone skinny.”

“He eats enough to get fat, I’m sure,” said the boy, gravely.

“Do I?  Can you remember any breakfast that I’ve had today?” growled Jim, as if he resented Zeb’s speech.

“None of us has had breakfast,” said the boy; “and in a time of danger like this it’s foolish to talk about eating.”

“Nothing is more dangerous than being without food,” declared the horse, with a sniff at the rebuke of his young master; “and just at present no one can tell whether there are any oats in this queer country or not.  If there are, they are liable to be glass oats!”

“Oh, no!” exclaimed Dorothy.  “I can see plenty of nice gardens and fields down below us, at the edge of this city.  But I wish we could find a way to get to the ground.”

“Why don’t you walk down?” asked Eureka.  “I’m as hungry as the horse is, and I want my milk.”

“Will you try it, Zeb” asked the girl, turning to her companion.

Zeb hesitated.  He was still pale and frightened, for this dreadful adventure had upset him and made him nervous and worried.  But he did not wish the little girl to think him a coward, so he advanced slowly to the edge of the roof.

Dorothy stretched out a hand to him and Zeb put one foot out and let it rest in the air a little over the edge of the roof.  It seemed firm enough to walk upon, so he took courage and put out the other foot.  Dorothy kept hold of his hand and followed him, and soon they were both walking through the air, with the kitten frisking beside them.

“Come on, Jim!” called the boy.  “It’s all right.”

Jim had crept to the edge of the roof to look over, and being a sensible horse and quite experienced, he made up his mind that he could go where the others did.  So, with a snort and a neigh and a whisk of his short tail he trotted off the roof into the air and at once began floating downward to the street.  His great weight made him fall faster than the children walked, and he passed them on the way down; but when he came to the glass pavement he alighted upon it so softly that he was not even jarred.

“Well, well!” said Dorothy, drawing a long breath, “What a strange country this is.”