With all the --- and ceremony that could possibly be displayed around the sickbed of a weary explorer in a hotel room, the Mayor presented the Professor with a key to the city.

The railroad station was --- in bunting, flags, and miniature balloons.

"But it lacks grace and isn't --- enough," suggested one of the Directors, "and besides, the Mayor would never approve of a carriage in which there was no seat for him."

This talk made me feel rather silly. Ashamed, I sheepishly walked back to the mines and tossed back the --- stone worth half a million dollars. It seemed like it was nothing compared to the larger rocks in the mine.

The curtains were red velvet, each trimmed with a large gold cloth sunburst, symbolizing the --- and extravagance of the "Sun King," Louise the Fourteenth of France.

There was a boiler and furnace which looked to me like the equipment to be found in any American home. Mr. M. told us that --- the fire for a steam engine was no more difficult than keeping an ordinary furnace running.

The children were obviously capable and had done these tasks before. As a newcomer, however, I was afraid that I was more of a --- than a help to the group during the crisis.

The balloons and baskets were magnificent. I tried to picture the reaction of people on the ground when they looked up and saw the balloon platform, with its white, --- floor and the Krakatoans leaning over the railings, waving.

The first moments on the platform were ---. Some of the women were screaming. Some of the children were crying. The men were feverishly trying to connect the hoses to the hydrogen tank.