The Land of the Central Sun

Book excerpt: A Fiction House Press FIRST EDITION: The sailing ship Garden City, bound from San Francisco to New York by way of the Horn, has for passengers Bert Livingston and his sister Lily, together with their friends John and Louise Winton. Struck by a severe storm, the vessel is sent far to the south out of her course, and finally brings up on an ice field, after losing overboard all except the four passengers and one sailor, Tom Applegate. Although they are in no immediate danger, there seems small chance of ultimate rescue, but finally a strange air ship appears above them, a ladder is let down, and they are taken on board by the owner, Baron Montavo. Then the air ship enters a hole in the earth and begins to drop downward. After days of traveling the air ship comes to a stop and the baron conducts his guests to a palace where they are presented to the queer dwarf rulers of the land-the strange, new land in which they find themselves-the inside of the earth.