Let me alone, and
I'll explain it all in a minute. It's a very simple thing, indeed.
Captain Smitherton says that yesterday was Sunday: so it was; he is
right. Cousin Bobby, and uncle and I say that to-day is Sunday: so
it is; we are right. Captain Pratt maintains that to-morrow will be
Sunday: so it will; he is right, too. The fact is, we are all right,
and thus three Sundays have come together in a week."
SMITHERTON. [After a pause.] "By the by, Pratt, Kate has us
completely. What fools we two are! Mr. Rumgudgeon, the matter stands
thus: the earth, you know, is twenty-four thousand miles in
circumference. Now this globe of the earth turns upon its own axis-
revolves- spins round- these twenty-four thousand miles of extent,
going from west to east, in precisely twenty-four hours. Do you
understand Mr. Rumgudgeon?-"
UNCLE. "To be sure- to be sure- Doctor Dub-"
SMITHERTON. [Drowning his voice.] "Well, sir; that is at the rate of
one thousand miles per hour. Now, suppose that I sail from this
position a thousand miles east. Of course I anticipate the rising of
the sun here at London by just one hour. I see the sun rise one hour
before you do. Proceeding, in the same direction, yet another thousand
miles, I anticipate the rising by two hours- another thousand, and I
anticipate it by three hours, and so on, until I go entirely round the
globe, and back to this spot, when, having gone twenty-four thousand
miles east, I anticipate the rising of the London sun by no less
than twenty-four hours; that is to say, I am a day in advance of
your time.
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