CHAPTER XIA STRANGE EXPLOSION
"Here, come back, Washington," called Mr. Henderson.
"No, sah! I ain't gwine t' entrust mahself 'n any sech t'ing as dat!" cried Washington. "I ain't gwine t' be shot up froo de sky. Why, good land a' massy! 'Sposin' we was t' hit a star, or land on de moon? I'd look purty, wouldn't I, hangin' on one ob de moon's horns? How's I eber gwinee git down? I axes yo' dat. How's I gwine f git down?"
"Well," said Professor Henderson with a laugh, "if you did get caught on one of the horns of the moon, Washington, I guess it would be a pretty hard matter to get down."
"Dat's what I done said," insisted the colored man.
"You could slide down a moonbeam," said Jack with a laugh.
"Yes, an' mebby git hit by a comet or be kamked sensible by a piece ob star," objected Washington, as if Jack's plan was a feasible one. "No, sah, I ain't gwine along nohow. Dis ole earth am good enough fo' me. I don't want to die an' go floatin' through space. When I dies I wants t' be buried decent–like. I ain't gwine wid yo' at all."
It began to look as if Washington's revolt was a settled fact. Yet they depended on him to go. However, Professor Henderson solved the problem for him.
"Who will cook my meals for me, if you don't go, Washington?" he asked solemnly.
"Is you really goin', perfesser?"
"I certainly am."
"An' yo' t'ink it's safe?"
"Yes, or I shouldn't go. But I can't have much comfort if I don't have my meals right, for I can't cook very well, and as for Jack and Mark—"
"Hu! Dem boys can't cook wuff a cent. Is dey gwine t' go 'long?"
"We sure are," answered Jack.
"Hu! Den I 'spects I'se got t' go," said the colored man, scratching his head in perplexity. "I can't let de perfesser go alone, wid nobody t' do his cookin' fer him. Well, I'll go, but—but I'se mighty skeered, jest de same."
"You needn't be, Washington," said Mr. Henderson kindly. "We will be perfectly safe in theAnnihilator, and when we get to Mars I am sure you will like it there."
"I've got to, wedder I does or not," said Washington simply. "Well, t' t'ink ob me seein' dis work goin' on, day after day, an' me nebber suspectin' dat yo' was goin' on sech a transmigatory flight in de direction ob an interplanetary sphere what transmits effulgent rays transversely an' pyritiferilously changes 'em inter crimson light most advantageously."
"I guess you're all right now, after getting that out of your system," observed Mark.
It was two days after this that Jack and Mark, who were working in the shop with Mr. Roumann, suddenly heard him utter a cry.
"Has anything happened?" called Jack, dropping his tools and hastening to the engine–room, where the scientist was.
"Yes!" cried the German.
"What?"
He was pacing rapidly up and down the contracted space, waving a piece of metal above his head. Jack thought he might have hurt himself.
"I have discovered what was the matter with my Etherium motor!" exclaimed Mr. Roumann. "I didn't bend this piece of metal properly. That was why the machine did not work satisfactorily. Now it is all right. We can start in a week."
"That's good!" said Mark, who had joined his chum. "Are you sure it will work now, Mr. Roumann?"
"Quite sure. But we will have a test to make certain. Send Professor Henderson here, Please."
The other scientist came from the house, and the test was made. To the delight of all the Etherium motor worked perfectly. The slight adjustment of the piece of metal had been all that was needed.
"Now we can get ready to leave in a week," repeated the German enthusiastically.
In fact, the projectile was finished, and all that was necessary was to put in the stores and some supplies, turn on the power, and they would be off through space.
The actual starting of theAnnihilatorwas, of course, to be left entirely to Mr. Roumann. He had not disclosed to his companions the secret of the force that was to make it move, nor had he told them how to work the Etherium and atmospheric motors. He would start the machinery in operation, and he had promised to show the professor and the boys how to control it, but the secret of the wonderful power he kept to himself.
"I think we can let the two machinists go now," said Mr. Henderson at the conclusion of the tests. "We shall not need them any more if we are almost ready to start."
"No, we can dispense with their services," agreed Mr. Roumann; and, accordingly, Ned and Sam were paid off, and left, promising to say nothing of the wonderful apparatus on which they had been working.
The next week was a busy one. Mr. Roumann spent most of his time in the engine–room, assembling the machinery of the two motors, and arranging the connections between them and the pilot house in the "nose" of the projectile. The strange gas had been forced in between the two shells of the projectile, to absorb the heat that would be generated by friction, and nearly all the stores had been put aboard.
The electric guns were installed, ready to be run out of the openings of the living–room to repel any attack of the Martians, and then the ports were closed tightly.
Finishing touches were being put on theAnnihilator, and Mr. Henderson and his German friend were kept very busy. As for the boys, they helped wherever they could, and did considerable work, for they had been well trained by their guardian.
Andy remained on guard at the door with his gun. He said he was going to take no more chances with the crazy machinist.
Nothing further had been seen or heard of the mysterious thief who had stolen the plates, and it was supposed that he was unable to make any use of them.
One afternoon, about three days before the time set to start for Mars, Mr. Roumann was working alone in the machine shop. The boys and Professor Henderson had done all there was for them to do, and theAnnihilatorwas practically finished.
"Are you going to take along any extra–sized bullets, Andy?" asked Jack of the old hunter, who was on guard, as usual, at the door.
"I don't see why I should. I guess the regular ones will do when I get to Mars."
"I don't know about that," went on Jack. "We may find bigger game than elephants or sea lions there."
"If we do, I'll use a new kind of explosive electric bullet Mr. Roumann told me about," declared Andy. "It has a charge of electricity in it, and he says it will kill the biggest animal that ever lived, with one shot."
"Then you're all right," said Mark. "Well we'll soon be on our way now."
"I suppose Washington will want to take some of his chickens along?" ventured Jack.
"Well, I don't see why he can't," said Andy. "They take pigeons up in balloons, and I guess chickens would live in theAnnihilator—at least, until we ate them."
They stood about the entrance to the machine shop, talking of various topics, but they always came back to the subject of the wonderful journey before them.
Suddenly Jack, who had strolled a little away from the door, looked toward the rear of the big shed that housed the projectile, and uttered a cry. Mark heard him, and ran to his chum's side.
"Look!" exclaimed Jack, pointing to two men who were running away from the shop. "Who are those men?"
"One is that crazy machinist!" cried Mark.
"And the other is the tramp we saw looking in the window that night!" added Jack. "Come on! Let's catch them! They may have done some damage! Andy! Here! With your gun! Quick!"
The old hunter hastened to join the boys. He reached them in time to see the two intruders making for the woods back of the shed.
"Hold on there!" cried Andy, quickly raising his gun and firing over their heads.
But the men did not stop. Hardly had the echoes of Andy's weapon died away, than there sounded a loud explosion from the shop. A cloud of smoke poured from the windows.
"They've blown up the projectile!" cried Mark. "Come on!"
They ran toward the place where the explosion had occurred. As they neared the end of the shed Washington came running out. He showed great fear.
"Come quick! Come quick!" he cried.
"What's the matter?" shouted Jack.
"Somebody's blowed de place up, an' Mr. Roumann am killed!" was the answer.
CHAPTER XIITHE ELECTRIC REMEDY
"Get Professor Henderson!" directed Jack, "Where is Mr. Roumann, Washington?"
"In heah!" exclaimed the colored man, pointing to the shop. "He am all blowed to pieces!"
Jack and Mark were terribly afraid. The smoke of the explosion hung all about. They rushed through it, and into the shop. Part of the side of the wooden building had been blown out.
"Where is he?" asked Mark. "I can't see anything."
"Over here," called Jack, as he saw a huddled heap in one corner. As the smoke cleared away he could see pieces of machinery scattered all about.
"Is the projectile damaged?" asked Mark anxiously.
"Doesn't seem to be—at least, on the outside," answered Jack, as he looked at the huge shape of theAnnihilatorlooming up before him. "But I'm afraid it's all up with Mr. Roumann."
He bent over the German scientist. The man seemed lifeless. There was quite a cut on his head and his clothes were torn.
"He's breathing a little!" cried jack. "We must get Professor Henderson here. He'll know what to do—if anything can be done for him."
"They must have exploded a bomb in here," said Mark, as he looked around at the ruin about, them.
"Something like that," admitted jack. "Here, help me carry Mr. Roumann out of the fumes," for there was a choking smell in the shop.
The two boys found it hard work to carry that limp form out, but they managed it. Just as they got outside the shop they saw Professor Henderson running toward them, followed by Washington and Andy.
"What has happened?" asked the inventor, for he had not been able to learn much from Washington's excited account.
"I don't know," answered Jack. "We heard a explosion, just after we saw two men running away from the shop, and we found Mr. Roumann senseless."
Professor Henderson bent over, and placed his hand on the heart of his friend.
"I'm afraid he's dying," he said.
"Dying?" cried jack in dismay.
"Yes; and if he expires, the secret of the wonderful power will die with him. We will never be able to get to Mars!"
The professor placed his ear against the breast of the unconscious man.
"There is still a spark of life," he remarked. "Perhaps I can save him. I will try my electric remedy."
He got up and hurried to the house. Mr. Henderson had invented a number of medical appliances, not the least of which was an affair, different from an electric battery in that it allowed a current to be administered internally. It was this that he now decided to try on the unfortunate German.
He came back in less than a minute with a curious machine. It was shaped like a box, but on the outside had a number of shiny knobs, and several wires ending in brass handles.
Professor Henderson placed a brass handle in each of the palms of the German, directing Mark and jack to hold them there. Then he placed several of the shining knobs at the back of his head, and ran a long wire around his waist.
"Now, Andy," ordered the inventor, "if you will take hold of this rod and place the end of it on his tongue when I open his mouth, I think we may be able to revive him."
This was done, and Mr. Henderson turned on the current. There was a buzzing sound from the box, and a slight tremor was visible throughout the whole body of the unconscious man.
"It is beginning to work!" exclaimed the professor. "He is coming to!"
Mr. Roumann opened his eyes.
"Take the rod from his tongue, Andy," directed Mr. Henderson.
The hunter did so, and the German, looking curiously about him, asked:
"Is the projectile damaged?"
"It doesn't seem to be," replied Jack quickly.
"Are you much hurt?" asked the professor.
Mr. Roumann passed his hand slowly across his head.
"I feel rather strange here," he said. "There seems to be some injury."
Mark silently pointed to the cut. Mr. Henderson quickly examined it.
"The skull is not injured," he announced. "It is merely a scalp wound. Wait a moment now and I will give you something to make you feel better."
From a small pocket case he took a spoon and a bottle. He poured out a strong–smelling liquid, and administered a few drops to the German. The latter's pale face at once became flushed.
"I think you will be all right now," said Mr. Henderson. "But it was a narrow escape. Do you feel well enough to let us take you to the house?"
"I think so. But guard the shop well. That crazy machinist came back, and some one was with him. Then came an explosion—and I don't remember any more."
"I'll guard the place!" exclaimed Andy. "And if any of those chaps come around—well, they'll wish they hadn't," and he looked significantly at his gun.
Mr. Roumann was getting better every moment, and was soon able to stand. He was assisted to the house, where Mr. Henderson attended to the injury on his head.
Then, after some more medicine had been administered, and the electric remedy had been applied again, the German announced that he felt almost as good as ever, except for an aching head.
"How did it all happen?" asked Mr. Henderson, and Jack and Mark told what they knew of the explosion.
"I was working over an extra air–pump that I wish to take along with us," stated Mr. Roumann, "when I was startled by seeing two strangers standing near my work bench. One I recognized as the insane machinist who was here before. The other—"
"The other was the same one who looked in the window one night, and who, I believe, stole the power plates," interrupted Jack.
"I wish I had known that," went on Mr. Roumann. "I would have made him give them back. But I did not have time to do anything. Before I could stop him the crazy machinist had thrown something at me, which I now know must have been a bomb. Then came the explosion, and knew nothing more until you revived me. Is the place much wrecked?"
"I think not," answered Jack.
"We will go look in a little while; just as soon as we see that you are all right," announced the professor.
"Oh, I am all right. Go now. I am anxious to know."
Having assured himself that the German was able to walk to the shop, Mr. Henderson an assent, and the two boys, Washington and two scientists started for the place whereAnnihilatorwas kept.
"How did you happen to see it, Washington?" asked Mark.
"I was out fixin' a loose board on mah chicken coop," explained the colored man, "when I seen dem two rapscallions come runnin' out ob de place. I knowed dey hadn't no right dere, an' I hollered at 'em. But dey didn't stop, an' de nextest t'ing I knowed dere was a big bang. I run in, an' I seed Mistah Roumann all blowed to pieces."
"Hardly as bad as that," said the German with a smile.
"Well, almost," insisted Washington.
They reached the machine shop. The smoke had all cleared away, but the fumes from the bomb were still noticeable.
"I wonder what their object could have been?" said Jack.
"I believe they are urged on by some of my enemies," was the German's reply. "But let us see what damage has been done. I hope it is not much."
Pieces of broken machinery, twisted wheels, bent levers, shattered cogs and smashed plates were all about one corner of the shop. But the great projectile was still in place. It had not even been jarred.
Mr. Roumann went to an opening in the side that led to the engine–room. No sooner had he entered than he uttered a cry.
"The Etherium motor is damaged!" he exclaimed, and with fear in their hearts the others followed him inside theAnnihilator.
CHAPTER XIIIAN ALARMING THREAT
The main machines in the engine–room were the two motors, one designed to send the projectile through the atmosphere, the other intended to propel it through the space filled with what is called ether.
It was to these two massive machines that the eyes of all were now directed. The smaller one, the atmospheric motor, did not appear to have been damaged, but several wheels and pipes of the other were broken and twisted.
"Is it ruined?" asked Professor Henderson.
Mr. Roumann was anxiously looking at the apparatus to see what damage had been done by the bomb.
"Can't we go to Mars?" inquired Jack.
"I think so," was the reassuring reply of the scientist. "It is not damaged so much as I feared. The wheels and pipes are easily replaced, and as long as the generator and the distributing plates are not disturbed, I can easily repair the rest. But it was a fortunate chance that the bomb did not explode nearer the projectile. Otherwise we would have had to give up our journey."
"And we would have had to if you had been killed," remarked the professor. "I thought the secret of the power was going to die with you!"
"It will," replied Mr. Roumann, "but not just yet. I shall never disclose the source of the power until I reach Mars, get what I am after, and come back. Then I may bequeath it to you, Professor Henderson, in return for the kindness of yourself and your young assistants."
"I will appreciate that. But you had better go to the house now and let me doctor you up."
"No, I feel well. I want to get right to work repairing the damage. It will delay us several days, but we cannot avoid it. I wish I could catch the men responsible for this outrage."
"Have you any idea who they were?"
"No; but I suspect they were in the enemy of mine. A man who used to work for me, but whom I discharged because of dishonetesty. His name was Zeb Forker."
"One of the men who threw the bomb was same one who was at the window one night," said Mark. "Do you suppose he could be Forker, Mr. Roumann?"
"No, I do not believe so. But we will not discuss that now. I fancy the men will not bother us again."
"I'll tell Andy to keep a better watch," said Mr. Henderson.
"And we'll help him," added Mark. "There is little for us to do on the projectile now, and we can do guard duty, Jack and I together."
It took Mr. Roumann several days to repair the damage done to the Etherium motor by the bomb. During that time Andy and the boys were constantly on guard about the shop, but the crazy machinist and his companion did not return.
Washington White agreed to stand guard part of one night, and, as the others were tired, they agreed to it. But a fox or some animal got in among the colored man's chickens, and at the first sound of alarm from his favorite fowls, Washington deserted his post and rushed for the coop. Jack, who was awakened by the noise, looked out of the window.
"It is some one trying to get in, Wash?" he asked.
"Dat's what, Massa Jack."
Jack awakened Mark, and the two hurried down with their guns. They found the colored maw making a circuit of his coop.
"I thought you said some one was trying to get in," observed Jack.
"So dey was, Massa Jack. I done heard de most, tremendousness conglomeration of disturbances in de direction ob my domesticoryian orinthological specimens, an' I runned ober to see what it were."
"You mean that something was after your chickens?" asked Mark.
"Dat's de impression I done endeavored to prognostigate to yo', but seems laik I ain't understood," replied Washington with an injured air.
"Oh, I understand you, all right," said Jack, "but I thought you meant some one was gettin in the machine shop."
"No, dere ain't been no one dere, but I was skeered dat somebody was after mah chickens, but I guess it were only a rat. I'll go back an stay on guard now."
"No, you'd better go to bed," decided Jack. "Mark and I will finish out the night."
"All right," agreed Washington, who, to tell the truth, was getting sleepy.
There were no further disturbances, and Mark and Jack found their tour of duty rather lonesome.
"Well, I suppose we'll start in a day or so," marked Jack, as they paced about the big shed which housed the great projectile.
"Yes. The motor seems to be in good working order again. But say, I've just thought of something."
"What?"
"Suppose something should happen to Mr. Roumann or to the motor while we were half way to Mars? I mean, suppose he should die, why, we wouldn't know how to stop the motor, and we might keep on going forever."
"Oh, I guess he'll tell the professor enough about it so that in case anything happened we could start it or stop it. It's only the secret of the power that he wants to keep."
"I wonder what he wants to go to Mars for, anyhow?"
"Well, you know what he said. That he wants to get possession of some wonderful substance. I guess it is the same stuff that makes the planet seem red to us."
"What's he going to do with it?"
"I don't know."
"Wonder what it is?"
"I don't know that, either. Maybe it's some sort of a mineral, like radium."
"Radium would be valuable, if he could get that. Maybe that's what he's going after."
"No, I think not. If it was, he wouldn't be particular about not telling us. We'll just have to wait and see."
The following two days were busy ones, as many little adjustments had to be made to the machine. But at last Mr. Roumann announced that all was completed.
"We will start day after to–morrow," he said. "All the stores are in the projectile, I have every thing arranged, and we will begin our trip Mars."
"Are we going to go up like a balloon, through the roof of the shed?" asked Jack. "If we we'll have to take the roof off."
"No, we'll start out through the great doors," said the German. "My plan is to elevate the nose or bow, of the projectile, point it toward the sky, at a slight angle, by means of propping it up on blocks. Then we will get in, seal all the openings, and I will turn on the power, and off we go. We can shoot right through the big doors at the end of the shed, and no one will know anything about it, for we will leave the earth so fast that before any one is aware of our plans we will be out of sight."
"That is a good idea," commented Mr. Henderson. "Have you boys put everything in the projectile that you'll need?"
"I guess so," replied Jack, "though it's hard to tell what you really will need on another planet."
"All I want is my gun and some ammunition," declared Andy Sudds. "I can get along with that."
"How about you, Washington?" asked Jack.
"'Well, I suah would laik t' take mah fowls along."
"I don't see how you can do that very well, Wash," objected Mr. Henderson. "We would have to carry food for them, and our space is very limited at best. I'm afraid you'll have to get rid of your chickens."
"Couldn't I take mah Shanghai rooster?" begged the colored man. "He's a fine bird, an' maybe dem folks on Mars nebber seed a real rooster. I suah does hate to leab him behind."
"Oh, I guess you could take him," agreed Mr. Roumann.
"I'll gib him some ob my rations," promised Washington. "He eats jest laik white folks, dat Shanghai do. Golly! I'se glad I kin take him. I'll go out an' make a cage."
"What will you I do with the rest of your fowls, Wash?" asked Mark.
"Oh, a feller named Jim Johnson'll keep 'em fer me till we gits back. Jim's a cousin ob mine."
The next day was spent in jacking up the prow of the projectile so that it pointed in a slanting direction toward the sky.
"Am yo' aimin' it right at Mars?" asked the colored man, pausing in the work of making cage for his rooster.
"No; that isn't necessary," said Mr. Roumann. "Once it starts upward, I can steer it in any direction I choose. I can send it directly toward Mars."
"Hit's jest like a boat," observed Washington.
"That's it."
"Well, to–morrow we start," spoke Jack that night, as they were gathered in the dining–room of the professor's house after supper, discussing the great trip.
"And to think that in ten days we'll be on thirty–five millions of miles away from the earth!" added Mark.
"It's a mighty long way," said Andy. "Mebby we'll never git back."
"Oh, I guess we will," declared Jack "We got back all right from—"
His words were interrupted by a breaking of glass. One of the windows crashed in, and something came through it into the room. It fell upon the floor—a square, black object.
"Dat's one ob dem bombs!" cried Washington. "Look out, everybody! It'll go off!"
There was a scramble to get out of the room, Washington falling down on the threshold. Jack, who was in a corner, behind some chairs, found his way blocked. This gave him a chance to take a little longer look at the object that had been thrown through the window.
"That's not a bomb!" he cried. "It's something wrapped in black paper."
The professor, Mark and Mr. Roumann stopped their hurried egress. They came back and looked at the object. As Jack had said, it was something tied up in black paper with pink string.
"It doesn't look like a bomb," observed Mark.
"More like a brick," said Jack, and started toward it.
"Maybe it's an infernal machine," suggested Mark.
Jack hesitated a moment, listened to detect any possible ticking of some hidden clock mechanism, and then, as no sound came from the object, he picked it up. Rapidly tearing off the paper, he disclosed a harmless, red brick.
"Some one wanted to scare us," remarked Andy.
"There's a paper wrapped around the brick—a white paper," said Professor Henderson.
"So there is," spoke Jack as he removed it. "There's writing on it, too."
He held it up to the light.
"It's a message," he went on, "and not a very pleasant one, either."
"Who's it from?" asked Mr. Roumann.
"It's signed 'The Crazy Machinist', Jack, and this is what it says:
"Beware, I am still after you! I will yet blow you sky–high!"
"He threw that in through the window!" cried Mark. "He must be outside here. Let's see if we can't catch him."
"That's right," added Jack. "Andy! Washington! Come on!"
The boys, followed by the hunter and the man, hurried from the house.
CHAPTER XIVOFF FOR MARS
It was dark outside, and coming from the lighted room, the searchers at first could discern nothing. Then, as their eyes became accustomed to the gloom, they could make out objects with greater distinctness.
A movement in a tree, just outside the broken window, attracted the attention of Andy.
"Here's something!" he cried.
He raised his gun, which he had caught up as he rushed from the house, and fired high enough in the air, so as not to hurt whoever was in hiding. The flash of the weapon showed a man in the act of sliding down the trunk.
"Catch him!" cried Jack.
They all made a rush for the tree, but the flash of Andy's gun, while it revealed the man to them, also had the effect of momentarily blinding the men and boys. For an instant they could see nothing, and when the effect of the flash passed away the man was not in sight in the semi–gloom. They could hear him running through the underbrush outside of the garden, however, and took after him.
But the crazy machinist, if indeed it was he, got away, and after a vain search through the garden and about the machine shed, they all returned to the house, Mr. Roumann and the professor having joined in the hunt.
"What do you suppose he did it for?" asked Mark, when they were again gathered in the dining–room, examining the strange message.
"He wanted to scare us," suggested Jack.
"No, I really think he means to do us an injury," said Mr. Roumann. "He has some fancied grievance against us, or he is being used as a tool by Zeb Forker. Perhaps the man who stole the plates was with him, and he hoped to get some more during the confusion. I think we had better take a look at the machine shop."
They acted on this suggestion, but an examination there showed that nothing had been disturbed. No one had been in the place.
"I'm going to sleep here to–night," said German scientist. "I'm not going to take chances at the last moment. I'll stay here."
"So will I," decided Andy, and with his gun he mounted guard outside, while Mr. Roumann made up a bed in the projectile. They were not disturbed, however, any more that night.
"Now for Mars!" cried Jack, as the sun rose the next morning, and he jumped out of bed. "Hurry up, Mark! One would think you didn't care about going!"
"Well, I guess I do, but I don't see what good it does to get up so early. We aren't going to start until ten o'clock."
"No; but I couldn't sleep any longer," declared Jack. "I'm going out to take a look at theAnnihilator."
He quickly dressed, and was on his way down stairs when there arose quite a commotion out of the garden. Washington's voice was heard crying:
"Come back heah, yo' unregenerated specimen ob a ungrateful bipedical ornithology! What fo' yo' want t' distress mah longanimity fo'? Come back heah!"
"What's the matter, Wash?" asked Jack.
"Oh, dat Shanghai rooster got away jest as I were shuttin' him up in de cage, an' I'se been runnin' all ober de garden after him. 'Pears laik he doan't want t' go t' Mars."
"Wait a minute and I'll help you," volunteered Jack. "Come on, Mark," he added. "Washington's pet has got away."
The two boys went below, and, with their aid, the colored man succeeded in catching the rooster, which, crowing a loud protest, was shut up in a wooden cage and taken to the shop, ready to be placed in the projectile.
There was little to do at the last moment. Professor Henderson had arranged for a relative to come and live in the house during the time of the journey to Mars, and this gentleman arrived about nine o'clock.
Meanwhile, the last of the stores and supplies had been put in theAnnihilator, a final inspection had been given the machinery, and all the scientific instruments were in place.
Washington carried the cage containing his rooster into the storeroom, where there was a large quantity of provisions, sufficient to last for a year, in case, after reaching Mars, the travelers should find on the planet no food which they could cat.
There was a plentiful supply of water, and machinery for distilling more out of the atmosphere. The gas that occupied the space between what might be termed the two skins of the projectile had already been pumped in, and nothing remained to, do but for the adventurers to enter the great airship, as it might be designated, seal up the ports, turn on the power and start.
Mr. Roumann looked critically to the bracing up of theAnnihilator, to see that it was slanted just right. Then he went carefully over every inch of the great machine, to make sure that there were no openings which were not closed. As he reached the port that communicated with the storeroom, he found it only partly shut.
"Did any one of you open this?" he asked suddenly.
"I didn't," replied Jack. "Why do you ask?"
"Because I was sure I closed and locked it from the inside early this morning," was the answer. "Washington, did you open it when you put your rooster in there?"
"No, sah. I went in de inside way. I didn't tetch it."
"That's very strange," murmured Mr. Roumann, as he locked the port, and each one, in turn, had denied meddling with it. "I was sure I locked it."
The matter appeared to give him a little uneasiness, but, as he had much to do to get the projectile ready for the flight, he had to leave the solution of the matter until another time.
The great doors of the machine shed were thrown open. They were designed to allow such large bodies as airships to pass out, as Professor Henderson had, in years previous, constructed a number of æroplanes and dirigible balloons. So there would be no trouble in speeding the projectile directly out of the shop.
The great question, now that all was finished, was whether or not the projectile would move, and in the manner and with the speed necessary to get to Mars. There had been no chance for a trial flight, and it all depended on whether or not Mr. Roumann had correctly estimated the powers of his motors.
He was sure he was right, and, from calculations made, Professor Henderson was also positive. But it yet remained to prove this.
"Well, we may as well get in," said Mr. Roumann at length. "Everything is done that can be done. The next thing is to start the motors, and—then we'll see what happens."
It was a nervous moment. Once they were in, side the great projectile, sealed up, would they ever be able to emerge again? It was a momentous question.
"Well, here goes!" exclaimed Jack with a jerky laugh as he stepped into theAnnihilator.
"I'm with You," added Mark as he followed his chum.
"Come on, Washington!" cried Jack from within.
"Wait till I take one mo' look at terra cotta!" said the colored man.
"You mean terra firma, I guess," spoke the professor.
"Yes, sah. Dat's hit. Terra flirma—de earth. I wants t' bid it good–by."
Andy Sudds, still carrying his gun, went in next. Then followed Amos Henderson, and finally the German scientist. The latter clamped fast the cover of the opening by which they had entered. The interior of theAnnihilatorwas brilliant with electric lights.
Mr. Roumann made his way to the pilot house, to see that all the levers and wheels that controlled the engines were in working order. Then he went to the engine–room, where he adjusted the two motors.
"Well," he said a bit nervously, "we are all ready to start."
"Let her go!" cried Jack gaily.
There was no crowd on hand to see them off. Professor Henderson's relative was the only spectator.
Mr. Roumann and Mr. Henderson went to pilot house again. They held a brief consultation.
"Come here, boys, if you want to see us start the motors going," called the professor.
Jack and Mark stood in the doorway. Mr. Roumann grasped a lever. He threw it over. There was a spark as the electrical contact was made.
"The atmospheric motor is now ready to start!" he remarked. "Push that knob, Professor Henderson."
The professor pushed in a small, shiny knob. Mr. Roumann turned a small wheel, and closed another electrical switch.
Instantly there was a trembling through t whole length of the projectile. Would it move? Would it leave the earth and go to Mars?
There was a moment of hesitancy, as if the great machine had not quite decided.
Then came a more violent vibration. There was a humming, throbbing, hissing sound. Suddenly the boys, and all within the projectile, felt it swaying. A moment later it began to shoot through space like a great rocket.
"Hurrah!" cried Jack. "We're off!"
"Yes," added Mr. Roumann joyfully, "we are on our way to Mars!" and he grasped the steering wheel and peered through the thick plate–glass windows of the pilot house into the vast space before them.
CHAPTER XVSOMETHING ABOUT MARS
"Are we really in motion?" asked Jack, after a moment's silence. "It doesn't seem so."
"We are certainly in motion," declared Mr. Roumann. "See this dial?"
He pointed to one near the steering wheel. The hand on it was gently vibrating between some of the figures.
"We are traveling that many miles a second," went on the scientist. "The atmospheric motor is not working as fast as I hoped it would, but we are going fast enough. When we start the Etherium machine we shall go much more speedily."
"And when will that be?" asked Mark.
"I can't tell exactly. It will not be until we have passed through the atmosphere of the earth, and there is no way of ascertaining in advance just how thick that stratum is."
"Then how will you know?" asked Jack.
"By means of my instruments. When the hand on this dial points to zero I will know that we are beyond the atmosphere, and that it is time to start the Etherium motor."
"How do you know in which direction to steer?" asked Mark. "Can you see anything out of that window?"
"Not a thing," replied the German. "Look for yourself."
Jack and Mark peered through the plate glass. All they could see was a sort of white, fleecy mass of clouds that surrounded the great projectile.
"It's just like when we were above the clouds in theElectric Monarch," said Jack.
"Exactly," agreed Mr. Henderson.
"But if you can't see anything, how can you tell where to steer?" asked Mark.
"By means of this instrument," replied Mr. Roumann, indicating another among the many on the wall of the projectile. "This is automatically kept pointed at Mars, and by means of a hand and dial I can tell how to keep theAnnihilatoraimed directly at the red planet."
"Even when it is on the opposite side of the earth from us?" asked Jack.
"We are now far above the earth," was the answer, "and the planet on which we lived offers no obstruction to my telescope being pointed at Mars, even though it is daytime, when Mars is on the opposite side of the earth."
"Have we traveled as far as that?" asked Jack in awestruck tones.
"We have come just thirty thousand miles since leaving the earth," replied Mr. Roumann.
"But we don't seem to be moving at all," objected Mark.
"That is because we are shooting through space so fast, and because you can see no stationary objects with which to make a comparison, as when you are traveling on a railroad train," continued the German. "And, as we are not dependent on tracks, or roads, with their unevenness, there is no motion to our projectile, save that of moving through space. That is why it seems as if we were standing still."
"But thirty thousand miles!" cried Jack. "I thought the earth's atmosphere was variously estimated at from only forty to two hundred miles in thickness."
"The oxygen atmosphere may be," agreed Mr. Roumann. "As a matter of fact, the atmosphere we are now in would not support life for you and me a single instant. But it is atmosphere, nevertheless, or my instruments would indicate something different, and my atmospheric motor would not work. No, I expect to be traveling through the atmosphere for several days yet. Then we shall reach the true ether, and the Etherium motor will be put into operation."
"Well," said Jack, "this trip isn't going to be very strong on scenery, anyhow."
"No," agreed Mr. Roumann. "We shan't be able to observe anything but this fleeciness until we get to Mars."
"We can see the stars and moon at night, can't we?" asked Mark.
"There isn't going to be any night," replied the German with a smile. "We are now in the region of perpetual day."
"No night!" repeated Jack blankly.
"No. Just stop to think for a moment. We have left the earth, and are many thousands of miles away from it. You know that which causes night and day on the earth is the rotation of it on its axis. Half the time the part we are living on is turned away from the sun, and the other half of the time turned toward the sun. Now, the sun is fixed in space. We are also in space, and we are so comparatively small that there will never be any shadows to cause night. We are like a small point in space, and the sun is constantly shining on us. We do not revolve, so there will no night, only day."
"Are we headed for the sun?" asked Mark
"No, for Mars. But as we will take good care not to head for any other planet, so as to get it between us and the sun, we shall never have any darkness."
"But it doesn't look like sunshine out there," objected Jack, pointing out of the window.
"No, because we are surrounded by a mass of vapor. I think it will presently pass and we shall see the sun. The difference in temperature between the projectile and the surrounding atmosphere causes us to be enveloped in a sort of cloud. When the outer shell of theAnnihilatoris the same temperature as the atmosphere through which we are flying, we shall emerge into sunlight."
This happened a little later, and soon they could observe the great ball of fire hanging in space.
"It seems to be smaller than when we were on the earth, doesn't it?" asked Mark.
"It is seemingly smaller," replied Professor Henderson. "We are going away from the sun you know. Mars is not as close to it as we are on our planet—I mean the one we have just left—is ninety–two millions of miles from the sun, while Mars is one hundred and forty–one millions of miles away, though its orbit is so eccentric that distance varies about thirteen millions of miles. That is, it may be thirteen millions of miles more than its mean, or average, distance, so that at times it is as far away from the sun as one hundred and fifty–four millions of miles."
"My! That's a good ways," observed Mark.
"Yes," went on Mr. Henderson, "and, in consequence, the light and heat received by Mars from the sun is a little less than half of that which our earth receives."
"Whew! We'll be mighty cold in winter—if we arrive in winter," said Jack with a shiver.
"Unless the Martians have a means of making up for this loss of light and heat," said Mr. Roumann. "I believe they have."
"I shall be much interested in seeing how the great canals on the planet are dug," said Professor Henderson. "I have seen a map of Mars, made by a scientist named Schiaparelli, and he has drawn a number of large bodies of water, among which are intermeshed continents and islands. The surface of Mars must be a curious one."
"I believe we shall find it so," spoke Mr. Roumann. "Astronomers tell us that the water on it is never frozen, except near the poles. There great ice caps are to be found."
"But what makes the planet so red?" asked Jack.
"That," said Mr. Roumann quickly, "is what hope to discover and use for our benefit, but I not wish to discuss it now."
They talked of Mars for some time further, discussing the many queer features, and during this time theAnnihilatorwas shooting through space at terrific speed. Inside the projectile the adventurers moved about, living and breathing, comfortably as if they were on earth, for the great tanks of stored air provided all the oxygen they needed. Nor did they feel either heat or cold thanks to the marvelous construction of the projectile.
"Isn't the year on Mars longer than the year on earth?" asked Jack as he and Mark stood near the entrance to the pilot house, interested in watching the various indicators record the speed they acquired, the distance traveled, and the density the atmosphere.
"Yes; it is about twice as long," answered Roumann. "But I shall tell you more about Planet—"
"If you'll kindly promulgate yo'se'ves in dis disrection yo' will find sufficient condiments an' disproportionate elements to induciate a feelin' ob intense satisfactoriousness," exclaimed Washington White, poking his head in from the sleeping room compartment.
"That means dinner is ready," cried Jack. "That's the stuff! Our first meal on the trip to Mars!"