LOST ON THE MOONORIN QUEST OF THE FIELD OF DIAMONDS

BY ROY ROCKWOOD

CHAPTER

 I. A WONDERFUL STORY II. SOMETHING ABOUT OUR HEROES III. PREPARING FOR A VOYAGE IV. AN ACCIDENT V. THE WORK OF AN ENEMY VI. ON THE TRACK VII. MARK IS CAPTURED VIII. JACK IS PUZZLED IX. A DARING PLOT X. "HOW STRANGE MARK ACTS" XI. READY FOR THE MOON XII. MARK'S ESCAPE XIII. A DIREFUL THREAT XIV. OFF AT LAST XV. THE SHANGHAI MAKES TROUBLE XVI. "WILL IT HIT US?" XVII. TURNING TURTLE XVIII. AT THE MOON XIX. TORCHES OF LIFE XX. ON THE EDGE OF A CRATER XXI. WASHINGTON SEES A GHOST XXII. A BREAKDOWN XXIII. LOST ON THE MOON XXIV. DESOLATE WANDERINGS XXV. THE PETRIFIED CITY XXVI. SEEKING FOOD XXVII. THE BLACK POOLXXVIII. THE SIGNAL FAILS XXIX. THE FIELD OF DIAMONDS XXX. BACK TO EARTH--CONCLUSION

CHAPTER I

A WONDERFUL STORY

"Well, what do you think of it, Mark?" asked Jack Darrow, as he laidaside a portion of a newspaper, covered with strange printedcharacters. "Great; isn't it?"

"You don't mean to tell me that you believe that preposterous story, doyou, Jack?" And Mark Sampson looked across the table at his companionin some astonishment. 

"Oh, I don't know; it may be true, " went on Jack, again picking up thepaper and gazing thoughtfully at it. "I wish it was. "

"But think of it!" exclaimed Mark. "Why, if such a thing exists, and ifwe, or some one else, should attempt to bring all those precious stonesto this earth, it would revolutionize the diamond industry of theworld. It can't be true!"

"Well, here It is, in plain print. You can read it for yourself, as youknow the Martian language as well as I do. It states that a large fieldof 'Reonaris' was discovered on the moon near Mare Tranquilitatis (orTranquil Ocean, I suppose that could be translated), and that the menof Mars brought back some of the Reonaris with them. Here, read it, ifyou don't believe me. "

"Oh, I believe you, all right--that is, I think you have translatedthat article as well as you can. But suppose you have made some error?We didn't have much time to study the language of Mars while we werethere, and we might make some mistake in the words. That article mightbe an account of a dog-fight on the red planet, instead of an accountof a trip to the moon and the discovery of a field of Reonaris; eh, Jack?"

"Of course, I'm likely to have made an error, for it isn't easy totranslate this stuff. " And Jack gazed intently at the strangely printedpage, which was covered with characters not unlike Greek. "I may bewrong, " went on the lad, "but you must remember that I translated someother articles in this paper, and Professor Henderson also translatedthem substantially as I did, and Professor Roumann agreed with him. There _is_ Reonaris on the moon, and I wish we could go there andget some. "

"But maybe after you got the Reonaris it would turn out to be onlycommon crystals, " objected Mark. 

"No!" exclaimed Jack. "Reonaris is what the Martians call it in theirlanguage, and that means diamonds. I'm sure of it!"

"Well, I don't agree with you, " declared the other lad. 

"Don't be cranky and contrary, " begged Jack. 

"I'm not; but what's the use of believing anything so wild and weird asthat? It's a crazy yarn!"

"It's nothing of the sort! There are diamonds on the moon; and I canprove it!"

"Well, don't get excited, " suggested Mark calmly. "I don't believe it;that's all. You're mistaken about what Reonaris is; that's what youare. "

"I am not!" Jack had arisen from his chair, and seemed much elated. Inhis hand he held clinched the paper which had caused the livelydiscussion. It was as near to a disagreement as Jack Darrow and MarkSampson had come in some time. 

"Sit down, " begged Mark. 

"I'll not!" retorted Jack. "I'm going to prove to you that I'm right. "

"How are you going to do it?"

"I'm going to get Professor Henderson and Professor Roumann totranslate this article for you, and then you can ask them what Reonarisis. Guess that'll convince you; won't it?"

"Maybe; but why don't you ask Andy Sudds or Washington White to givetheir opinion?"

"Don't get funny, " advised the other lad sharply, and then, seeing thathis chum was smiling, Jack laughed, cooled down a bit, looked at thepaper which he had crumpled in his hand, and said:

"I guess I _was_ getting a little too excited. But I'm sure I'm right. Here's the paper I brought from Mars to prove it, and the only thingthere's any doubt about is whether or not Reonaris means diamonds. I'llask----"

At that moment the door of the library, in which Jack and Mark wereseated, was cautiously opened, and a black, woolly head was thrust in. Then two widely-opened eyes gazed at the boys. 

"What's the matter, Washington?" asked Jack, with a laugh. 

"'Scuse me, Massa Jack, " answered the colored man, "but did I done heahyou' to promulgate some conversationess regarding de transmigatorabilityob diamonds?"

"Do you mean, were we talking about diamonds?" inquired Mark. 

"Dat's what I done said, Massa Mark. "

"No, you _didn't_ say it, but you meant it, I guess, " went on Jack. "Yes, we _were_ talking about diamonds, Washington. I know a placethat's full of them. "

"Where?" inquired the colored man, thrusting his head farther into theroom, and opening his eyes to their fullest extent. "Ef it ain'tviolatin' no confidences, Massa Jack, would yo' jest kindly mention itto yo's truly, " and Professor Henderson's faithful servant, who hadfollowed him into many dangers, looked at the two boys, who, of lateyears, had shared the labors of the well-known scientist. "Where amdose diamonds, Massa Jack?"

"On the moon, " was the answer. 

"On de moon? Ha! Ha! Dat's a joke!" And Washington began to laugh. "Onde moon! Ha! Ho!"

"Well, you can read it for yourself, " went on the lad, tossing thepaper over to the colored man. The latter picked it up, gazed at it, first from one side, and then from the other. Next he turned it upsidedown, but, as this did not make the article any clearer, he turned thepaper back again. Then he remarked, with a puzzled air:

"Well, I neber could read without mah glasses, Massa Jack, so I guessI'll hab t' let it go until annoder time. Diamonds on de moon, eh?Dat's wonderful! I wonder what dey'll be doin' next? But I'se got t'go. Diamonds on de moon, eh? Diamonds on de moon!"

As Washington turned to leave the room, for he had entered it when Jackand Mark were talking to aim, the latter lad asked:

"Did you want to see us about anything particular, Wash?"

"Why, I suah did, " was the reply, "I did come t' tell yo' dat PerfesserHenderson would be pleased to hold some conversations wid yo', but whenMassa Jack done mentioned about dem diamonds, I clean fo'got it. Diamonds on de moon, eh?"

"Well, if the professor wants us we'd better go, " suggested Mark. "Comeon, Jack, and stop dreaming about Reonaris and the moonbeams. Get backto earth. "

"All right; laugh if you want to, " said Jack sturdily, "but the timewill come, Mark, when you'll find out that I'm right. "

"How?" asked Mark. 

"I don't know, but I'm sure I can prove what I say. "

The two boys were to have the wonderful diamond story demonstrated tothem sooner than either expected. Following the colored man, the lads, Jack carrying the paper, made their way to the laboratory of ProfessorHenderson. His door was open, and the aged man, whose hair and beardwere now white with age, was bending over a table covered with papers, chemical apparatus, test tubes, alembecs, Bunsen burners, globes, andvarious pieces of apparatus. Another man, not quite so old as was Mr. Henderson, was on the point of leaving the apartment. 

"Ah, boys, " remarked the older professor, as he caught sight of them, "I hope I didn't disturb you by sending for you. "

"No; Jack and I were only having a red-hot discussion about diamonds onthe moon, " said Mark, with a laugh. 

"Diamonds on the moon!" exclaimed Professor Henderson. 

"Diamonds on the moon?" repeated his friend, Prof. Santell Roumann. "Isthis a joke, boys?"

"Mark thinks so, but I don't!" cried Jack, enthusiastically. "Lookhere, Professor Henderson, and also Mr. Roumann. Here is one of thenewspapers that we brought back with us in our projectile, the_Annihilator_, after our trip to Mars. I have been translating some ofthe articles in it, and to-night I came across one that told of a tripmade by some of the inhabitants of Mars to the moon, in a sort ofprojectile, like ours, only more on the design of an aeroplane. 

"They landed on the moon, the article states, and found a big field, ordeposit, of Reonaris, which I claim are diamonds. Mark says I'm wrong, but, Professor Henderson, isn't Reonaris to the Martians what diamondsare to us?"

"It certainly is, " agreed the older scientist, and he looked forconfirmation to his scholarly companion. 

"Reonaris is substantially a diamond, " said Professor Roumann. "It hasthe same chemical constitution, and also the diamond's hardness andbrilliancy. But I don't understand how any diamonds can be on themoon. "

"You can read this for yourself, " suggested Jack, passing over thepaper, which was one of some souvenirs brought back from what was thelongest journey on record, ever taken by human beings. 

Mr. Roumann adjusted his glasses, and carefully read the article thatwas printed in such strange characters. As he perused it, he nodded hishead thoughtfully from time to time. Then he passed the paper toProfessor Henderson. 

The older scientist was somewhat longer in going over the article, butwhen he had finished, he looked at the two boys, and said: "Jack isright! This is an account of a trip made to the moon by some of theMartians, who have advanced much further in the art of air navigationthan have we. Some of the words I am not altogether familiar with, butin the main, that is what the paper states. "

"And doesn't it tell about them finding a field of Reonaris?" askedJack eagerly, for he was anxious to prove to his chum that he wasright. 

"Yes, it does, " replied Mr. Henderson. 

"And Reonaris is diamonds, isn't it?" asked Jack. 

"It is, " answered Professor Roumann gravely. 

"Then, " cried Jack, "what's to hinder us from going to the moon, andgetting some of those diamonds? The Martians must have left some! Let'sgo to the moon and get them! We can do it in the projectile with whichwe made the journey to Mars. Let's start for the moon!"

For a moment there was silence in the laboratory of the scientist. Itwas broken by Washington White, who remarked:

"Good land a' massy! Annodder ob dem trips through de air! Well, Iain't goin' to no moon--no sah!! Ef I went dere, I'd suah get looney, an' I has troubles enough now wid'out dat, I suah has!" And, shakinghis head dubiously, the colored man shuffled from the room. 

CHAPTER II

SOMETHING ABOUT OUR HEROES

"Are you in earnest in proposing this trip?" asked Professor Hendersonof Jack. The lad, with flushed face and bright eyes, stood in thecentre of the apartment, holding the paper which the aged scientist hadreturned to him. 

"I certainly am, " was the reply. "It ought not to be a difficultundertaking, after our trip to the North Pole through the air, the oneto the South Pole under water, our journey to the centre of the earth, and our flight to Mars. Why, a trip to the moon ought to be a littlepleasure jaunt, like an automobile tour. Can't we go, Professor?"

"From the standpoint of possibility, I presume we could make a trip tothe moon, " the scientist admitted. "It would not take so long, norwould it be as dangerous, as was our trip to Mars. And yet, I don'tknow that I care to go. I am getting along in years, and I have moneyenough to live on. Even a field of diamonds hardly sounds attractive tome. " Jack's face showed the disappointment he felt. 

"And yet, " went on the aged scientist with a smile, "there are certainattractions about another trip through space. I had hoped to settledown in life now, and devote my time to scientific study and thewriting of books. But this is something new. We never have been to themoon, and----"

"There are lots of problems about it that are still unsolved!" criedJack eagerly. "You will be able to discover if the moon has anatmosphere and moisture; and also what the other side--the one that isalways turned away from us--looks like. "

"It does sound tempting, " went on the aged scientist slowly. "And wecould do it in our projectile, the _Annihilator_. It is in good workingorder; isn't it, Professor Roumann?"

"Couldn't be better. If you ask me, I, for one, would like to make atrip to the moon. It would give me a better chance to test the powersof Cardite, that wonderful red substance we brought from Mars. I canuse that in the Etherium motor. If you left it to me, I'd say, 'go tothe moon. '"

"Well, perhaps we will, " spoke Mr. Henderson thoughtfully. 

"You'll go, too, won't you, Mark?" asked Jack. 

"Oh, I'm not going to be left behind. I'll go if the rest do, but Idon't believe you'll find any diamonds on the moon. If there ever wereany, the Martians took them. " For Mark had been partly convinced afterthe confirmation by the two professors of Jack's translation. 

"I'll take a chance on the sparklers, " said his chum. "But now, let'sgo into details, and figure out when we can start. It ought not to takevery long to get ready. "

As has been explained in detail in the other books of this series, Professor Amos Henderson and the two lads, Mark Sampson and JackDarrow, had undertaken many strange voyages together. Sometimes theywere accompanied by friends and assistants, while Washington White, asort of servant, helper, and man-of-all-work, and Andy Sudds, an oldhunter, always went with them. 

Mark and Jack were orphans, who had been adopted by ProfessorHenderson, who spent all his time making wonderful machines fortransportation, or conducting strange experiments. 

The two boys had been rescued by Professor Henderson and WashingtonWhite from a train wreck. Although both boys were badly hurt, they werenursed back to health by the eminent scientist, who soon learned tocare for the lads as though they had been his own sons. 

They aided the professor, as soon as they were able, in constructing anairship, called the _Electric Monarch_, in which Professor Hendersonhoped to be able to reach the North Pole. The boys thoroughly enjoyedthe trip through the air, and had many thrills fighting the savageEskimos. Finally, they succeeded in passing over the exact spot of theNorth Pole during a violent snowstorm. 

Not satisfied with their experiences after conquering the North, theadventurers set out for the Antarctic regions in a submarine boat. Thistrip, even more remarkable than the first, took them to many strangeplaces in the South Atlantic. They were trapped for a time in theSargasso Sea, and they walked on the ocean floor in new diving suits, one of the professor's marvelous inventions. 

It was on the voyage to the south that, coming to the surface one day, the adventurers saw a strange island in the Atlantic Ocean, far fromthe coast of South America. On it was a great whirlpool, into which the_Porpoise_, their submarine boat, was nearly drawn by the powerfulsuction. 

The chasm might lead to the center of the earth, it was suggested, and, after thinking the matter over, on their return from the Antarctic, Professor Henderson decided to build a craft in which they might solvethe mystery. 

The details of the voyage they took in the _Flying Mermaid_, are toldof in the third volume, entitled "Five Thousand Miles Underground. " The_Mermaid_ could sail on the water, or float in the air like a balloon. In this craft the travellers descended into the centre of the earth, and had many wonderful adventures. They nearly lost their lives, andhad to escape, after running through danger of the spouting water, leaving their craft behind. 

For some time they undertook no further voyages, and the two boys, wholived with Professor Henderson in a small town on the coast of Maine, were sent to attend the Universal Electrical and Chemical College. Washington remained at home to minister to the wants of the oldprofessor, and Andy Sudds went off on occasional hunting trips. 

But the spirit of adventure was still strong in the hearts of the boysand the professor. One day, in the midst of some risky experiments atcollege, Jack and Mark, as related in "Through Space to Mars, " receiveda telegram from Professor Henderson, calling them home. 

There they found their friend entertaining as a guest Professor SantellRoumann, who was almost as celebrated as was Mr. Henderson, in thematter of inventions. 

Professor Roumann made a strange proposition. He said if the oldscientist and his young friends would build the proper kind of aprojectile, they could make a trip to the planet Mars, by means of awonderful motor, operated by a power called Etherium, of which Mr. Roumann held the secret. 

After some discussion, the projectile, called the _Annihilator_, fromthe fact that it annihilated space, was begun. It was two hundred feetlong, ten feet in diameter in the middle, and shaped like a cigar. Itconsisted of a double shell of strong metal, with a non-conducting gasbetween the two sides. 

Within it were various machines, besides the Etherium motor, whichwould send the projectile along at the rate of one hundred miles asecond. This great speed was necessary in order to reach the planetMars, which, at the time our friends started for it, was about thirty-five millions of miles away from this earth. It has since receded somedistance farther than this. 

Finally all was in readiness for the start to Mars. Professor Roumannwanted to prove that the planet was inhabited, and he also wanted toget some of a peculiar substance, which he believed gave the planet itsrosy hue. He had an idea that it would prove of great value. 

But, though every precaution was taken, the adventurers were not to getaway from the earth safely. Almost at the last minute, a crazymachinist, named Fred Axtell, who was refused work on the projectile, tried to blow it up with a bomb. He partly succeeded, but the damagewas repaired, and the start made. 

Inside the projectile our friends shut themselves up, and the powerfulmotors were started. Off it shot, at the rate of one hundred miles asecond, but the travellers were as comfortable as in a Pullman car. They had plenty to eat and drink, they manufactured their own air andwater, and they slept when they so desired. 

But Axtell, the crazy machinist, had hidden himself aboard, and, inmid-air, he tried to wreck the projectile. He was caught, and locked upin a spare room, but, when Mars was reached, he escaped. 

The book tells how our friends were welcomed by the Martians, how theylearned the language, saw many strange sights, and finally got on thetrack of the Cardite, or red substance, which the German professor, Mr. Roumann, had come so far to seek. This Cardite was capable of greatforce, and, properly controlled, could move great weights and operatepowerful machinery. 

Our friends wanted to take some back to earth with them, but when theyattempted to store it in their projectile, they met with objections, for the Martians did not want them to take any. They had considerabletrouble, and the crazy machinist led an attack of the soldiers of thered planet against our friends, the adventurers in the projectile. 

Among the other curiosities brought away by our friends, was anewspaper printed in Mars, for the inhabitants of that place where muchfurther advanced along certain lines than we are on this earth, but inthe matter of newspapers they had little to boast of, save that thesheets were printed by wireless electricity, no presses being needed. 

As told at the opening of this story, Jack had noticed on one of thesheets they brought back, an account of how some of the Martians made atrip to the moon, and discovered a field of Reonaris. This trip wasmade shortly before our friends made their hasty departure, and it wasundertaken by some Martian adventurers on another part of the redplanet than where the projectile landed, and so Professor Henderson andhis friends did not hear of it at the time. 

"Well, then, suppose we make the attempt to go to the moon, " saidProfessor Roumann, after a long discussion in the laboratory. "It willnot take long to get ready. "

"I'd like to go, " said Jack. "How about you, Professor Henderson? Oh, by the way, Washington said you wanted to see Mark and me, but I was sointerested in this news item, that I forgot to ask what it as about. "

"I merely wanted to inquire when you and Mark thought of resuming yourstudies at college, " said the aged man, "but, since this matter hascome up, it will be just as well if you do not arrange to resume yourlessons right away. "

"We can study while making the trip to the moon, " suggested Mark. 

"Not much, " declared Jack, with a laugh. "There'll be too much to see. "

"Well, we'll discuss that later, " went on Mr. Henderson. "Practicallyspeaking, I think the voyage can be made, and, the more I think of it, the better I like the idea. We will look over the projectile in themorning, and see what needs to be done to it to get it ready foranother trip through space. "

"Not much will have to be done, I fancy, " remarked the Germanscientist. "But I want to make a few improvements in the Cardite motor, which I will use in place of the Etherium one, that took us to Mars. "

A little later there came a knock on the rear door of the rambling oldhouse where the professor lived and did much of his experimental work. 

"I'll go, " volunteered Jack, and when he opened the portal there stoodon the threshold a small boy, Dick Johnson, one of the village lads. 

"What is it you want, Dick?" asked Mark. 

"Here's a note for you, " went on the boy, passing over a slip of paper. "I met a man down the road, and he gave me a quarter to bring it here. He said it was very important, and he's waiting for you down by thewhite bridge over the creek. "

"Waiting for who?" asked Jack. 

"For Mark, I guess; but I don't know. Anyhow, the note's for him. "

"Hum! This is rather strange, " mused Mark. 

"What is it?" asked Jack. 

"Why, this note. It says: 'It is important that I see you. I will waitfor you at the white bridge. ' That's all there is to it. "

"No name signed?" asked Jack. 

"Not a name. But I'll just take a run down and see what it is. I'll notbe long. Much obliged, Dick. "

The boy who had brought the note turned to leave the house, and Markprepared to follow. Jack said:

"Let me see that note. "

He scanned it closely, and, as Mark was getting on his hat and coat, for the night was chilly, his chum went on:

"Mark, if I didn't know, that we had left Axtell, the crazy machinist, up on Mars, I'd say that this was his writing. But, of course, it'simpossible. "

"Of course--impossible, " agreed Mark. 

"But, there's one thing, though, " continued Jack. 

"What's that?" asked Mark. 

"I don't like the idea of you going off alone in the dark, to meet aman who doesn't sign his name to the note he wrote. So, if you have noobjections, I'll go with you. No use taking any chances. "

"I don't believe I run any risk, " said Mark, "but I'll be glad of yourcompany. Come along. Maybe it's only a joke. " And the two lads startedoff together in the darkness toward the white bridge. 

CHAPTER III

PREPARING FOR A VOYAGE

"Seems like rather an odd thing; doesn't it?" remarked Jack, as he andhis chum walked along. 

"What?"

"This note. "

"Oh, yes. But what made you think the writing looked like that of thecrazy machinist who tried to wreck the projectile?"

"Because I once saw some of the crazy letters he sent us, and he wrotejust like the man who gave Dick this note. But come on, let's hustle, and see what's up. "

In a few minutes they came in sight of the white bridge, which wasabout a quarter of a mile down the road from the professor's house. Thetwo boys kept well together, and they were watching for a first sightof the man in waiting. 

"See anything?" asked Jack. 

"No; do you?"

"Not a thing. Wait until we get closer. He may be in the shadow. It'sdark now. "

Almost as Jack spoke, the moon, which had been hidden behind a bank ofclouds, peeped out, making the scene comparatively bright. The boyspeered once more toward the bridge, and, as they did so, they saw afigure step from the shadows, stand revealed for an instant in themiddle of the structure, and then, seemingly after a swift glancetoward the approaching chums, the person darted off in the darkness. 

"Did you see that?" cried Jack. 

"Sure, " assented Mark. "Guess he didn't want to wait for us. Why, he'srunning to beat the band!"

"Let's take after him, " suggested Jack, and, nothing loath, Markassented. The two lads broke into a run, but, as they leaped forward, the man also increased his pace, and they could hear his feet poundingout a tattoo on the hard road. 

The two youths reached the bridge, and sped across it. They glancedhastily on either side, thinking possibly the man might have had somecompanions, but no one was in sight, and the stranger himself was nowout of view around a bend in the highway. 

"No use going any farther, " suggested Jack, pulling up at the far sideof the bridge. "There are two roads around the bend, and we couldn'ttell which one he'd take. Besides, it might not be altogether safe torisk it. "

Mark and Jack, on their return, told Professor Henderson and the Germanscientist something of their little excursion. 

"But who could he have been?" asked Mr. Roumann. "Perhaps if you askthe boy who brought the note he can tell you. "

"We'll do it in the morning, " decided Mark. 

"It's peculiar that he wanted Mark to meet him, " spoke Amos Henderson. "Have you any enemies that you know of, Mark?"

"Not a one. But what makes you think this man was an enemy, Professor?"

"From the fact that he ran when he saw you and Jack together. Evidentlyhe expected to get Mark out alone. "

They discussed the matter for some time, and then the boys and thescientists retired to bed, ready to begin active preparations on themorrow, for their trip to the moon. 

There was much to be done, but their experience in making otherwonderful trips, particularly the one to Mars, stood the travellers ingood stead. They knew just how to go to work. 

To Washington was entrusted the task of preparing the food supply, since he was to act as cook. Andy Sudds was instructed to look afterthe clothing and other supplies, except those of a scientific nature, while the two young men were to act as general helpers to the twoprofessors. 

As the _Annihilator_ has been fully described in the volume entitled, "Through Space to Mars, " there is no need to dwell at any length on theconstruction of the projectile in which our friends hoped to travel tothe moon. Sufficient to say that it was a sort of enclosed airship, capable of travelling through space--that is, air or ether--at enormousspeed, that there were contained within it many complicated machines, some for operating the projectile, some for offence or defence againstenemies, such as electric guns, apparatus for making air or water, andscores of scientific instruments. 

The _Annihilator_ was controlled either from the engine room, or from apilot house forward. As for the motive power it was, for the trip tothe moon, to be of that wonderful Martian substance, Cardite, whichwould operate the motors. 

The projectile moved through space by the throwing off of waves ofenergy, similar to wireless vibrations, from large plates of metal, andthese plates were the invention of Professor Roumann. 

Perhaps to some of my readers it may seem strange to speak so casuallyof a trip to the moon, but it must be remembered that our friends hadalready accomplished a much more difficult journey, namely, that toMars. So the moon voyage was not to daunt them. 

Mars, as I have said, was thirty-five millions of miles away from theearth when the _Annihilator_ was headed toward it. To reach the moon, however, but 252, 972 miles, at the most, must be traversed--a littlemore than a quarter of a million miles. As the distance from the earthto the moon varies, being between the figures I have named, and 221, 614miles, with the average distance computed as being 238, 840 miles, itcan readily be seen that at no time was the voyage to be considered ascomparing in distance with the one to Mars. 

But there were other matters to be taken into consideration, and ourfriends began to ponder on them in the days during which they madetheir preparations. 

CHAPTER IV

AN ACCIDENT

Washington White was kept busy getting together the food for thevoyage, and he had about completed his task, while Andy Sudds announcedone morning that his department was ready for inspection, and that hethought he would go hunting until the projectile was ready to start. 

"Well, if you see anything of that queer man who sent me the note, justask him what he meant by it, " suggested Mark, for inquiry from the boywho had brought the message, developed the fact that Dick did not knowthe man, nor had he ever seen him before. He was a stranger in theneighborhood. But, as nothing more resulted from it, the two lads gavethe matter no further thought. 

"How soon before we will be ready to start?" asked Jack one day, whilehe and his chum, with the two professors, were working over theprojectile, which was soon to be shot through space. 

"In about two weeks, " replied Mr. Roumann. "I want to make a fewchanges in the Cardite plates, which will replace the ones used on theEtherium motor. Then I want to test them, and, if I find that they workall right, as I hope, we will seal ourselves up in the _Annihilator_, and start for the moon. "

"Are you going to try to go around it, and land on the side turned awayfrom us?" asked Mark, who had been studying astronomy lately. 

"What do you mean by that?" asked Jack. "Doesn't the moon turn around?"

"Not as the earth does, " replied his chum; "or, rather, to be moreexact, it rotates exactly as the earth does, on its axis; but, in doingthis it occupies precisely the same time that it takes to make arevolution about our planet. So that, in the long run, to quote from myastronomy, it keeps the same side always toward the earth; and today, or, to be more correct, each night that the moon is visible, we see thesame face and aspect that Galileo did when he first looked at itthrough his telescope, and, unless something happens, the same thingwill continue for thousands of years. "

"Then we've never seen the other side of the moon?" asked Jack. 

"Never; and that's why I wondered if the professor was going to attemptto reach it. Perhaps there are people there, and air and water, for itis practically certain that there is neither moisture nor atmosphere onthis side of Luna. "

"Wow! Then maybe we'd better not go, " said Jack, with a shiver. "Whatwill we do, if we get thirsty?"

"Oh, I guess we can manage, with all the apparatus we have, to distillenough water, " said Professor Henderson, with a smile. "Then, too, wewill take plenty with us, and, of course, tanks of oxygen to breathe. But it will be interesting to see if there are people on the moon. "

"If there are any, they must have a queer time, " went on Mark. 

"Why?" asked Jack, who wasn't very fond of study. 

"Why? Because the moon is only about one forty-ninth the size of theearth. Its diameter is 2, 163 miles--only a quarter of the earth's--and, comparing the force of gravity, ours is much greater. A body thatweighs six pounds on the earth, would weigh only one pound on the moon, and a man on the moon could jump six times as high as he can on thisearth, and throw a stone six times as far. "

"What's dat?" inquired Washington White quickly, nearly dropping somepackages he was carrying into the projectile. "What was yo' pleased t'saggasiate, in remarkin' concernin' de untranquility ob the densitynessob stones jumpin' ober a man what is six times high?" he asked. 

"Do you mean what did I say?" asked Mark solemnly. 

"Dat's what I done asked yo', " spoke the colored man gravely. 

"Well, you didn't, but perhaps you meant to, " went on the youth, and herepeated his remarks. 

"'Scuse me, I guess I'd better not go on dish yeah trip after all, "came from Washington. 

"Why not?" demanded Professor Henderson. 

"'Cause I ain't goin' t' no place whar ef yo' wants t' take a littlejump yo' has t' go six times as far as yo' does when yo' is on dis yeahearth. An' s'posin' some ob dem moon men takes a notion t' throw astone at me? Whar'll I be, when a stone goes six times as far as itdoes on heah? No, sah, I ain't goin'!"

"But perhaps there are no men on the moon, " said Mark quickly. "It isonly a theory of astronomers that I'm talking about. "

"Oh, only a theory; eh?" asked Washington quickly. 

"That's all. "

"Oh, if it's only a theory, den I reckons it's all right, " came fromthe colored man. "I didn't know it were a theory. Dat makes it allright. It's jest in theory, am it, Massa Mark, dat a stone goes sixtimes as far?"

"That's all. "

"Oh, well, den, why didn't yo' say so fust, dat it was only a theory? Idon't mind theories. I--I used t' eat 'em boiled an' roasted befo' dewah. " And, with a contented smile on his face, Washington went into theprojectile, to finish stowing things away in his kitchen lockers. 

The big projectile was housed in the shed where it had beenconstructed, and the professor and the boys were working over it there, carefully guarded from curious eyes, for the German inventor did notwant the secret of his Cardite motor to become known. 

The work went on from day to day, good progress being made. The boyswere of great assistance, for they were practical mechanics, and hadhad considerable experience. 

"Well, I shall try the Cardite motor to-morrow, " announced ProfessorRoumann one night, after a hard day's work on the projectile. 

"Do you think it will work?" asked Mr. Henderson. 

"I think so, yes. My experiments have made me hopeful. "

"And if it does work, when can we start?" asked Jack. 

"Two days later; that is, if everything else is in readiness, the foodand other, supplies on board. "

"They are all ready to be stowed away, " said Andy Sudds, who had beenhunting all day. 

It was an anxious assemblage that gathered inside the big shed the nextday, to watch Professor Roumann try the Cardite motor. Would it work aswell as had the Etherium one? Would it send them along through space atenormous speed? True, they would not have to travel so far, nor sofast, but more power would be needed, since, as it was feared no food, water, nor air could be had on the moon, many more supplies were to betaken along than on the trip to Mars, and this made the projectileheavier. 

"We will test the Cardite in this small motor first, " said Mr. Roumann, as he pointed to a machine in the projectile used for winding a cablearound a windlass when there was necessity for hauling the _Annihilator_about, without sending it into the air. 

Into the receptacle of the motor, the German professor placed some ofthe wonderful red substance he had secured from Mars. Then he closedthe heavy metal box that held it, and, looking about to see if all wasin readiness, he motioned to those watching him that he was about toshift the lever that would start the motor. 

"If it works as well as I hope it will, " he said, "it ought to pull theprojectile slowly across the shop--a task that would be impossible in amotor of this size, if operated by electricity, gasoline, or any otherforce at present in use. And, if this small motor will do that, I knowthe large ones will send us through space to the moon. All ready, now. "

Slowly the professor shoved over the lever, while Jack, Mark and theothers watched him carefully. They were standing back of him, in theengine room of the projectile. 

There was a clicking sound as the lever snapped into place. This wassucceeded by a buzzing hum, as the motor began to absorb the greatpower from the red substance, which was not unlike radium in itsaction. There was a trembling to the great projectile. 

"She's moving!" cried Jack. 

Hardly had he spoken when there was a flash of red fire, a sound as ofa bursting bomb, and everyone was knocked from his feet, over backward, while Professor Roumann was hurled the entire length of the engineroom. 

"The Cardite motor has exploded!" cried Mark. "Professor Roumann iskilled!"

CHAPTER V

THE WORK OF AN ENEMY

Jack's first act, on arising from amid a mass of tools, into which hehad been tossed by the explosion, was to run to where Professor Roumannlay in a semi-conscious condition. An instant later Mark slowly arose, and made his way to where Professor Henderson was rubbing his foreheadin a dazed fashion. 

"Are you hurt?" asked Mark, of his aged friend. 

"I think not, " answered Mr. Henderson slowly, "but I fear Mr. Roumannis. See to him; I'm all right. "

"He's breathing, " cried Jack, who had bent over the German. "He isn'tdead, at any rate. "

"But he may be, unless he gets attention, " said Professor Henderson. "Get my medicine chest, Mark, and we'll see what we can do for him. "

Jack had raised the head of the injured man on his arm, and was givinghim some water from a glass. This partially revived the German, and heopened his eyes. He looked around, into the faces of his friends, as ifscarcely comprehending what had happened, and then, as his gazewandered toward the disabled Cardite motor, he exclaimed:

"Some enemy has done this! The motor was tampered with. The resistanceblock was loosened, and that caused the force of the Cardite to shootout at the rear. We must watch out for the work of this enemy!"

"Don't distress yourself about that now, " urged Mr. Henderson. "Are youbadly hurt? Do you need a doctor?"

The German slowly drank the rest of the water which Jack gave him, andthen gradually arose to a standing position. 

"I am all right, " he said faintly, "except that I feel a trifle dizzy. Something hit me on the head, and the fumes from the Cardite took awaymy breath for a moment. I think I shall be all right soon. "

"Here is the medicine chest!" exclaimed Mark, coming back into theengine room. Mr. Henderson poured out some aromatic spirits of ammoniainto a graduated glass, added a little water, and gave it to hisfellow, inventor, who, after drinking it, declared that he felt muchbetter. There was a cut on his forehead, where a piece of the brokenmotor had struck him, but, otherwise, he did not seem injuredexternally. 

As for the boys, they were only stunned, nor was Mr. Henderson morethan momentarily shocked. In a few minutes the German professor wasalmost himself again. 

"We must try to discover who our enemy is, " he said earnestly, as helooked over the disabled motor. "He might have blown up the wholeprojectile by tampering as he did with the machinery. Had I beentesting the large, instead of the small motor, there would have beennothing left of the _Annihilator_, or us, either. Who could have donethis? If that crazy machinist is around again----"

"I don't believe he could get here from Mars, " interrupted Jack, with asmile. 

"Hardly, " added Mark. 

"No, I guess he is still on the Red Planet, so it couldn't have beenhim, " went on Mr. Roumann. "But it was some one. "

Jack and Mark at once thought of the odd man who had sent Mark thenote, and then had run away. 

"Could it have been him?" suggested Jack. 

"It's possible, " remarked Professor Henderson. "We must be on ourguard. I wonder if Washington----"

At that moment there sounded a violent pounding on the exterior of theprojectile, and the voice of the colored man could be heard calling:

"Am anything de mattah? Andy Sudds an' I is out heah, an' we heardsuffin goin' on in dere. Am anybody hurted?"

"It's all over now, Wash, " replied Jack, for the two boys, and the twoprofessors, had shut themselves up in the projectile while theyconducted the experiment. Jack opened the door of the _Annihilator_and stepped out, being met by the colored man and the old hunter. 

"You haven't seen any suspicious characters around, have you, Wash?"asked Mark. "Some one has been tampering with a motor, and itexploded. "

"Nobody's been around since I've been here, " announced Andy Sudds, witha significant glance at his gun. 

"Maybe it's some ob dem moon-men, what don't laik de idea ob us goin'dere arter dere diamonds, " volunteered the colored man. 

"Perhaps, " admitted Jack, with a smile. "But certainly some one hasbeen around here who had no business to be, and we must find out who itwas. Better take a look around, Wash. "

"I'll help him, " said Andy, and, with his rifle in readiness for anyintruders, the old hunter followed the colored man outside the bigshed. 

Meanwhile Professor Roumann and Mr. Henderson were carefully examiningthe exploded motor. 

"I should have looked at the breech plug before turning on the power, "said the German, "but I had no reason to suspect that anything waswrong. " He went on to explain that the explosion was something likethat which occurs when the breech-block of a big navy gun is notproperly in place. The force of the Cardite, instead of being directedagainst the piston-heads of the motor, shot out backward, and almostinto the face of the professor, who was operating the machine. 

"But what could be their object?" asked Mark. "Who would want to injureus, or damage the projectile?"

"Some enemy, of course, " declared Jack. "But who? The crazy machinistis out of it, and as for that man who sent the note to you, he seemedtoo big a coward to attempt anything like this. "

"Some one evidently sneaked in here and loosened the breech-plug, " wenton Mark, "and it was evidently done with the idea of delaying us. Theenemy could not have desired to utterly disable the projectile, or elsehe would have tampered with the large motor, instead of the small one. "

"Yes, the object seems to have been to delay us, " admitted ProfessorHenderson; "yet, I can't understand why. Whoever did it evidently knowssomething about machinery. "

"I hope they did not discover the secret of my Cardite motor, " saidProfessor Roumann quickly. 

"They hardly had time, " declared Mark. "We have been in or around theprojectile nearly every minute of the day, and whoever it was, musthave watched his chance, slipped in, stayed a few seconds, and thenslipped out again. "

They went carefully over the entire projectile, but could find nofurther damage done. Nor were there any traces of the person who had sonearly caused a tragedy. Washington and Andy, after a careful searchoutside the shed, had to admit that they had no clews. 

"Well, the only thing to do is to go to work and build a new smallmotor, " announced Professor Roumann, after once more looking over the_debris_ of the one that had exploded. 

"Will it take long?" asked Jack. 

"About two weeks. Fortunately, I can use some of the parts of this one, or we would be delayed longer. "

"Still two weeks is quite a while, " suggested Mark. "Perhaps there'llbe no diamonds left on the moon when we get there, Jack, " and he smiledjokingly. 

"Oh, I fancy there will. The article in the paper from Mars says therewas a whole field of them. "

"This brings up another matter, " said Professor Henderson. "What willhappen if we bring back bushels and bushels of diamonds?--which, inview of what the paper says, may be possible. We will swamp the market, and the value of diamonds will drop. "

"Then we must not throw them upon the market, " decided ProfessorRoumann. "The scarcity of an article determines its value. If we dofind plenty of diamonds, it will give me a chance to conduct someexperiments I have long postponed because of a lack of the preciousstones. We can use them for laboratory purposes, and need not sellthem. In fact, with the Cardite we brought back from Mars, we have nolack of money, so we really do not need the diamonds. "

It was decided, in view of the shock and upset caused by the explosion, that no further work would be done that day, and so, after carefullylocking the shed, and posting Andy on guard with his gun, the boys andthe professor went into the house to discuss matters, and plan for workthe next day. 

"Mark, " said Jack in a low voice, as they followed the two scientists, "I think it's up to us to try to find that mysterious man who sent thenote. I think he did this mean trick!"

"So do I, and we'll have a hunt for him. Let's go now. "

CHAPTER VI

ON THE TRACK

The two boys gazed after Professors Henderson and Roumann. Thescientists were deep in a discussion of various technical matters, which discussion, it was evident, made them oblivious to everythingelse. 

"Shall we ask them?" inquired Jack in a whisper. 

"No; what's the use?" queried Mark. "Let's go off by ourselves, andperhaps we can discover something. If we could once get on the trail ofthe man who wrote the note, I think we could put our hands on theperson responsible for the blowing up of the motor. "

"I agree with you. We won't bother them about our plans, " and he wavedhis hand toward the scientists, who had, by this time, entered thehouse. 

"In the first place, " said Mark, as he and his chum turned from theyard, and walked along a quiet country road, "I think our best planwill be to find Dick Johnson, and ask him just where it was he met theman who gave him a quarter to bring the note to me. "

"What for?" asked Jack. 

"Why, then, we can tell where to start from. Perhaps Dick can give us adescription of the man, or tell from what direction he came. Then we'llknow how to begin on the trail. "

"That's a good idea, I guess. We know where he disappeared to, or, rather, in nearly what direction, so that will help some. "

"Sure. Well, then, let's find Dick. "

To the inquiries of the two lads from the projectile, Dick Johnsonreplied that, as he had asserted once before, that the man was astranger to him. 

"He was tall, and had a big black mustache, " Dick described, "but hekept his hat pulled down over his eyes, so I couldn't see his face verywell. Anyhow, it was dark when I met him. "

"Where did you meet him?" asked Mark. 

"Not far from your house. He was standing on the corner, where you turndown to go to the woollen mill, and, as I passed him, he asked me if Iwanted to earn a quarter. "

"Of course you said you did, " suggested Jack. 

"Sure, " replied Dick. "Then he gave me the note, and told me where totake it, and I did. That wasn't wrong, was it?"

"No; only there seems to be something queer about the man, and we wantto find out what it is, " replied Mark. 

"What was the man doing when you saw him?" asked Jack. 

"Standing, and sort of looking toward your house. "

"Looking toward our house?" repeated Jack. "Was he anywhere near thebig shed where we build the machines?"

"Well, I couldn't say. Maybe he might have been. "

"I guess that's all you can tell us, " put in Mark, with a glance at hischum, to warn him not to go too much into details with Dick, for theydid not want it known that some enemy had tried to wreck theprojectile. 

"Yes, I can't tell you any more, " admitted the small lad. 

"Well, here's a quarter for what you did tell us, " said Jack, "and ifyou see that man again, and he gives you a note for us, just keep youreye on him, watch where he goes, and tell us. Then you will get a half-dollar. "

"Gee! I'll be on the watch, " promised Dick, his eyes shining at theprospect of so much money. 

"Come on, " suggested Jack to his chum, after the small chap haddeparted. "Let's go down by the white bridge and make some inquiries ofpeople living in that vicinity. They may have seen a stranger hangingaround, and, perhaps we can get on his trail that way. "

"All right, " agreed Mark, and they walked on together. 

They had gone quite a distance away from the bridge, and had madeseveral inquiries, but had met with no success, and they were about togive up and go back home. 

"I know one person we haven't inquired of yet, " said Mark, as theytramped along. 

"Who's that?"

"Old Bascomb, who lives alone in a shack on the edge of the creek. Youknow the old codger who traps muskrats. "

"Oh, sure; but I don't believe he'd know anything. If he did, he's socranky he wouldn't tell you. "

"Maybe he would, if we gave him a little money for some smokingtobacco. It's worth trying, anyhow. Bascomb goes around a great deal, and he may have met a strange man in his travels. "

"Well, go ahead; we'll ask him. "

The muskrat trapper did not prove to be in a very pleasant frame ofmind, but, after Mark had given him a quarter, Bascomb consented toanswer a few questions. The boys told him about looking for a strangeman, describing him as best they could, though they did not tell whythey wanted to find him. 

"Wa'al, now, I shouldn't be surprised but what I know the very fellowyou want, " said the trapper. "I met him a couple of days back, an' Ithink he's still hanging around. Fust I thought he was after some of mytraps, but when I found he wa'ant, I didn't pay no more attention tohim. He looked jest like you say. "

"Where was he?" asked Jack eagerly. 

"Walkin' along the creek, sort of absent-minded like. "

"You don't know where he lives, or whether he is staying in thisvicinity, do you?" inquired Mark. 

"Ya'as, I think I do, " replied the trapper. 

"Where?" cried Jack eagerly. 

"Wa'al, you know the old Preakness homestead, down by the bend of thecreek, about four mile below here?"

"Sure we know it, " answered Mark. "We used to go in swimming not farfrom there. "

"Wa'al, the old house has been deserted now for quite a spell, " went onthe trapper, "and there ain't nobody lived in it but tramps. But theother night, when I was comin' past, with a lot of rats I'd jest takenout of my traps, I see a light in the old house. Thinks I, to myself, that there's more tramps snoozin' in there, and I didn't reckon it wasnone of my business, so I kept on. But jest as I was walking past themain gate, some one come out of the house and hurried away. I had agood look at him, an'----"

"Who was it?" asked Mark impatiently, for the old trapper was a slowtalker. 

"It was the same man you're lookin' for, " declared Bascomb. "I'm sureof it, an' he's hangin' out in the old Preakness house. If you want t'see him, why don't you go there?"

"We will!" cried Jack. "Come on, Mark. I think we're on the trail atlast. "

CHAPTER VII

MARK IS CAPTURED

Eagerly the boys hurried forward, intent on making the best timepossible to the old Preakness homestead, which was a landmark for milesaround, and which, in its day, had been a handsome house and estate. Now it was fallen into ruins, for there was a dispute among the heirs, and the property was in the Chancery Court. 

"Do you think we'll find him there?" asked Mark, as they made their wayalong the dusty highway. "Hard to tell. Yet, if he's hanging out inthis neighborhood, that would be as good a place as any, for him tohide in. "

"I wonder who he can be, anyhow? And how he knows me?"

"Give it up. Evidently he isn't a tramp, though he stays in a placewhere there are plenty of the Knights of the Road. "

The boys increased their pace, and were soon on the main road leadingto the Preakness house, and about a mile away from it. "We'll soon bethere now, " remarked Jack. "Then we'll see if we can find that man. "

As he spoke, the lad put his hand in his pocket, and, a moment later, he uttered a startled cry. 

"What's the matter?" asked Mark, in some alarm. 

"Matter? Why, gee whiz! If I haven't forgotten to send that telegramProfessor Henderson gave me! It's to order some special tools to takealong on our trip to the moon. They didn't come, and the professorwrote out a message urging the factory to hurry the shipment. He gaveit to me to send, just before the accident to the motor, but when thathappened it knocked it out of my mind, I guess. I stuck the telegram inmy pocket, and here it is yet, " and Jack drew forth a crumpled paper. "Wouldn't that make you tired?" he asked. "It's important, and ought togo at once. The professor won't like it. "

"I'll tell you what to do, " suggested Mark, after a moment's thought. "The telegraph office isn't so far away from here. You can cut acrosslots, and be there in fifteen or twenty minutes. Tell 'em to rush themessage, and it may be in time yet. Anyhow, we're going to be delayedbecause of the accident to the motor, so it won't make so muchdifference. But come on, let's start, and we can hurry back. "

"I guess that's the best plan, " remarked Jack dubiously, for he did notfancy a half-hour's tramp across the fields and back again. Then, as hethought of something else, he called out:

"Say, Mark, there's no use of both of us going to the telegraph office. I'll go alone, as it's my fault, and you can stay here, and watch tosee if that strange man appears on the scene. I'll not be long, and youcan wait for me here. "

"How would it be if I went on a little nearer to the Preakness house?"asked Mark. "I can meet you there just as well as here, and somethingmay develop. "

"Good idea! You go on, and when I come back, I'll take the road thatleads through the old slate quarry, and save some time that way. I'llmeet you right near the old barn that stands on the Gilbert property, just before you reach the Preakness grounds. "

"All right; I'll be there, but don't run your legs off. We're out forall day, and there isn't anything that needs to be done at home, oraround the projectile, so take your time. "

"Oh, I'll not go to sleep, " declared Jack. "I want to see if we can'tsolve the mystery of the man who writes such queer notes. "

Jack started off across the fields at a swift pace, while Mark strolledon down the road, in the direction of the old Preakness house. He wasthinking of many things, chiefly of the wonderful journey that laybefore them, and he was wondering what the moon would look like whenthey got to it. 

That it would be a wild, desolate place, he had no doubt, for theevidences of the telescopes of astronomers pointed that way, and, as iswell known, the most powerful instruments can now bring the moon towithin an apparent distance of one hundred miles of the earth. This istrue of the Lick telescope, which has a magnifying power of 2, 500 andan object lens a yard across. 

But, with this powerful telescope, it has been impossible todistinguish any such objects as forests, cities, or any evidences oflife on the moon--that is, on the side that has always been turnedtoward us. 

Almost unconsciously, Mark went on faster than he intended, and, beforehe knew it, he had arrived at the barn where he had promised to waitfor his chum. Mark looked at his watch, and found that he would stillhave some time to linger before he could expect Jack to return. He satdown on a stone beside the fence, and looked about him. The day waswarm for fall, and the last of the crickets were chirping away, while, in distant fields, men could be seen husking corn, or drawing in loadsof yellow pumpkins. 

"I wonder if we'll have pumpkin pie on the moon, " thought Mark. "Though, of course, we won't. I guess all we'll have to eat will bewhat Washington takes along in the projectile--that is, unless we findpeople on the other side of the place. "

He sat on the stone for some minutes longer, and then, tiring of theinactivity, he arose and strolled about. Something seemed to draw himin the direction of the old house, which he knew was just around thebend in the road. 

"I guess there wouldn't be any harm in my going along and taking a peepat it, " mused the lad. "It will be some time before Jack returns, and Imay be able to catch a glimpse of our man. I think I'll go up where Ican see the place, and I can come back in time to meet Jack. I'll doit. Maybe the fellow might escape while I'm waiting. "

Mark thus tried to justify himself for his action in not keeping to hisagreement with his chum. Of course it was not an important matter, Markthought, though the results of his simple action were destined to bemore far-reaching than he imagined. He thought he would be back in timeto meet Jack, and so he strolled on, going more cautiously now, for, ina few minutes he would come in sight of the old, deserted house, and hedid not know what he might find there. 

Mark's first sight of the Preakness homestead was of two old stoneposts, that had once formed a fine gateway. The posts were in ruins, now, and half fallen down, being covered with Virginia creeper, theleaves of which were now a vivid red, mingled with green. 

"Nothing very alarming there, " said Mark, half aloud. He could justcatch a glimpse of the roof of the house over the tops of the trees, which had not yet shed all their leaves. "Guess I'll go on a littlefarther. Maybe our friend, the enemy, is sitting on the front porch, sunning himself. "

Past the old gateway Mark continued, intending to proceed along thehighway until he got directly in front of the old mansion. There, heknew, he would have a good view, unobstructed by trees or shrubbery. 

When the lad got to this place in the road, he paused, and stoopedover, as if tying the lace of his shoe, for it was his intention topass himself off, if possible, as a casual passer-by, so that in casethe mysterious man should be in the house, his suspicions would not bearoused by seeing the youth to whom he had written the note staring inat him. 

And, while he was apparently fussing with his shoe, Mark was narrowlyeying the old house. 

"Not a very inviting place, " thought Mark. "I don't see why any man whocould afford anything better, would stay there--unless he has somestrong motive for lingering in this section. And that's probably whatthis fellow has, and I'd like to discover it. Well, I don't see anysigns of him, so I guess I might as well go back, and wait for Jack. He'll be along soon. "

He stood up, took a good look at the house, and was about to retracehis steps down the highway, when he saw the sagging front door of theold mansion slowly open. It creaked on the rusty hinges, and Markstared with all his might as he saw a man emerge, a man who did notlook like a tramp, for his clothes were of good material and cut, andfit him well. Nor did he wear a stubbly growth of beard, but, on thecontrary, his face was clean shaven. The man was about Mark's size, perhaps a little taller, and nearly as stout. He stood on the saggingporch, and gazed off toward the road. 

"Well, if that's the man Dick Johnson got the note from he's changedmightily in appearance, " thought Mark, as he looked at the fellow. "Heisn't very tall, and he hasn't any black mustache. But of course he mayhave shaved that off, and I suppose in the dark, and when one is in ahurry to earn a quarter, it's hard to say whether a man is tall orshort. I wonder if this can be the person we're looking for?"

Mark hardly knew what to do. He stood in the road, undecided, andfairly stared at the man, who had left the porch, and was walking downthe weed-grown path. He was looking straight at Mark, but if thestranger was the person who had written the note, and if he recognizedthe lad, he gave no sign to that effect. 

"Good afternoon, " said the man, as he paused at the gap in the frontwall, where once a gate had been. "Pleasant day, isn't it. "

"Ye--yes, " stammered Mark, wondering what to say next. 

"Live around here?" went on the man. 

"Not very far off. "

"Ah, then you know this old shack?"

"Well, I don't get over here, very often. Do you live here?" venturedMark boldly, determining to do some questioning on his own account. 

"Me live here?" cried the man, as if indignant "Well, hardly! I wasjust passing, and, happening to see the old place, and having afondness for antiques, I stepped in. But it is in bad shape. I shouldsay tramps make it their hangout. "

"It has that name, " said Mark. 

There was a pause for a moment, and the lad was a trifle embarrassed. The man was gazing boldly at him. 

"I guess I've made a mistake, " thought Mark. "This can't be the man wewant. He doesn't live here, and he doesn't look like him. I'd better begetting back to meet Jack. "

"Are you engaged at anything in particular?" questioned the man takinga few steps nearer the youth. 

"No, I'm not working, but I expect to take a trip, shortly, with somefriends of mine, " answered Mark. 

"Ah, is that so?" and there was polite inquiry in the man's voice. "Areyou going far?"

"Quite a distance. " Mark wondered what the man would say if he told himhe was going to the moon. 

"I wonder if you would do me a favor?" went on the man. "As I waspassing through this old house I saw, on one of the outer doors, anold-fashioned knocker. I am a collector of antiques, and I would verymuch like to have that. But I need help in getting it off. I do notintend to steal it, but if it is left here some tramp may destroy it, and that would be too bad. I intend to remove it, and then hunt up theowners of this place, and purchase it from them. "

"It will be hard to discover who are the owners, " replied Mark, "as thetitle is in dispute. "

"So much the better for me. Will you help me remove the knocker? I willpay you for your time. "

Mark hesitated. He did not like the man's manner, and there was ashifty, uneasy look about his eyes. Still he might be all right. ButMark did not like the idea of going into the old house with him alone. It might be safe, and, again, it might not. But the knocker was on anoutside door. There could be no harm in helping him, as long as it wasoutside. The man saw the hesitation in the lad's manner. 

"It will not take us long, " the stranger said. "I want you to help mepry off the knocker, as I have no screw-driver to remove it. I will payyou well. "

As he spoke he came nearer to Mark, and the lad noticed that the man'sright hand was held behind his back. This struck Mark as rathersuspicious. Suddenly he became aware of a peculiar odor in the air--asweet, sickish odor. He started back in alarm, all his formersuspicions aroused. The man seemed to leap toward him. 

"Look out!" suddenly cried the fellow. "Look behind you!"

Involuntarily Mark turned. He saw nothing alarming. The next instant hefelt himself grasped in the strong arms of the man, and a cloth thatsmelled strongly of the strange, sweetly sickish odor was pressed overthe lad's face. 

"Here! Stop! Let me go! Help! Help!" cried Mark. Then his voice diedout. He felt weak and sick, and sank back, an inert mass in the man'sarms. 

"I guess I've got you this time, " whispered the fellow, as he gazeddown on Mark's white face. "I'll put you where you won't get away, either, " and, picking up the youth, he carried him a prisoner into thedeserted house. 

CHAPTER VIII

JACK IS PUZZLED

Whistling merrily, with his mind as much on the big field of diamondshe expected to discover on the moon, as it was on anything else, JackDarrow crossed over the meadows toward the telegraph office. 

"By Jinks! It certainly will be great to fly through space once more, "he mused. "Of course it isn't much of a trip, only a quarter of amillion miles at most, but it will be a little outing for us, and thenthose diamonds!"

A trip of a quarter of a million miles only a little outing! But thenwhat can be expected of lads who had gone to Mars and back again?

Jack lost no time in reaching the telegraph office, where he left themessage to be sent, urging the operator to "rush" it, which thatofficial promised to do. 

"'Twon't be no great hardship on me, neither, " he said with a cheerfulgrin, "seein' as how this is the only one I've had to send to-day. I'llget it right off for you, Jack. "

Jack meant to hurry back, but, just as he was turning out of the mainvillage street, to cut across lots, and join Mark at the place agreedupon, Jack saw two dogs fighting. It was with the best intentions inthe world that he ran toward them, for he wanted to separate them. However a man was ahead of him, and soon had the two beasts apart. ButJack lingered several moments to see if there would be a renewal of thehostilities. There wasn't, and he hurried on. In a short time he waswithin sight of the barn, where his chum had agreed to meet him. 

"Mark!" cried Jack, when he came within hailing distance. 

There was no response. 

"Maybe he's hiding to fool me, " thought the lad, "I'll give him anothercall. "

Neither was there a reply to this shout, and Jack, with a vague feelingof fear in his heart, hurried forward, climbed the fence that separatedthe field from the highway, and fairly ran toward the barn. 

A glance sufficed to show that Mark was not in sight, and, thinkingthat his chum might be on the other side, Jack went around thestructure. 

"Oh, you Mark!" he called. "I'm back! Let's get a move on and go to theold house. "

Silence was the only answer. 

"That's queer, " murmured Jack, when he had made a circuit of the place, and had seen no sight of his friend. "I wonder if anything could havehappened to him? Perhaps he went inside, and has fallen down the haymow. I'll take a look. "

He made a thorough inspection of the ramshackle old structure, butthere was no evidence that Mark had entered it, and Jack was soon quiteassured that no harm had befallen his friend in there. Then a suddenthought came to him. 

"Why, of course!" he exclaimed aloud. "I should have thought of thatbefore. Mark got tired of waiting, and went on to the Preakness house. I might have known. I'll go on and catch up to him there. "

Jack had reasoned correctly, but he could not know, what had takenplace with only the old, grim, deserted mansion for a witness. With alighter heart he set off down the road. 

It did not take him long, at the pace he kept up, to come within sightof the old gateway, with the creeper twining over the pillars. Then hecaught a glimpse of the house, and he at once slackened his footsteps. 

"No use rushing into this thing, " he reasoned in a whisper. "Mark maybe in hiding, taking an observation of the mysterious man, and I don'twant to spoil it, by butting in. Guess I'll lie low for a while, andsee what develops. "

Crouching down beside some bushes that lined the roadway Jack lookedtoward the silent, tumbled-down house and waited. All was still. Occasionally a shutter flapped in the wind, the hinges creakingdismally, or some of the loose window-panes rattled as the sash wasblown to and fro. It was not a pleasant aspect, and as the afternoonwas waning, and the sun was going down, while a cool wind sprang up, Jack was anything but comfortable in his place of observation. 

And the one objection to it was that there was nothing to observe. Nota sign of life was to be seen about the place, and the broken windows, like so many unblinking eyes, stared out on the fields and road. 

"Oh pshaw!" exclaimed Jack at length, "I'm not going to sit here thisway! I'm going up and take a look. It can't bite me, and if that man'sin there I can give him some sort of a talk that will make it look allright. I'm going closer. Maybe Mark's inside there, waiting for me, though it's queer why he didn't keep his agreement and wait for me atthe barn. Well, here goes. "

Though he spoke bravely, it was not without a little feeling ofapprehension that Jack started toward the old mansion. He kept a closewatch for the advent of any person or persons who might be in thehouse, but, when he reached the front porch, and had seen no one, hefelt more at ease. 

"Hello, Mark!" he cried boldly. "Are you inside?"

He paused for an answer. None came. 

"This is getting rather strange, " murmured Jack, who was now quitepuzzled as to what to make of the whole matter. "Mark must be here, yetwhy doesn't he answer me? Oh, you Mark!" he shouted at the top of hisvoice. 

There was only silence, and, after waiting a few moments Jack made uphis mind that the best plan would be to enter the house and lookaround. 

He made a hasty search through the lower rooms, but saw no sign ofMark. It was the same upstairs, and on the third floor there was noevidence of his chum. Jack called again, but got no reply. 

"The garret next, and then the cellar, " he told himself, and these twoplaces, darker and more dismal than any other parts of the old mansion, were soon explored. 

"Well, if Mark came here he's not here now, " thought Jack, "and there'sno use in my staying any longer. Maybe something happened that he hadto go back home. Perhaps he's trailing the man. We should have made upsome plan to be followed in case anything like that happened. "

Deciding that the best thing he could do would be to go back home Jackcame out of the old house. As he did so he gave a final call:

"Mark! Oh, you Mark! Are you anywhere about?"

What was that? Was it an answer, or merely the echo of his own voice?Jack started, and then, as he heard another sound, he said:

"Only the wind squeaking a shutter. Mark isn't here. "

If Jack had only known!

Through the quickly-gathering darkness Jack turned his steps towardhome. On the way along the country road he kept a sharp lookout for anysign of his chum, and, also, he looked to see if he could catch aglimpse of any person who might answer the description of the man theysuspected of tampering with the Cardite motor. 

But the road was deserted, save for an occasional farmer urging hishorses along, that be might the more quickly get home to supper. 

"It's mighty strange, " mused Jack, as he kept on. "I don't think Markdid just right, and yet, perhaps, when it's all explained, he may havegood reasons for what he did. Maybe I'm wrong to worry about him, and, just as likely as not, he's safe home, wondering what kept me. But hemight have known that I'd come back to the barn where I said I'd meethim. Of course that dog-fight delayed me a little, but not much. "

It was quite dark when Jack reached the house where he and his chumlived with the two professors. There was a cheerful light glowing frommany windows, and Jack also noticed an illumination in the shed wherethe projectile was housed. 

"Guess they're working on it, to get it in shape for the trip, soonerthan they expected, " he mused. 

Jack was met at the door by Washington White. 

"Hello, Wash!" greeted the lad. 

"Good land a' massy! Where hab yo' been transmigatorying yo'se'f duringde period when the conglomeration of carbohydrates and protoids habbeen projected on to de interplanetary plane ob de rectangle?"

"Do you mean where have I been while supper was getting ready?" askedJack. 

"Dat's 'zackly what I means, Massa Jack. "

"Then why don't you say it?"

"I done did. Dat's what I done. Supper's cold. But where am MassaMark?"

"What! Isn't Mark home?" cried Jack, starting back in alarm. 

"No, Massa Jack, we ain't seed him sence yo' two went off togedder. Where yo' all been?"

"Mark not home!" gasped Mark. "Where is Professor Henderson, Wash? Imust speak to him at once. "

"He am out in de shed wif Massa Roumann. "

With fear in his heart Jack dashed out toward the big shed. 

"Ain't yo' goin' t' hab some supper?" called Washington. 

"I don't want any supper--yet, " flung back Jack over his shoulder. 

CHAPTER IX

A DARING PLOT

Mark Sampson lay an inert mass in the arms of the man who had attackedhim. Through the sagging door of the old, deserted house the captivelad was carried, and up creaking stairs. 

"I guess no one saw me, " whispered the man. "I'm safe, so far, and Ican work my scheme to perfection. Everything turned out well for me. Iwas just wondering how I could get this youth in my power, and hefairly walked into my hands! Now to keep him safe until I can take hisplace in the projectile, and have my revenge. I have waited a long timefor it, but it has come at last!"

Pausing at the head of the creaking stairs the man looked behind him, to make sure that he was not being followed, but not a sound broke thestillness of the old house, save the rattle and bang of the ruinedshutters. 

"I'm safe! Safe!" exulted the man, with a cruel chuckle. "Now to bindhim, and hide him in the secret chamber. "

He laid Mark down on a pile of bagging in a corner of a room at thehead of the stairs. Then, still glancing behind him, as if fearful ofbeing observed, the man walked over to a mantlepiece, fumbled about abit of carving that adorned the centre, and pressed on a certain spot. A moment later the mantle seemed to swing out, and there was revealed asecret room, the existence of which would never have been suspected bythe casual observer. 

Taking some of the bags from the pile where the unconscious lad was, the man made a rude bed in the secret room. Then he carried Mark in, and placed him in a fairly comfortable position, first taking theprecaution, however, of binding his hands and feet. 

"There, " whispered the man, when he had finished, "I guess you'll notget away in a hurry. Now I'll wait until dark, and then I'll give yousomething to eat, for I don't want you to starve. But I must keep inhiding, for, very likely, there'll be a search made for him. Guess I'dbetter stay here, and see what happens, " and the mysterious man pressedthe spring that sent the mantle back into place again, hiding alltraces of the secret room. 

"It's a good thing I stumbled upon this hiding place, " he said tohimself. "It couldn't be better for what I want. Now to see whathappens next. "

He did not have long to wait, for in a short time Jack, as we haveseen, appeared on the scene, and began his search. At the sound of hisvoice, calling for Mark, the man started in his hiding place, andglanced uneasily at Mark. 

"He may hear, and wake up, " he whispered. 

Jack came upstairs in the deserted house, and continued his searchthere, calling from time to time. He gave one loud shout at the head ofthe stairs, and the very thing that the man feared would happen came topass. 

The effect of the drug having worn off, Mark stirred uneasily, andstarted up. He heard Jack's cry, and uttered a half-articulate answer. In an instant the man was at his side, and had quickly gagged him. Thishad the further effect of awakening the unfortunate lad; and hestruggled to loosen his bonds, but they were too strongly tied. Heendeavored to answer Jack, but only a meaningless mumble resulted, forthe gag was effective. 

"All you have to do is to keep quiet, " urged the man, as he kneltbeside Mark in the darkness. "As soon as your chum goes, I'll take thatthing out of your mouth, and give you something to eat. "

Jack's voice died away, and presently, as the ears of the man told him, the boy left the old house. Waiting some time, to make sure that hewould not return, the man removed the knot of rags from Mark's mouth, and slightly loosened his bonds, first warning him, however, that if heattempted to escape he would be harshly dealt with. 

"But what right have you to keep me here?" demanded the youth. "Who areyou, and what have I done to you, that you should treat me this way?Are you crazy? Don't you know that you are liable to arrest for this?"

"No one can arrest me, " boasted the fellow. 

"But why have you made me a prisoner?" demanded Mark. 

"For reasons of my own. You'll see very soon. "

"But what have I done to you?" persisted the lad. "I never saw youbefore, that I know of, unless you are the man who sent me the note, and who ran when my chum and I came to the bridge to meet you. "

"I'm the man, " was the answer, with a chuckle. 

"Then you must be the one who tried to wreck our projectile, " went onMark. 

"Yes, I did that, and now I am sorry for it, for I have thought of amuch better scheme for getting even, and having my revenge on you. "

"But why do you want to be revenged on us?"

"Because of what you have done!" and the man's voice took on an uglytone. 

"But what did we do?" begged Mark. 

"You'll know soon enough, " was the answer, with a cunning laugh, andthen Mark was sure he had to deal with a lunatic. He ceased hisstruggles to loosen the bonds, and resolved to meet cunning withcunning. He would bide his time. 

"Will you promise to be quiet, and not kick up a fuss if I get yousomething to eat?" asked the man. 

"Yes; but I'd rather have a drink of water first. I feel sick. "

"Very well, you shall have some water. I'll have to go out and get it, but I must first blindfold you, so that you will not discover thesecret of this room. "

Mark could not help himself, for he was bound, and when the man hadtied a handkerchief over his eyes, Mark heard his captor moving about. 

Next there came a sound as of some heavy body, or object, being pushedacross the room. Mark felt a draught of wind on his face, but it ceasedinstantly, and he knew that he was alone. He tried to work the bandagefrom over his eyes, and he endeavored to loosen his bonds, for he didnot consider that this violated his promise. But it was of no effect. 

Presently he heard the moving, shoving sound again, and once more feltthe wind on his face. Then he heard the voice of his captor speaking. 

"Here is food and drink. I'm going to untie your hands so you can eat, but mind, no fighting, for I'm a desperate man, and I won't stand anynonsense!"

He fumbled about the bonds, and soon Mark was free to stand up and usehis hands. The bandage was taken from his eyes, and he was able to peerabout his prison by the light of a candle which his captor had brought. 

Mark's first glance was at the man. He was the same one who had emergedfrom the house to attack and drug him, but as for recognizing in himthe person who had been at the bridge, this was impossible. As far asMark could tell he had never seen the man before, nor did he answer thedescription given by Dick Johnson. 

There was little danger that Mark would attempt violence. He was tooweak, and his jailer seemed a powerful fellow. Then, too, the lad feltill from the effects of the drug. 

"Drink some water, and eat a bit, and you'll feel better, " urged theman, which advice Mark followed, though, his appetite was not of thebest, and he was much worried as to what his friends would think abouthis strange disappearance. 

"What do you intend to do with me?" asked Mark, when he felt a littlebetter from the effects of the food and drink. The man had sat on anold soap box, and watched his captive while he ate. 

"Do with you? Why, I'm going to keep you here until your friends haveleft in the projectile, " was the answer. 

"But why don't you want me to go with them?"

"Oh, I have my reasons. You'll find out soon enough. You can't go, that's all. "

"But why do you take such an interest in me? Why didn't you capture mychum Jack, too, while you were about it?"

"Two reasons. One was that Jack wouldn't answer my purpose, and theother was that I didn't have a chance to get him. You walked right intomy trap, just when I was doing my best to think of another plan to gethold of you, since my first one failed. "

"But what is your purpose?" insisted the lad. "What do you want withme?" He thought perhaps if he questioned the man closely enough hemight discover something that would give him a clew, or might aid himto escape. 

"You'll learn soon enough, " was the answer. 

"Will you tell me your name?" asked Marie quietly. 

"No--why should I?" was the quick reply. "If I told you who I was youwould at once know why I have made you a captive here. No; you shallhear all in good time, but that will not be until I am ready. 

"Now, " went on his captor, after a period of silence, "I shall have tobind and blindfold you again. "

"Why?" asked Mark, in some alarm. 

"Because I don't want you to see how I get in and out of this room, andthat's the only way I can guard my secret. Though if you promise not toremove the bandage from your eyes within five minutes from the time Ileave you, I will not have to tie your hands and feet. After I am goneyou may take the handkerchief off, but when you hear me rap on thewall, ready to come back again, you must once more blindfold yourself. Otherwise I shall have to tie you up. "

Mark considered a moment. It was not pleasant to be tied with the cruelropes, and he felt that in time he could penetrate the mystery of howthe room opened, even if he did not see his jailer enter and leave. 

"I promise, " he said finally. 

"That's good. It simplifies matters. Now you can blindfold yourself, and I trust to your honor. You may remove the bandage in five minutes, but when you hear me knock, you must replace it until I am in theapartment. Then you can take it off again. "

There was little choice but to obey, and Mark tied the handkerchiefover his eyes. He listened intently, heard the man moving about theroom, felt the wind on his cheeks, and then came silence. 

He waited until he thought five minutes had passed, and then took offthe bandage. The candle was burning where the man had set it, but thefellow himself was gone. He had taken with him the broken dishes, andremains of the food Mark had not eaten. The glass and a pitcher ofwater stood on a broken table, and Mark took a big drink. 

"Now to see if I can't get out of this place, " he murmured to himself. 

Mark had invented many pieces of apparatus, and he was considered agood mechanician. Consequently he went about his task in a systematicmanner. He examined the walls carefully by the candle, which he carriedin his hand, but no opening was apparent. 

"Of course, there must be some secret spring to press, " said the lad. "That's how he gets in and out. A section of the wall moves, but whereit is I can't see. It will take time. I must look at every inch. "

He was in the midst of his investigations when there sounded on thewall back of him three raps. 

"Ha! At least, that tells me where the opening is, " thought the lad. "It's on that side, but now I have to put that blamed bandage on. Well, I may be able to escape yet. "

True to his promise, he blindfolded himself well, and presently heheard a noise, felt a draught of air, and he knew his captor was in theroom. 

"You can now take off the handkerchief, " said the man. "I have broughtyou some more bags for bed clothing. It isn't much, but it is all Ihave. They will keep you warm tonight. "

"Are you going to imprison me over night?" asked Mark. 

"Yes, and I'll stay here with you. No one can find us here. The secretroom is well hidden. But first I have another matter that needsattention. I am going to ask you a question. "

"What?" asked the captive, wondering what strange request the mentallyunbalanced man would make now. 

The man leaned forward and whispered something in Mark's ear, as if hewas afraid the very walls would hear. 

"I'll not do it!" cried the youth. "I'll never aid you to deceive myfriends, for that is your object. I'll never do it!"

"Then I shall have to use force, " was the determined response. "You maytake your choice!"

Poor Mark did not know what to do, yet there was little he could choosebetween. The man had him in his power, yet the lad was terribly afraidof the result of the daring scheme which he knew was in the mind of thelunatic, for such he believed the man to be. 

"Will you not give up this plan?" begged Mark. "I know ProfessorHenderson will pay you any sum in reason to let me go. You can become arich man. "

"I don't want riches--I want revenge!" exclaimed the man. And he glaredat Mark, while throughout the dismal, deserted house there sounded therattle and bang of the flapping shutters. 

CHAPTER X

MARK'S STRANGE ACTIONS

Jack Darrow fairly burst into the big shed where the two scientistswere at work over the ruined motor. They looked up at his excitableentrance, and Mr. Henderson called out:

"Why, Jack, what's the matter?"

"Quite a lot, I'm afraid, " answered the lad, and there was that in hisvoice which alarmed the professors. 

"What do you mean?" inquired Mr. Roumann, laying aside some of thedamaged motor plates. 

"Mark's gone!" gasped Jack. 

"Gone! Where?" exclaimed Mr. Henderson. 

"I don't know, but he went to the deserted house, where we thought themysterious man was hiding, and since then I can't find him. "

Then the frightened lad proceeded to explain what he and Mark hadundertaken, and the outcome of it; how his chum had failed to meet himat the rendezvous, and how Jack had searched through the old housewithout result. 

"There's but one thing to do, " declared Professor Henderson, when hehad listened to the story. "We must go back there and make a morethorough search. "

"What--to-night?" exclaimed the German. 

"Surely. Why not? We can't leave Mark there all alone. He may be hurt, or in trouble. "

"That's what I think, " said Jack. "I'll tell Washington and Andy, andwe'll go back and hunt for him. Poor Mark! If he had only waited forme, perhaps this would never have happened, and if I hadn't stopped atthe dog-fight maybe Mark would have waited for me. Well, it's too lateto worry about that now. The thing is to find him; and I guess we can. "

Jack would not stop longer than to snatch a hasty bite of supper beforehe joined the searching party. Washington and he carried lanterns, while Andy Sudds had his trusty rifle, and the two professors broughtup in the rear, armed with stout clubs, for Jack's account of theaffair made them think that perhaps they might have to deal with aviolent man. 

"Hadn't you better notify the police?" suggested Andy. "A couple ofconstables would be some help. "

"Not very much, " declared Jack. "Besides, there are only two inBayside, and it's hard to locate either one when you want them. I guesswe can manage alone. "

"Yes, I would rather not notify the police if it can be avoided, " saidProfessor Henderson. 

The searching party hurried along the country highway, which was nowdeserted, as it was quite dark. Their lanterns flashed from side toside, but they had no hope of getting any trace of Mark until they cameto the old barn, at least, though Jack wished several times that hemight meet his chum running toward them along the road. 

They reached the barn in due course, and while Washington, Jack andAndy began a search of it, the two scientists went up to the house ofthe man who owned it and enlisted his aid. They asked him if he hadseen Mark around that afternoon, but the farmer had not. 

"But me an' my hired man'll come out and help you hunt through thebarn, " he said. "I remember once, when I was a lad, that my brotherfell off the hay mow and lay unconscious in a manger for five hoursbefore we found him. Maybe that's what's happened to this young man, "suggested Mr. Hampton, which was the farmer's name. 

"I looked around pretty well this afternoon, " explained Jack, when thefarmer and his man had reached the barn, "but, of course, I didn't knowall the nooks and corners. "

A thorough search of the structure, however, failed to reveal thepresence of Mark, and then the farmer volunteered to accompany theparty on to the old Preakness house. His offer was received withthanks, and, bringing two more lanterns with them, Mr. Hampton and hisman added considerable to the illumination. 

They went through the old mansion from garret to cellar, and calledrepeatedly, but there was no answer. And good reason, for in the secretroom, with his captive, the mysterious man heard the first approach ofthe searching party; and he quickly bound Mark and gagged him, so thathe could not answer. 

There was nothing to do but to leave, and it was with sad hearts thatJack and his friends departed, their search having been unavailing. They turned toward home, which they reached quite late, but foundnothing disturbed. 

No one in Professor Henderson's house slept much that night, and in themorning pale and wan faces looked at each other, all asking the samequestion: "Where is Mark?"

But no one could answer. 

They talked over the matter, and decided that Jack, with Andy andWashington, should form a searching party to scour the surroundingcountry. The two scientists were too old for such work, and, as the aidof the police was not desired, it was felt that the three could do allthat was necessary. 

Accordingly, while Professor Henderson and his German friend went towork on the damaged motor, which did not need as much repairing as atfirst was thought to put it in working shape again, Jack and the twomen started off to hunt for Mark. 

They were gone all that day, returning very much discouraged at dusk, saying that they could get no trace of him. 

"I don't see where he can be!" exclaimed Jack desperately, for, thoughthe two lads were not related, they had been friends so long, and hadshared so many pleasures and dangers together, that they were likebrothers. "You won't start for the moon until you find him, will you, Professor?" asked Jack. 

"No, indeed; though we could start to-morrow if he was here, " repliedthe aged scientist. "The special tools came to-day, and the motor hasbeen repaired. We have tested it, and the Cardite power works evenbetter than did the Etherium apparatus. "

"Then we can start as soon as Mark is found?" asked Andy Sudds. 

"Yes, for everything has been put inside the projectile, and all thatremains is to haul it out of the shed, point it at the moon, and startthe motor. "

"Then I guess I'll give my gun a final cleaning, and get ready. Theremay be good hunting on the moon, " said the old hunter. 

Jack was tired from his long tramp that day, searching for his missingchum, but before he went to bed he wanted to go out and take a look atthe big projectile, which was now ready to start for the moon. 

As he turned around the corner of the immense shed to enter the door, he was startled by seeing a figure coming toward him. Jack started, rubbed his eyes, and peered again. 

"Is it possible? Can I be mistaken?" he whispered. 

The figure came nearer. Jack, who had come to a halt, broke into a run. 

"Mark! Mark!" he cried joyously. "Oh, you've come back! Where have youbeen?"

Jack was about to clasp his chum in his arms when he saw that Mark'sarm was in a sling, and that his face was all bandaged up, so thatscarcely any of his features showed. Had it not been for the clothes, and a certain stoutness of which Mark never could seem to get rid, Jackwould scarcely have known his friend. 

"Why, Mark, what happened?" cried Jack. "Have you met with an accident?Where have you been? In a hospital? What became of you? Why didn't youwait for me?"

"I can't answer all those questions at once, " was the reply, and Jackthought Mark's voice was curiously muffled and hoarse, entirely unlikehis usual tones. But he ascribed that to the bandages around the mouth. 

"Well, answer one at a time then, " said Jack, and there was anundefinable, strange air about his chum which cooled Jack's firstimpulse of gladness. "Whatever happened to you, Mark? Are you hurt?"

"I was--yes, " came the reply, in short, jerky tones. "I had anaccident, and I've been in a hospital. That's why I couldn't send youword. But I'm all right now. When does the projectile start?"

"To-morrow, now that you're here. But tell me more about it. Where wereyou hurt?"

"On my head and arm. "

"No; I mean where did the accident occur?"

"Oh, in the old house where I went to--to look for that man. "

"Did you find him?" asked Jack eagerly. 

"No. He's not there now. "

"Well, never mind. We won't bother about him. Come on to the house. My, but I'm glad to see you again! And so will the others be. "

In his enthusiasm at seeing his chum again Jack wanted to hug him. Heapproached Mark, but the latter cried out:

"Look out! Don't come too close!"

"Why not? Have you caught some disease?"

"No, but you might hurt my broken arm!"

"Oh, is it broken? That's tough luck. Did you fall?"

"Yes--in the old house. I fell down stairs. "

"And your head is all bandaged up, too, " went on Jack, trying to peerinto his friend's face through the roll of bandages. 

"Look out! Don't come too near!" again warned the other. "You mightjostle against me, and knock off some of the bandages. "

"Did you lose some of your teeth, the reason your voice sounds sofunny?" asked Jack. 

"Yes, I did knock out a few when I tumbled. But don't bother about me. I'll be all right soon. Let's go in the house. I want to go to bed. "

"But they'll all want to see you, and hear about the accident, Mark, "insisted Jack. "My, but we've been all worked up about you. How did youhappen to be taken to a hospital?"

"A farmer came along, and I hailed him. Then I lost consciousness, andcouldn't let you know where I was. But never mind the details. I'manxious to get started on the trip to the moon. Couldn't we startto-night?"

"I don't believe so. You need rest. But come on in the house. " ThenJack hurried on ahead, calling: "Mark's found! Mark is back!"

His cries brought all of the others out on the porch, and at first theycould scarcely believe the good news, but soon Jack and the new arrivalcame in sight. As Jack had been, the two professors and the others werestartled when they saw how Mark was bundled up in bandages. 

"He fell down stairs, " explained Jack. 

"Come over here where it's light, so I can see you, " suggestedProfessor Henderson. "Perhaps some of the bandages have slipped offsince you came from the hospital. Why did you come alone? Why didn'tyou send us word where you were as soon as you were conscious, and wewould have come for you. "

"Oh, I didn't want to bother you, " explained the bundled-up figure. "Imanaged to walk it all right. "

"But your injuries may need attention, " insisted Mr. Henderson. "I knowsomething about doctoring. Come here where I can see. "

"No--no--the--light hurts my eyes, " was the hasty reply. "I guess I'llgo to bed, so as to be all ready to start in the morning. Why don't youleave for the moon to-night, professor?"

"There are still a few little details to look after. But are you sureyou are well enough to go with us? We may meet with hardships up on themoon. "

"Oh, I'm all ready to go, " was the answer. "I'd start to-night if Icould. But now I must get to bed. "

"Don't you want supper?" asked Jack. 

"No, I had some just before I left the hospital. "

"What hospital was it?" inquired Andy Sudds. "I was in one once, and Ididn't like it. There wa'nt enough air for me. "

"I forget the name of the place, " came the reply. "I can't thinkclearly. I need sleep. "

The newcomer kept in the shadows of the room, as if the light hurt hiseyes, and appeared restless and ill at ease. With the hand that was notin a sling he pulled the bandages closer about his face. 

"Can't you tell us more about what happened?" asked Jack, for Mark wasnot usually so reticent, and his chum noticed it. 

"There isn't much to tell, " was the response. "I went to the old house, and I was looking around when I happened to tumble down stairs. I musthave been knocked unconscious, but when I came to I crawled outside. Afarmer was driving past, and I asked him to take me to a hospital. "

"Why didn't you come home?" asked Mr. Henderson. 

"Oh, I didn't want to make any trouble and delay work on theprojectile. I figured that I could be with you in a few hours, and youwouldn't worry. But they insisted that I must stay in the hospital whenthey got me there. Then I lost consciousness again, and couldn't manageto let you know where I was. But I'm all right now. "

"Why didn't you wait for me at the barn, when I went to send thetelegram, as you promised you would?" asked Jack, who felt a littlehurt at his chum's neglect. 

"Did I promise to wait for you at some barn?"

"Yes; don't you remember?" and Jack gazed at the bandaged figure insurprise. 

"Oh, yes--I--I guess I do. But I want to go to bed now, " and pullingthe cloths closer about his face the injured one started from theapartment. 

"Here. That's not the way up to your room. The stairs are over here, "called Jack, for he saw the newcomer taking the wrong direction. 

"Oh, yes. Guess my mind must be wandering, " and with an uneasy laughthe injured one turned about. They heard him going up stairs, and alittle later Jack followed. He found that Mark's room was not occupied. 

"Hi, Mark! Where are you?" he called, in some alarm. 

"Here, " was the answer, and the voice came from Jack's own apartment. 

"Well, you're in the wrong bunk. "

"Am I? Well, I must have made another mistake. My head can't be right, "and with that the other came out and hastily went into the adjoiningapartment. 

For a moment Jack stood in the hall. He looked at the door that hadclosed behind the bandaged figure. 

"There's something wrong, " said Jack in a low voice. "How strange Markacts! I wonder what can be the matter?"

CHAPTER XI

READY FOR THE MOON

There were busy times for the moon-voyagers the next day. They were upearly, for at the last moment many little details needed to be settled. The Cardite motor had been thoroughly repaired, for the damage causedby the unknown enemy had done no permanent harm. 

When the injured one appeared the bandage on his head seemed largerthan ever, and his features were almost hidden. He still wore his armin a sling. 

"Well, how do you feel?" asked Jack, looking narrowly at the figure. Hecould not get rid of a suspicion that something was wrong with Mark. 

"Oh, I'm feeling pretty fair, " was the mumbled answer. "I didn't sleepmuch, though. "

"Well, take care of yourself, " advised Jack. "We are about ready tostart. We'll get off about noon, Professor Henderson says. Don't try todo anything and injure your broken arm. You certainly had a tough timeof it. "

"Yes, I guess I did. I can't do much to help you. "

"You don't need to. We're all but finished. Just hang around and watchme work. There isn't much to do. "

But though Jack gave an invitation to remain near him, the other seemedto prefer being off by himself. He wandered in and out of theprojectile, now and then helping Andy or Washington to carry lightobjects into the _Annihilator_. But all the while he was careful not todisturb the bandage on his face, and several times he stopped toreadjust it. Nor did he talk much, which Jack ascribed to his statementthat his teeth hurt him. And when the bandaged figure did speak, it wasin mumbling tones, very different from Mark's usually cheerful ones. 

"Well, " remarked Professor Roumann, after a final inspection of the bigCardite motor--the one that was to be depended on to carry them to themoon--"I think we are about ready to leave this earth. How about it, Professor Henderson?"

"Yes, I think so. Have you made any calculation as to speed?"

"Yes, we will not have to move nearly as fast as we did when we went toMars. We only have to cover a quarter of a million of miles at themost, and probably less than that. The motor will send us along at therate of about a mile a second, which is three thousand six hundredmiles an hour, or eighty-six thousand four hundred miles a--day. Atthat rate we would be at the moon in less than three days. 

"But I don't want to travel as fast as that, " the German went on. "Iwant time to make some scientific observations on the way, and so Ihave reduced the speed of the Cardite motor by half, though should weneed to hasten our trip we can do so. "

"Then we'll be about a week on the way?" asked Jack. 

"About that, yes, " assented Mr. Roumann. 

"And could we go farther than to the moon if we wanted to?" inquiredthe bandaged figure mumblingly. 

"Farther? What do you mean?" asked Professor Henderson quickly. 

"I mean could we go to Mars if we wanted to?"

"You don't mean to say you want to go back there, and run the chance ofbeing attacked by the savage Martians, do you?" asked Jack. 

"No, I was only asking, " and the other seemed confused. 

"Well, of course, we _could_ go there, as we have plenty of suppliesand enough of the Cardite, " said Mr. Roumann. "But I think the moonwill be the limit of our trip this time. "

The work went on, the last things to be put aboard the projectile beinga number of scientific instruments. The injured one wandered in andout, now being in the house and again in the big shed. He seemedrestless and ill at ease, and frequently he walked to the front gateand gazed down the road. 

"You seem to be looking for some one, " spoke Jack. "Are you expectingyour girl to come along and bid you good-by, Mark?"

"Who--me? No, I--I was just looking to see if--if it was going torain. "

"Rain? Well, rain won't make much difference to us soon. We will beoutside of the earth's atmosphere in a jiffy after we have started, andthen rain won't worry us. Is your stateroom all fixed up?"

"No, I didn't think of that. Guess I'd better look after it. "

The two started together for the projectile. The stout one enteredfirst, and made his way through the engine room and main cabin to thecompartment off which the staterooms opened. He entered one. 

"Here, that's not yours, " cried Jack. "That's where Professor Hendersonsleeps. Yours is next to mine. "

"That's right; I forgot, " mumbled the other. "I must be getting absentminded since my accident. But I'll be all right soon. I'll get my roomto rights, and then probably we'll start. "

"I guess so, " answered Jack, but he shook his head as he gazed afterhis chum. "Mark has certainly changed, " he murmured. "I wish he'd takethose bandages off, so I could get a look at his face. "

The last details were completed. The big _Annihilator_ had been run outon trucks into the yard surrounding the shed, ready to be hurledthrough the air. The shop, shed and house had been locked up and givenin charge of a caretaker, who would remain on guard until our friendsreturned. 

"Are we all ready?" asked Professor Henderson, as he stood ready toclose the main entrance door and seal it hermetically. 

"All ready, I guess, " answered Jack. The stout one had gone to hisstateroom, where he could be heard moving about. 

"I'm ready, " announced Professor Roumann. "Say the word and I'll startthe motor. " He was in the engine room, looking over the machinery. Atthat moment there came a loud yell from the galley where WashingtonWhite was. 

"Heah, heah! Come back!" cried the colored man. "My Shanghai rooster isgot loose!" he yelled, and, an instant later, the fowl came sailing outof the projectile, with Washington in full chase after him. 

"I'll help you catch him, " volunteered Jack, springing to the cook'said, while Professor Henderson laughed, and a bandaged figure, lookingfrom a stateroom port, wondered at the delay in starting theprojectile. 

CHAPTER XII

MARK'S ESCAPE

Mark Sampson was alone in the deserted house. Bound hand and foot, stripped of his clothing, and attired in some old garments that thetramps who made a hanging-out place of the old mansion had cast aside, the unfortunate lad was stretched on a pile of bagging, his heartbeating partly with fear and partly with rage over a desire to escapeand punish the scoundrel responsible for his plight. 

The man who had captured him, after taking away Mark's clothes, hadchuckled, as though at some joke. 

"You may think this is funny, " spoke the lad bitterly, "but you won'tbe so pleased when my friends get after you. "

"They'll never get after me, " boasted the man. "This is a good joke. Tothink that I can pass myself off as you; that I can join them in theprojectile, and they never will be the wiser!"

"They'll soon discover that you are disguised as me, " declared Mark, "and when they do they'll have you arrested. "

"Yes, but they'll not discover it until we have left the earth, and areon our way to the moon. Then it will be too late to turn back, and myobject will have been accomplished. I will be with them in the_Annihilator_, and I'll have my revenge! The projectile is due to sailto-morrow, and I'll be on hand. I'm going to leave you now. I have leftorders with a friend of mine that you are to be released to-morrownight. In the meanwhile you will have to be as comfortable as you can. I wish you no harm, but I must keep you here. 

"I will feed you well before I go, and put some water where you can getit. But I must leave you tied. I'll not gag you, for, no matter how youyell, no one will hear you. I have posted a notice in front of thisplace that it is under the watch of the police, so no tramps willventure in, and your friends will not come back. 

"Now, just make yourself comfortable here, and I'll go to the moon inyour place. I think I shall enjoy the trip. As I said, you will bereleased to-morrow night, several hours after the projectile has leftthe earth. "

"How do you know it is to start to-morrow morning?" asked Mark. 

"Oh, I have been spying around, and I overheard the professors talking. I know a thing or two, and I'll be on hand, on time, in your place!Now, I have to leave you. I've left ten dollars to pay for your suit, which I need to disguise myself with. "

Then the man was gone, and Mark was left with his bitter thoughts tokeep him company. The whole daring scheme of the man had been revealed. He did look something like Mark, and, attired in the lad's clothes, andby keeping his face concealed, he might pass himself off as Jack'schum; at least, until after the projectile had started. 

"And then, as he says, it will be too late to return to earth and getme, " thought Mark bitterly. "Oh, why did I ever try to learn this man'ssecret? Who is he, anyhow? Why didn't I wait for Jack at the barn, as Ipromised? It's all my fault. I wonder if I can't get loose?"

Mark struggled several hours desperately and at last he felt the ropesgiving slightly. He redoubled his efforts. Strand by strand the cordsparted. He put all his efforts into one last attempt, and to his greatjoy he felt his hands separate. He was partly free!

But scarcely half his task was accomplished. He had yet to discover thesecret of the hidden room--a room, as he afterward learned, which hadbeen built during slavery days to conceal the poor black men who wereescaping from the South. 

"But now I have my hands to work with!" exulted Mark. 

Resting a bit after his strenuous labors, he took a long drink of waterand attacked the ropes on his feet. They were comparatively easy toloosen, and soon he stood up unbound. 

"Now for the secret panel!" he exclaimed, for he was convinced that itwas by some such means that his captor had entered and left. As hasalready been explained, Mark knew on which side of his prison theopening was likely to be--it would be where the warning knocks hadsounded. He began a minute inspection of that wall. 

But if Mark hoped to speedily discover the secret he was doomed todisappointment. He went over every inch of the surface, seemingly, andpressed on every depression or projection that met his eye, as hepassed the candle flame along the wall. 

Success did not reward him, and, as hour after hour passed, and thecandle burned lower and lower, Mark began to despair. 

"I must escape before the projectile leaves, " he murmured. "It willnever do to let them take that man with them under the impression thatthey have me. I must escape! I will!"

Once more he began the tiresome task of seeking the secret spring. Thecandle was spluttering in the socket now. It would burn hardly anotherminute. Desperately Mark sought. 

At last, just as the candle gave a dying gasp and flared brightly upprior to going out, the lad saw a small screw head he had not noticedbefore. It was sunk deep in a board. 

"I'll press that and see what happens!" he exclaimed. 

With a suddenness that was startling, he found himself in totaldarkness. The candle had burned out, but he had his finger on thescrew. He pressed it with all his force. 

There was a rumbling sound in the darkness, a movement as if some heavybody had slid out of the way, and Mark felt a breath of air on hischeeks. Then he saw a dim light. 

"Oh, I'm out! I'm out!" he cried joyously, breathing a prayer ofthankfulness at his deliverance. "I'm free! I pushed on the rightspring, and the panel slid back!"

He fairly leaped forward. The morning light was streaming in throughthe broken windows. He saw himself in the old hall of the mansion, atthe head of the stairs, in a sort of anteroom, the mantle of whichapartment had swung aside to give him egress from the secret chamberthrough a hole in the wall. He was free!

"But am I in time?" he cried. "It is morning--and about ten o'clock, Ishould judge. I've been working to get free all night. Will I be intime?"

He gave one last look behind at his prison and sprang down the ricketystairs. He had but one thought--to reach home in time to unmask thevillain who was impersonating him--to be in time to make the journey tothe moon. 

"But it's several miles, and I can't walk very fast, " murmured Mark. "I'm too stiff and weak. How can I do it?"

He thought of making his way to the nearest farm house, and asking forthe loan of a horse and carriage, but he looked so much like a trampthat no farmer would lend him a horse. 

"And I need to make speed, " he murmured. 

At that moment he heard a noise down the road. It was a steady "chug-chug, " like some distant motor-boat, but there was no water near athand. 

"A motorcycle!" exclaimed Mark. "Some one is coming on a motorcycle. Oh, if I could only borrow it!"

He ran down into the road. He could see the rider now. To his joy itwas Dick Johnson--the lad who had brought him the mysterious note. 

"Hi Dick! Dick! hold on!" cried Mark. 

The lad on the motor gave one glance at the ragged figure that hadhailed him. Then he turned on more power to escape from what he thoughtwas a savage tramp. 

"Wait! Stop! I want that motorcycle!" cried Mark. 

"Well, you're not going to get it!" yelled back Dick. "I'll send thepolice after you. "

Mark couldn't understand. Then a glance down at his ragged garmentsshowed him what was the matter. 

"Wait! Hold on, Dick!" he cried, running forward. "I'm Mark Sampson!I've had a terrible time! I was captured by that mysterious man, andhe's got my clothes. I must get home quick!"

Dick heard, but scarcely understood. However, he comprehended that hisfriend was in trouble, and he wanted to help him. He slowed up, andMark reached him. 

"Lend me your motorcycle, Dick, " begged Mark. "I must get home in ahurry to unmask a scoundrel. I'll leave your machine for you at ourhouse. I won't hurt it. I'm in a hurry! Get off!"

Somewhat dazed, Dick dismounted, and Mark climbed into the saddle. Hebegan to pedal, and then threw in the gasolene and spark. The cyclechugged off. 

"I'll leave it for you at our house, " Mark called back. "I'm going on atrip to the moon, and I don't want to be late. "

He was fast disappearing in a cloud of dust, while Dick, gazing afterhim, remarked:

"Well, I always thought those fellows were crazy to go off inprojectiles and things like that, and now I'm sure of it. Going to themoon! Well, I only hope he doesn't take my motorcycle there!"

Mark sped on, turning the handle levers to get the last notch of speedout of the cycle. Would he be in time?

CHAPTER XIII

A DIREFUL THREAT

Perhaps Washington White's Shanghai rooster did not care to make thetrip to the moon, or perhaps the fowl had not yet seen enough of thisearth. At any rate, when he flew from the projectile, uttering loudcrows, and landed some distance away, he began to run back toward thecoop in the rear of the yard. 

"Cotch him, cotch him!" yelled the colored man. "Dat's a valuablebird!"

"We'll get him when he goes in the coop, " said Jack, who found itdifficult to run and laugh at the same time. 

"Shall I fire my rifle off and scare him?" asked Andy Sudds. 

"No, you might kill him or scare him t' death, " objected Washington. 

"Come on, Mark, and help, " cried Jack, looking toward the projectile, where a figure was peering from the glass-covered port of the maincabin. 

But the figure, whose hand was done up in voluminous bandages, did notcome out, and Jack wondered the more at what he thought was a growingstrangeness on the part of his chum. 

Jack, followed by Andy and Washington, raced off after the rooster, while the two professors, somewhat amused, rather chaffed at the delay. But afterward they were glad of it. 

"Just my luck!" muttered the bandaged one. "This delay comes at thewrong time. Why don't they go on without that confounded rooster? If westay here too long, that fellow Mark may get loose and spoil the wholething, or Jenkins may go and release him before the time set. It wouldbe just like Jenkins! I've a good notion to start the projectilemyself. I know how to operate the Cardite motor. Only I suppose thosetwo professors are on guard in the engine room. I'll have to wait untilthey catch that rooster, I guess, but I'd like to wring his neck!"

The chase after the fowl was kept up. 

"I've got him now!" cried Jack a little later, as the fowl, evidentlynow much exhausted, ran into another fence corner, where Jack caughthim, and shut him up in the coop in the projectile. 

"Yo' suttinly am de mos' contrary-minded specimen ob de chicken famblydat I eber seed, " observed Washington, breathing heavily, for his runhad winded him. 

"Well, are we all ready to start now?" asked Professor Henderson. "Nomore live stock loose, is there, Jack?"

"I think not. "

"Where's Mark? Wasn't he helping you catch the rooster?"

"No, he's inside. Shall I seal the door?"

"Yes, and I'll tell Professor Roumann that we're about to start. Allready for the moon trip!"

Jack was pulling the steel portal toward him. An eager face, peeringfrom a port, waited anxiously for the tremor which would indicate thatthe projectile had left the earth. In another moment they would be off. 

But what was that sound coming from down the highway. A steady chug-chug--a sort of roar, as of a battery of rapid-fire guns going off indouble relays! And, mingled with the explosions, there was a voiceshouting:

"Wait! Hold on! Don't go without me! I'm Mark Sampson! Don't start theprojectile!"

"Somebody must be in a mighty hurry on a motorcycle, " thought Jack, ashe paused a moment before fastening the door. Then the shouts came tohis ears. 

"Mark Sampson!" he cried. 

Again came the cry: "Wait! Wait! Don't go without me! You've got thatmysterious man on board!"

"Mark Sampson!" murmured Jack again. "That's his voice sure enough! Iwonder--can it be possible--that man--with his head all bandaged up--his queer actions--I--I----"

Words failed the youth. Throwing wide open the door, he sprang out ofthe projectile. A moment later there dashed into the yard, where thegreat projectile rested, a strange figure astride of a puffingmotorcycle. The figure was torn and, ragged, and the nondescriptgarments were covered with dust, for Mark had had a fall. But there wasno mistaking the face that peered eagerly forward. 

"Jack!" cried the youth on the machine. 

"Mark!" ejaculated the lad who had sprung from the projectile. "Whathas happened? Who is the fellow who has been masquerading as you?"

"A scoundrel and a villain! Let me get at him!" and, slamming on thebrakes, as he shut off the power, Mark leaped from the motorcycle, stood it up against the projectile, and clasped his chum by the hand. 

"What's the matter?" asked Professor Henderson, as he, too, ran out ofthe _Annihilator_. "What does that tramp want, Jack? Give him somemoney, and get back in here; we ought to have started long ago. " Helooked at the ragged figure. 

"This isn't a tramp, " cried Jack. "It's Mark!"

"Mark! I thought----"

"There have been strange doings, " gasped the lad in tramp's garments. "I have just escaped from being kept a prisoner. Where is themysterious man? Oh, I'm glad I arrived in time! Were you about tostart?"

"That's what we were, " replied Jack. "Oh, Mark, but I'm glad to see youagain! I didn't know what to think. You acted so strange--or, rather, the fellow we thought was you had me guessing!"

"Good land a' massy!" exclaimed Washington White, as he stood in thedoorway, with Andy Sudds behind him. "Am dere two Marks? What's up, anyhow?"

"Don't let that fellow get away--the fellow who passed himself off asme!" shouted Mark. "Lock him up! There's some mystery about him thatmust be explained. He's a dangerous man to be at large. "

Professor Henderson turned back to enter the projectile. Jack advisedAndy to get his gun ready, with which to threaten the scoundrel in caseof necessity. 

At that instant there sounded a crash of glass, and the whole front ofthe big observation window in the side of the _Annihilator_ was smashedto atoms. A figure leaped--a figure which no longer had its headbandaged, and whose arm was no longer in a sling--the figure of a man--the mysterious man who had held Mark a prisoner!

"There he goes!" shouted Jack. "Catch him, somebody! Andy, where's yourgun?"

"I'll have it in a jiffy!" cried the hunter, as he dashed back to getit. 

But the man did not linger. Scrambling to his feet after his fall, caused by his leap from the broken window, which he had smashed with asledge hammer as soon as he understood that his game was up, he racedout of the yard. He turned long enough to shake his fist at the groupassembled around the projectile, and then leaped away, calling out somewords which they could not hear. 

"Let's take after him, " proposed Mark. 

"Come on, " seconded Jack. 

"No, let him go; he's a desperate man, and you came just in time tounmask him, " said Professor Henderson. "He might harm you if you tookafter him. Let him go. He has not done much damage. We can easilyreplace the broken window. But I can't understand what his object wasin disguising himself as Mark. He certainly looked like you, Mark, especially when he kept his face concealed. Why did he do it?"

"He wanted to go to the moon in my place, " answered the former prisonerof the deserted house. 

"But why?" insisted Jack. 

"Because, I think, he's crazy, and he didn't really know what he didwant. But he certainly had me well concealed, " spoke Mark. "I'm freenow, however, and as soon as I get some decent clothes on I'll go withyou to the moon. I wouldn't want the moon people to see me dressed thisway. "

"How did it happen?" asked Jack. "Tell us all about it. My! but Icertainly have been puzzled since you--or rather since the person wethought was you--came back last night all bunged up. Give us thestory. "

"I will; give me a chance. I guess that villain is gone for good. " AndySudds came out with his gun, and insisted on taking a look down theroad and around the premises. The man was nowhere in sight. 

"Now we're in for another delay, " remarked Jack ruefully, as he gazedat the smashed window. "It seems as if we'd never get started for themoon. "

"Oh, yes, we will, " declared Professor Henderson. "We have some extraheavy plate glass in the shop, and we can soon put in anotherobservation window. "

"Let's get right to work then, " proposed Jack. "That man may come back. Did you learn who he was, Mark?"

"No, he wouldn't tell his name, and he said he was doing this to getrevenge on us for some fancied wrong. I can't imagine who he is. Butlet's work and talk at the same time. I'll tell you all that happenedto me, " which he did briefly. 

Mark soon got rid of the tramp clothes, and donned an extra suit whichhad been packed in his trunk in the projectile. Then he helped replacethe broken window, which, in spite of their haste, took nearly all therest of the day to put in place. 

"Shall we wait and start to-morrow?" asked Jack, when four o'clockcame. "It will soon be dark. "

"Darkness will make no difference to us, " announced Professor Roumann. "Our Cardite motor will soon take us out of the shadow of the earth, and we will be in perpetual sunshine until we reach the moon. As we areall ready, we might as well start now. "

They all agreed with this, and, after a final inspection of theprojectile, the travellers entered it, and Jack was once more about toseal the big door. 

Before he could do so there came riding into the yard, on hismotorcycle, which he had claimed that afternoon, Dick Johnson. 

"Wait a minute, " he cried. "I've got a letter for you. It's from thatman!"

"What--another thing to delay us?" cried Jack, but he called toProfessor Roumann not to start the motor, and ran to take from Dick theletter which the lad held out. 

"That same man who gave me the one for Mark gave me this, and he paidme a half a dollar to bring it here, " said the boy. 

"All right, " answered Jack impatiently. 

He looked at the note. It was addressed to the "Moon Travellers, " and, considering that he was one, the youth tore open the envelope. In thedim light of the fading day he read the bold handwriting. 

"I have fixed you, " the letter began. "You will never get to the moon. I shall have my revenge. You took my brother Fred Axtell to Mars andleft him there. I determined to get him back, and to that end Idisguised myself as one of the boys, and got aboard. When we weresafely away from the earth, I would have compelled you to go to Marsand rescue my brother. But my plan has failed. I will have my revenge, though. You will never reach the moon, even if you do get started. Beware! George, the brother of Fred Axtell, will avenge his fate!"

"The brother of the crazy machinist!" gasped Jack. "Now I understandhis strange actions. He's crazy, too--he wanted to go to Mars--he sayswe will never reach the moon! Say, look here!" cried Jack, raising hisvoice. "Here's bad news! That scoundrel has put some game up on us!Maybe he's tampered with the machinery! It won't be safe to start forthe moon until we've looked over everything carefully! He says he'sfixed us, and perhaps he has!"

From the projectile came hurrying the would-be moon travellers, a vaguefear in their hearts. 

CHAPTER XIV

OFF AT LAST

In the gathering twilight Professor Henderson read slowly the note Dickhad brought. Then he passed it to Professor Roumann. The latter shookhis shaggy gray hair, and murmured something in German. 

"Where did you meet the man?" asked Jack of the young motorcyclist. 

"About two miles down the road. He was walking along, sort of talkingto himself, and I was afraid of him. He called to me, and offered me ahalf a dollar to deliver this message. I didn't want to at first, buthe said if I didn't he'd hurt me, so I took it. Is it anything bad?"

"We don't know yet, " replied Mark. 

"No, that is the worst of it, " added Professor Roumann. "He has made athreat, but we can't tell whether or not he will accomplish it. We arein the dark. He may have done some secret damage to our machinery, andit will take a careful inspection to show it. "

"And will the inspection have to be made now?" asked Jack. 

"I think so, " answered Professor Henderson gravely. "It would not besafe to start for the moon and have a breakdown before we got there. Wemust wait until morning to begin our trip. "

"It will be the safest, " spoke the German, and the boys, in spite ofthe fact that they were anxious to get under way, were forced to thesame conclusion. 

"Then if we're going to camp here for the night, " proposed old Andy, "what's the matter with me and the boys having a hunt for that man?We've put up with enough from him, and it's time he was punished. If welet him go on, he'll annoy us all the while, if not now, then after weget back from the moon. I'm for giving him a chase and having himarrested. "

"He certainly deserves some punishment, if only for the way he treatedMark, " was Jack's opinion, his chum having related how he was druggedand kept a prisoner in the secret room, and how he escaped in time tounmask the villain. 

"Well, " said Professor Henderson, after some thought, "it might not bea bad plan to see if you could get that scoundrel put in some safeplace, where he could make no more trouble for us. I guess the lunaticasylum is where he belongs, though I can sympathize with him on accountof his brother. But it was not our fault that the crazy machinist wentwith us to Mars. He was a stowaway, and went against our wishes, andwhen he got there he tried to injure us. "

"Then may Mark, Andy and I see if we can find this man?" asked Jack. 

"Yes, but be careful not to get separated; and don't run any risks, "cautioned the professor. "Mr. Roumann and I, with the help ofWashington, will go carefully over all the machinery, and every part ofthe projectile, to see if any hidden damage has been done. But don'tstay out too late. You had better notify the police. They may be ableto give you some aid, and I don't mind letting them know about it now, as we will soon be away from here, because, no matter if they do senddetectives or constables spying about now, they can learn none of oursecrets. "

Waiting only to partake of a hasty meal, the two boys and the veteranhunter set out, Andy with his gun over his shoulder and his sharp eyeson the lookout for any sign of Axtell, though they hardly expected tofind him in the vicinity of the projectile. 

Taking the road, on which Dick Johnson said he had encountered the man, the two lads and Andy proceeded, making inquiries from time to time ofpersons they met. But no one had seen Axtell, and the insane man, forsuch he seemed to be, appeared to have dropped out of sight. 

On into the village the searchers went, and there they reported mattersto the chief of police, telling him only so much as was necessary togive him an understanding of the situation. 

"I'll send a couple of my best constables right out on the case, " saidthe chief. "We've just appointed two new ones, and I guess they'll beglad to arrest somebody. "

"Let them look out that this fellow doesn't drug them and carry themaway, " cautioned Mark. 

"Oh, I guess my constables can look out for theirselves, " spoke thechief proudly. 

Once more the trailers sallied forth to renew their search. Theythought perhaps they might find their man lingering in the town, but asearch through the principal streets did not disclose him, and Markproposed that they return to their home for the night, as he was tiredand weary from his experience in the deserted house. 

As they were turning out of the town, their attention was attracted bya disturbance on the street just ahead of them. A woman screamed, andmen's voices were heard. Then came cries of: "Police! Police!"

"Some one's in trouble!" exclaimed Jack. "Let's go see what it is. "

They broke into a run, and, as they approached, they saw a crowdquickly collect. It seemed to center about a man who was being held bytwo others, though he struggled to get away. 

"Here, what's the trouble?" the boys heard a constable ask as heshouldered his way into the throng. 

"This fellow tried to snatch this lady's purse and run away with it, "explained one of the men who had grabbed the scoundrel. "Stand still, you brute!" he shouted at him, "or I'll shake you to pieces! Suchfellows as you ought to go to the whipping-post!"

"I'll take charge of him, " announced the officer. "Who is he? Does anyone know?"

"Stranger in town, I guess, " volunteered the other man, who had helpedcapture him. "Need any help, officer?"

"No, I guess I can manage him. Come along now, and behave yourself, orI'll use my club. It hasn't been tried on any one yet. "

"That's one of the new constables, I guess, " said Mark, and Jacknodded. 

The crowd separated to allow the officer to take out his prisoner. Asthe latter walked forward in the grip of the constable, he remarked ina mild voice totally at variance with his bold act:

"Why, I only wanted a little change to pay my fare to the moon. I'mgoing there to look for my brother. "

"Crazy as a loon, " said one of the men. 

"Or pretending that he is, " added the officer. 

"Mark!" cried Jack, pointing at the prisoner, "look!"

"The man who held me captive!" gasped Mark. "And he's wearing myclothes yet! But he's in custody now, and we needn't fear any more fromhim. "

"Unless he gets away, " said Jack. 

"We'll go tell the chief who he is, and he'll keep him safe, " suggestedMark, and they hurried to headquarters, reaching there just before theprisoner was brought in. The boys were assured by the chief that theman, who was evidently a dangerous lunatic, would be kept where hecould do no harm. He would be arraigned later on the serious charge ofattempted highway robbery, as well as of being a dangerous lunatic atlarge. When the boys and Andy got back, they found the two professorsand Washington still going over the machinery in detail. 

"Find anything wrong?" asked Jack, after they had told of the arrest ofAxtell. 

"No, but we will have another look in the morning, " said Mr. Henderson. "Then, if we find nothing out of order, I think we will take a chanceand start. "

A thorough inspection by all hands the next day did not discloseanything wrong, and, a test of the motors and other machinery havingshown that it was in good working shape, it was decided to leave theearth. 

"At last, I think, we are really going to get under way to the moon, "said Jack, as he closed the big main door. This time it was notreopened. All the stores and supplies were in place. The two professorswere in the engine room. Washington White was in his galley, gettingready to serve the first meal in the air. Jack and Mark were in thepilot house, ready to do whatever was necessary and anxious to feel thethrill that would tell them the projectile had left the earth. 

"All ready?" asked Professor Henderson. 

"All ready, " replied his German assistant. 

"Then here we go!" announced the aged scientist. 

He pulled toward him the main starting lever of the Cardite motor, while Professor Roumann opened the valve which admitted to the platesand cylinders the mysterious force that was to send them on their way. 

"Elevate the bow!" called Professor Henderson. 

"Elevated it is, " answered the German, as he turned a wheel whichdirected the negative gravity force against the surface of the groundand tilted up the nose of the _Annihilator_, as a skyrocket is slantedin a trough before the fuse is ignited. 

"Throw over the switch, " directed Mr. Henderson, and the otherscientist, with a quick motion, snapped it into place, amid a shower ofvicious electric sparks that hissed as when hot iron is thrust intowater. 

"Steer straight ahead!" called Professor Henderson to Mark and Jack, who were in the pilot house. "We'll head for the moon later. "

"Straight ahead it is, " answered Jack. 

There was a trembling to the great projectile. Up rose her sharp-pointed bow. She swayed slightly in the air. The trembling increased. The great Cardite motor hummed and throbbed. There was a crackling asfrom a wireless apparatus. 

Then, with a rush and a roar, the big steel car, resembling an enormouscigar, soared away from the earth, like some gigantic piece offireworks, and shot toward the sky. 

"We're off!" shouted Mark. 

"For the moon!" added Jack. 

And the _Annihilator_ soared upward and onward, while those in hernever dreamed of the fearful adventures that were to befall them erethey would again be headed toward the earth. 

CHAPTER XV

THE SHANGHAI MAKES TROUBLE

Remaining in the engine room long enough to see that all the motors andapparatus were working smoothly, Professor Henderson made his way tothe pilot house forward, where Mark and Jack were in charge of thesteering gears. The projectile could be started and stopped from there, as well as from the engine room, once the motor was set going. 

"Well, boys, how does it feel to be in space once more?" asked thescientist. 

"Fine, " answered Mark. "But while I was shut up in that old house Ifeared I'd never have this chance again. "

"It seems like old times again, to be flying through space, " remarkedJack. "My! but we aren't making half the speed of which the projectileis capable. Why, we're only going about twenty miles a second, " and hespoke as if that was a mere nothing. 

"Twenty miles is some speed, " observed Mark. 

"The earth goes around the sun at the rate of nineteen miles a second, or about seventy-five times as fast as the swiftest cannon-ball, so yousee, Jack, you are 'going some, ' as the boys say. "

"Yes, but we went much faster when we went to Mars. Still, no matterhow fast we travel, you'd never realize it inside here. "

This was true. So well balanced was the projectile, and so delicatelypoised was the machinery, that the terrifically fast rate of travel, rivalling that of the earth, was no more noticed than we, on thisglobe, notice our pace of nineteen miles a second around the sun. 

"Everything seems to be all right, " observed Professor Henderson, as helooked out of the plate-glass window of the pilot house into a sea ofrolling mist, which represented the ether, for they had soon passedthrough the atmosphere of the earth, which scientists estimate to betwo hundred miles in thickness. 

"Are we going to move any faster than this?" asked Jack, who seemedpossessed of a speed mania. 

"Not right away, " replied Mr. Henderson. "Professor Roumann wants tothoroughly test the Cardite motor first. Then, when he finds that itworks all right, we may go faster. But we will be at the moon soonenough as it is. It is time we headed more directly on our proper way, though, so I think I will ask Mr. Roumann to step here and aid me ingetting the projectile on the right course. You boys had better remainalso and learn how it is done. You may need to know some time. "

"I'll call the professor here, if he can leave the engine room, " saidMark, and he found the German bending over some complicated apparatus. The scientist announced that the machines would run themselvesautomatically for a while, so he accompanied the lad back to the pilot-house. 

There, consulting big charts of the heavens, and by making someintricate calculations, which the boys partly understood, the Germanand Mr. Henderson were able to locate the exact position of the moon, though that body was not then in sight, being behind the earth. 

"That ought to bring us there inside of a week, " announced Mr. Henderson, as he fastened the automatic steering apparatus in place. "The projectile will now be held on a straight course, and I hope weshall not have to change it. "

"Could anything cause us to swerve to one side?" asked Jack. 

"Sure, " replied Mark. "Don't you remember how, in the trip to Mars, wenearly collided with the comet? If we are in danger of hitting anotherone of those things, or even a meteor, we'll steer out of the way, won't we?"

"Of course. I forgot about that, " admitted Jack. 

"Yes, " declared Professor Roumann, "we'll have to be on the lookout forwandering meteors or other stray heavenly bodies. But our instrumentswill give us timely warning of them. Now, I think we can leave theprojectile to herself while I make sure that all the machinery isrunning smoothly. You boys may stay here if you like, though thereisn't much to see. "

There wasn't. It was totally unlike taking a trip on earth, where theever-varying scenery makes a journey pleasant. There was no landscapeto greet the eye now. It was even unlike a trip in a balloon, for inthat sort of air-craft, at least for a time, a glimpse of the earth canbe had. Now there was nothing but a white blanket of mist to be seen, which rolled this way and that. Occasionally it was dispelled, and thefull, golden sunlight bathed the projectile. The earth had long sincedropped out of sight, for it required only a few seconds to put the_Annihilator_ high up in a position where even the most intrepidballoonist had never ventured. 

Mark and Jack sat for a few minutes in the pilot-house, looking outinto the ether. But they soon tired of seeing absolutely nothing. 

"I wonder what we'll do when we get to the moon?" asked Jack of hischum. 

"Why, I suppose you'll make a dive for a hatful of diamonds, won't you?That is, if you still believe that Martian newspaper account. "

"I sure do. "

The boys found the two professors busy adjusting some of the delicatescientific instruments with which they expected to make observations onthe trip, and after they reached the moon. 

"What is your opinion, Professor Roumann, of the temperature at themoon's surface?" asked Mr. Henderson. 

"I am in two minds about it, " was the reply. "A few years ago, I see byan astronomy, Lord Rosse inferred from his observations that thetemperature rose at its maximum (or about three days after full moon)far above that of boiling water. "

"Boiling water!" ejaculated Mark. "Wow! That won't be very nice. Idon't want to be boiled like a lobster!"

"Wait a moment, " cautioned Mr. Roumann, with a smile. "Later, LordRosse's own investigations, and those of Langley, threw some doubts onthis. There is said to be no air blanket about the moon, as there isabout the earth, so that the moon loses heat as fast as it receives it;and it now seems more probable that the temperature never rises abovethe freezing point of water, just as is the case on our highestmountains. "

"That's better, " came from Jack. "We can stand a low temperature moreeasily than we can to be boiled; eh, Jack?"

"Sure. But I don't want to be frozen or boiled either, if I can helpit. Guess I'll wear my fur suit that we brought back from the NorthPole with us. "

"I agree with you, Professor Roumann, about the temperature, " announcedMr. Henderson, "so we must make up our minds to shiver, rather thanmelt. But we are prepared for that. "

"What about there being no air on the moon?" asked Jack. 

"Oh, we can manufacture our own oxygen, " said Mark. "We can walk aroundwith an air tank on our shoulders, as we did when we went beneath thesurface of the ocean. Now, I guess----"

"Dinner am served in de dining car!" interrupted Washington White, hisblack face grinning cheerfully. He used to be a waiter in a Pullman, and he was proud of it. "First call fo' dinner!" he went on. "Part obit am boiled, part am roasted, laik I done heah yo' talkin' 'bout jestnow, an' part am frozed--dat's de ice cream, " he added hastily, lestthere be a mistake about it. 

"Well, that sounds good, " observed Mark. "Come on, everybody, " and heled the way to the dining cabin. 

They had not been at the table more than a few minutes, and had begunon the "boiled" part of the meal, which was the soup, when from theengine room there came a curious, whining noise, as when an electricmotor slows up. 

"What's that?" cried Professor Henderson, jumping up from his seat inalarm. 

"Something wrong in the engine room, " cried Mr. Roumann. 

The two scientists, followed by the boys, hurried to where the variouspieces of apparatus were sending the projectile forward through space. Already there was an appreciable slackening of speed. 

"The Cardite motor has stopped!" cried Mr. Roumann. "Something hashappened to it!"

"Can it be the result of the damage which that lunatic did?" asked Mr. Henderson. 

"Perhaps, " spoke Jack. "If I had him here----"

"We are falling!" shouted Mark, looking at an indicator which markedtheir speed and motion. 

"Can't we start some other motor?" asked Jack. 

At that instant from beneath the now silent Cardite machine there camea prolonged crow. 

"My Shanghai rooster!" shouted Washington. "He am in dar!"

A second later the rooster scrambled out, scratching vigorously. Grainsof corn were scattered about. The motor started up again, and theprojectile resumed its onward way. 

"The rooster stopped it!" cried Jack. "He went under it to get somecorn, and he must have deranged one of the levers. Oh, you oldShanghai, you nearly gave us all heart disease!"

And the rooster crowed louder than before, while his colored owner"shooed" him out of the engine room. The trouble was over speedily, andthe _Annihilator_ was once more speeding toward the moon. 

CHAPTER XVI

"WILL IT HIT US?"

"Well, for a trouble-maker, give me a rooster every time, " spoke Jack, as, after an examination of the machinery, it was found that nothingwas out of order. "How do you think it happened, Professor Henderson?"

"It never could have happened except in just that way, " was the replyof Mr. Roumann. "Underneath the motor, where they are supposed to beout of all reach, are several self-adjusting levers. They control thespeed, and also, by being moved in a certain direction, they will shutdown the apparatus. The rooster crawled beneath the machine, an actthat I never figured on, for I knew it was too small for any of us toreach with our hands or arms, even had we so desired. But theShanghai's feathers must have brushed against the levers, and thatstopped the action of the Cardite motor. However, I'm glad it was noworse. "

"Yes, let's finish dinner now, if everything is all right, " proposedMark. 

"How did the rooster get in here?" asked Jack. 

"I 'spects dat's my fault, " answered Washington. "I took him out ob hiscoop fo' a little exercise dis mawnin', an' he run in heah. "

"That explains it, I think, " said Mr. Roumann. "Well, Washington, don'tlet it happen again. We don't want to be dashed downward through spaceall on account of a rooster. "

"No, indeedy; I'll lock him up good an' tight arter dis, " promised thecolored man. 

They resumed the interrupted dinner, discussing the possibility of whatmight have happened, and congratulating themselves that it did not takeplace. 

"It certainly seems like old times to be eating while travelling alonglike a cannon-ball, " remarked Jack. "I declare, it gives me anappetite!"

"You didn't need any, " retorted his chum. "But say! maybe things don'ttaste good to me, after what I got while that fellow Axtell had me aprisoner! Jack, I'll have a little more of that cocoanut pie, if youdon't mind. "

Jack passed over the pastry, and Mark took a liberal piece. ThenWashington brought in the ice cream, which was frozen on board by meansof an ammonia gas apparatus, the invention of Professor Henderson. Thenovelty of dining as comfortably as at home, yet being thousands ofmiles above the earth, and, at the same time, speeding along like acannon-ball, did not impress our friends as much as it had during theirtrip to Mars. 

"Well, we're making a little better time now, " observed Mark, as he andthe others rose from the table and went to the engine room. "The gaugeshows that we're making twenty-five miles a second. "

"We will soon go much faster, " announced Professor Roumann. "I have notyet had a chance to test my Cardite motor to its fullest speed, and Ithink I will do so. I wish to see if it will equal my Etherium machine. I'll turn on the power gradually now, and we'll see what happens. "

"How fast do you think it ought to send us along?" asked Jack. 

"Oh, perhaps one hundred and twenty-five miles a second. You know wewent a hundred miles a second when we headed for Mars. I would not besurprised if we made even one hundred and thirty miles a second withthe Cardite. "

"Whew! If we ever hit anything going like that!" exclaimed old AndySudds. 

"We'd go right through it, " finished Jack fervently. The professor wassoon ready for the test. Slowly he shoved over the controlling lever. The Cardite motor hummed more loudly, like some great cat purring. Louder snapped the electrical waves. The air vibrated with the enormousspeed of the valve wheels, and there was a prickling sensation as thepower flowed into the positive and negative plates, by which theprojectile was moved through space. 

"Watch the hand of the speed indicator, boys, " directed ProfessorRoumann, "while Professor Henderson and I manipulate the motor. Callout the figures to us, for we must keep our eyes on the valves. " Slowlythe speed indicator hand, which was like that of an automobilespeedometer, swept over the dial. 

"Fifty miles a second, " read off Mark. The two professors shoved thelevers over still more. 

"Seventy-five, " called Jack. 

"Give it a little more of the positive current, " directed Mr. Roumann. 

"Ninety miles a second, " read Mark a few moments later. 

"We are creeping up, but we have not yet equalled our former speed, "spoke Mr. Henderson. The motor was fairly whining now, as if inprotest. 

"One hundred and five miles, " announced Jack. 

"Ha! That's some better!" ejaculated the German. "I think we shall doit. " Once more he advanced the speed lever a notch. 

"One hundred and thirty!" fairly shouted Mark. "We are beating allrecords!"

"And we will go still farther beyond them!" cried Mr. Roumann. "Watchthe gauge, boys!"

To the last notch went the speed handle. There was a sharp crackling, snapping sound, as if the metal of which the motor was composed wasstrained to the utmost. Yet it held together. 

The hand of the dial quivered. It hung on the one hundred and thirtymark for a second, as if not wanting to leave it, and then the steelpointer swept slowly on in a circle, past point after point. 

"One hundred and thirty-five--one hundred and forty, " whispered Jack, as if afraid to speak aloud. The two professors did not look up fromthe motor. They looked at the oil and lubricating cups. Already themain shaft was smoking with the heat of friction. 

"Look! look!" whispered Mark hoarsely. 

"One hundred and fifty-three miles a second!" exclaimed Jack. "You'vedone it, Professor Roumann!"

"Yes, I have, " spoke the German, with a sigh of satisfaction. "That isfaster than mortal man ever travelled before, and I think no one willever equal our speed. We have broken all records--even our own. Now Iwill slow down, but we must do it gradually, so as not to strain themachinery. "

He slipped back the speed lever, notch by notch. The hand of the dialbegan receding, but it still marked one hundred and twenty miles asecond. 

Suddenly, above the roar and hum of the motor, there sounded the voiceof Andy. 

"Professor!" he shouted. "We're heading right toward a big, blackstone! Is that the moon?"

"The moon? No, we are not half way there, " said Mr. Henderson. "Are yousure, Andy?"

"Sure? Yes! I saw it from the window in the pilot-house. We areshooting right toward it. "

"Look to the motor, and I'll see what it is, " directed Mr. Henderson tohis friend. Followed by the boys, he hurried to the steering tower. Hisworst fears were confirmed. 

Speeding along with a swiftness unrivalled even by some stars, theprojectile was lurching toward a great, black heavenly body. "It's ameteor! An immense meteor!" cried Professor Henderson, "and it's comingright toward us. "

"Will it hit us?" gasped Mark and Jack together. 

"I don't know. We must try to avoid it. Boys, notify Professor Roumannat once. We are in grave danger!"

CHAPTER XVII

TURNING TURTLE

Together Mark and Jack leaped for the engine room. Their faces showedthe fear they felt. Even before they reached it, they realized that, atthe awful speed at which they were travelling, and the fearful velocityof the meteor, there might be a crash in mid-air which would destroythe projectile and end their lives. 

"I wonder if we can steer clear of it?" gasped Jack. 

"If it's possible the professor will do it, " responded his chum. 

The next instant they were in the engine room, where Mr. Roumann wasbending over the Cardite motor. 

"Shut off the power!" yelled Jack. 

"We are going to hit a meteor!" gasped Mark. 

The German looked up with a startled glance. 

"Slow down?" he repeated. "It is impossible to slow down at once! Weare going ninety miles a second!" He pointed to the speed gauge. 

"Then there's going to be a fearful collision!" cried Jack, and heblurted out the fact of the nearness of the heavenly wanderer. 

"So!" exclaimed Professor Roumann. "Dot is bat! ferry bat!" and helapsed into the broken language that seldom marked his almost perfectEnglish. Then, murmuring something in his own tongue, he leaped awayfrom the motor, calling to the boys:

"Slow it down gradually! Keep pulling the speed lever toward you! Iwill set in motion the repelling apparatus and go to help ProfessorHenderson steer out of the way. It is our only chance!"

Mark and Jack took their places beside the Cardite motor, which wasstill keeping up a fearful speed, though not so fast as at first. Tostop it suddenly would mean that the cessation of strain could not allbe diffused at once, and serious damage might result. 

The only way was to come gradually down to the former speed, and, whileMark kept his eyes on the indicator, Jack pulled the lever toward him, notch by notch. 

"She's down to seventy-five miles a second, " whispered Mark. They wereas anxious now to reduce speed as they had been before to increase it. 

Meanwhile Professor Roumann had set in motion a curious bit ofapparatus, designed to repel stray meteors or detached bits of comets. As is well known, bodies floating in space, away from the attraction ofgravitation, attract or repel each other as does a magnet or anelectrically charged object. 

Acting on this law of nature, Professor Roumann had, with the aid ofMr. Henderson, constructed a machine which, when a negative current ofelectricity was sent into it, would force away any object that wasapproaching the _Annihilator_. In a few moments the boys at theCardite motor heard the hum, the throb and crackling that told themthat the repelling apparatus was at work. 

But would it act in time? Or would the meteor prove too powerful forit? And, if it did, would the two scientists be able to steer theswiftly moving projectile out of the way of the big, black stone, asthe old hunter called it?

These were questions that showed on the faces of the two lads as theybent over the motor. 

"We're only going fifty miles a second now, " whispered Jack. 

Mark nodded his head. "Can't you pull the lever over faster?" he asked. 

"I don't dare, " replied his chum. There was nothing to do but to waitand gradually slow up the projectile as much as possible. The boyscould hear the professors in the pilothouse shifting gears, valves andlevers to change the course of the projectile. Andy Sudds andWashington White, with fear on their faces, looked into the engineroom, waiting anxiously for the outcome. 

"Hab--hab we hit it yet?" asked Washington, moving his hands nervously. 

"I reckon not, or we'd know it, " said the hunter. 

"No, not yet, " answered Jack, in a low voice. "How much are we makingnow, Mark?"

"Only thirty a second. "

"Good! She's coming down. "

Hardly had he spoken than there sounded a noise like thunder, or therushing of some mighty wind. The projectile, which was tremblingthroughout her length from the force of the motor, shivered as thoughshe had plunged into the unknown depths of some mighty sea. The roaringincreased. Mark and Jack looked at each other. Washington White fellupon his knees and began praying in a loud voice. Old Andy grasped hisgun, as though to say that, even though on the brink of eternity, hewas ready. 

Then, with a scream as of some gigantic shell from a thousand-inchrifle, something passed over the _Annihilator_; something that shookthe great projectile like a leaf in the wind. And then the scream diedaway, and there was silence. For a moment no one spoke, and then Jackwhispered hoarsely:

"We've passed it. "

"Yes, " added Mark, "we're safe now. "

"By golly! I knowed we would!" fairly yelled Washington, leaping to hisfeet. "I knowed dat no old meteor could kerflumox us! PerfesserHenderson he done jumped our boat ober it laik a hunter jumps his bossober a fence. Golly! I'se feelin' better now!"

"How did you avoid it?" asked Mark of the professor. 

"With the help of the repelling machine and by changing our course. Butwe did it only just in time. It was an immense meteor, much larger thanat first appeared, and it was blazing hot. Had it struck us, therewould have been nothing left of us or the projectile either but stardust. But we managed to pass beneath it, and now we are safe. "

They congratulated each other on their lucky escape, and then busiedthemselves about various duties aboard the air-craft. The rest of theday was spent in making minor adjustments to some of the machines, oiling others, and in planning what they would do when they reached themoon. 

In this way three days and nights passed, mainly without incident. Theyslept well on board the _Annihilator_, which was speeding so swiftlythrough space--slept as comfortably as they had on earth. Each hourbrought them nearer the moon, and they figured on landing on thesurface of that wonderful and weird body in about three days more. 

It was on the morning of the fourth day when, as Mark and Jack weretaking their shift in the engine room, that Jack happened to glancefrom the side observation window, which was near the Cardite motor. What he saw caused him to cry out in surprise. 

"I say, Mark, look here! There's the moon over there. We're not headingfor it at all!"

"By Jove! You're right!" agreed his chum. "We're off our course!"

"We must tell Professor Henderson!" cried Jack. "I'll do it. You stayhere and watch things. "

A few seconds later a very much alarmed youth was rapidly talking tothe two scientists, who were in the pilot-house. 

"Some unknown force must have pulled us off our course, " Jack wassaying. "The moon is away off to one side of us. "

To his surprise, instead of being alarmed, Mr. Roumann only smiled. 

"It's true, " insisted Jack. 

"Of course, it is, " agreed Mr. Henderson. "We can see it from here, Jack, " and he pointed to the observation window, from which could benoticed the moon floating in the sky at the same time the sun wasshining, a phenomenon which is often visible on the earth early in themorning at certain of the moon's phases. 

"Will we ever get there?" asked Jack. 

"Of course, " replied Mr. Roumann. "You must remember, Jack, that themoon is moving at the same time we are. Had I headed the projectile forLuna, and kept it on that course, she would, by the time we reachedher, been in another part of the firmament, and we would have overshotour mark. So, instead, I aimed the _Annihilator_ at a spot in theheavens where I calculated the moon would be when we arrived there. And, if I am not mistaken, we will reach there at the same time, anddrop gently down on Luna. "

"Oh, is that it?" asked the lad, much relieved. 

"That's it, " replied Mr. Henderson. "And that's why we seem to beheaded away from the moon. Her motion will bring her into the rightposition for us to land on when the time comes. "

"Then I'd better go tell Mark, " said the lad. "He's quite worried. " Hesoon explained matters to his chum, and together they discussed themany things necessary to keep in mind when one navigates the heavens. 

That day saw several thousand more miles reeled off on the journey tothe moon, and that evening (or rather what corresponded to evening, forit was perpetual daylight) they began to make their preparations forlanding. Their wonderful journey through space was nearing an end. 

"I guess that crazy Axtell fellow was only joking when he said we'dnever reach the moon, " ventured Jack. "Nothing has happened yet. "

"Only the meteor, " said Mark, "and he couldn't know about that. I guesshe didn't get a chance to damage any of the machinery. "

"No, we seem to be making good time, " went on his chum. "I think I'llgo and----"

Jack did not finish his sentence. Instead he stared at one of theinstruments hanging from the walls of the engine room. It was a sort ofbarometer to tell their distance from the earth, and it swung to andfro like a pendulum. Now the instrument was swinging out away from thewall to which it was attached. Further and further over it inclined. Jack felt a curious sensation. Mark put his hand to his head. 

"I feel--feel dizzy!" he exclaimed. "What is the matter?"

"Something has happened, " cried Jack. 

The instrument swung over still more. Some tools fell from a workbench, and landed on the steel floor with a crash. The boys werestaggering about the engine room, unable to maintain their balance. 

There came cries of fear from the galley, where Washington White wasrattling away amid his pots and pans. Andy Sudds was calling to someone, and from the pilot-house came the excited exclamations ofProfessors Henderson and Roumann. 

"We're turning turtle!" suddenly yelled Jack. "The projectile isturning over in the air! Something has gone wrong! Perhaps this is therevenge of that crazy man!" and, as he spoke, he fell over backward, Mark following him, while the _Annihilator_ was turned completely overand seemed to be falling down into unfathomable depths. 

CHAPTER XVIII

AT THE MOON

Confusion reigned aboard the _Annihilator_. It had turned completelyover, and was now moving through space apparently bottom side up. Ofcourse, being cigar shaped, this did not make any difference as far asthe exterior was concerned, but it did make a great difference to thosewithin. 

The occupants of the great shell had fallen and slid down the roundedsides of the projectile, and were now standing on what had been theceiling. Objects that were not fast had also followed them, scatteringall about, some narrowly missing hitting our friends. Of course, themachinery was now in the air, over the heads of the travellers. 

This was one of the most serious phases of the accident, for the greatCardite motor was built to run while in the other position, and when itwas turned upside down it immediately stopped, and the projectile, deprived of its motive power, at once began falling through space. 

"What has happened? What caused it?" cried Mark, as he crawled over towhere Jack sat on the ceiling, with a dazed look on his face. 

"I don't know. Something went wrong. Here comes Professor Henderson andMr. Roumann. We'll ask them. "

The two scientists were observed approaching from the pilot-house. Theywalked along what had been the ceiling, and when they came to theengine room they had to climb over the top part of the door frame. 

"What's wrong?" asked Jack. 

"Our center of gravity has become displaced, " answered Mr. Henderson. "The gravity machine has either broken, or some one has been tamperingwith it. Did either of you boys touch it?"

"No, indeed!" cried Mark, and his chum echoed his words. 

"I wonder if Washington could have meddled with it?" went on thescientist. 

At that moment the colored cook came along, making his way cautiouslyinto the engine room. He was an odd sight. Bits of carrots, turnips andpotatoes were in his hair, while from one ear dangled a bunch ofmacaroni, and his clothes were dripping wet. 

"My kitchen done turned upside down on me!" wailed Washington, "an' awhole kettle ob soup emptied on my head! Oh, golly! What happened?"

The aged scientist looked toward the German. The latter was gazing upat the motionless Cardite motor over his head. 

"There is but one way, " he answered. "We must restore our centre ofgravity to where it was before. Then the projectile will rightherself. "

"Can it be done?" asked Mark. 

"It will be quite an undertaking, but we must attempt it. Bring sometables and chairs, so I can stand up and reach the equilibriummachine. "

From where they had fallen to the ceiling, which was now the floor, Jack and Mark brought tables and chairs, and made a sort of stepladder. On this Professor Roumann mounted, and at once began the readjusting ofthe centre of gravity. 

It was hard work, for he had to labor with his arms stretched up in theair, and any one who has even put up pictures knows what that means. The muscles are unaccustomed to the strain. The German scientist, though a strong man, had to rest at frequent intervals. 

"We're falling rapidly, " announced Jack, in a low voice, as he lookedat the height gauge. 

"I am doing all I can, " answered Mr. Roumann. "I think I will soon beable to right the craft. "

He labored desperately, but he was at a disadvantage, for the_Annihilator_ was not now moving smoothly through space. With thestopping of the motor she was falling like some wobbly balloon, swayinghither and thither in the ether currents. 

But Professor Roumann was not one to give up easily. He kept at histask, aided occasionally by Professor Henderson and by the boyswhenever they could do anything. 

Finally the German cried out:

"Ah, I have discovered the trouble. It is that scoundrel Axtell! See!"And reaching into the interior of the machine he pulled out a smallmagnet. To it was attached a card, on which was written:

"I told you I would have my revenge!" It was signed with Axtell's name. 

"This was the dastardly plot he evolved, " said Professor Roumann. "Heslipped this magnet into the equilibrium machine, knowing that in timeit would cause a deflection of the delicate needles, and so shift thecentre of gravity. He must have done this as a last resort, and toprovide for his revenge in case we discovered him on board after westarted. It was a cruel revenge, for had I not discovered it we wouldsoon all be killed. "

"Is the machine all right now?" asked Jack. 

"It will be in a few minutes. Here, take this magnet and put it as faraway from the engine room as possible. "

It was the work of but a few minutes, now that the disturbing elementwas removed, to readjust the gravity machine, and Mr. Roumann called:

"Look out, now, everybody! We're going to turn right side up again!"

As he spoke he turned a small valve wheel. There was a clanging ofheavy ballast weights, which slid down their rods to the proper places. Then, like some great fish turning over in the water, the _Annihilator_turned over in the ether, and was once more on her proper keel, if sucha shaped craft can be said to have a keel. 

Of course, the occupants of the space ship went slipping and slidingback, even as they had fallen ceilingward before, but they wereprepared for it, and no one was hurt. From the galley came a chorus ofcries, as pots and pans once more scattered about Washington, but therewas no more soup to spill. 

As soon as the _Annihilator_ was righted, the Cardite motor began towork automatically, and once more the projectile, with the seekers ofthe moon, was shooting through space at their former speed. They hadlost considerable distance, but it was easy to make it up. 

"Well, that _was_ an experience, " remarked Jack, as he and his chumbegan picking up the tools and other objects that were scattered allabout by the change in equilibrium. 

"I should say yes, " agreed Mark. "I'm glad it didn't happen at dinnertime. That fellow Axtell is a fiend to think of such a thing. "

"Indeed, he is! But we're all right now, though it did feel funny to beturned upside down. "

An inspection of the projectile was made, but they could discover noparticular damage done. She seemed to be moving along the same asbefore, and, except for the upsetting of things in the store-room, itwould hardly have been known, an hour later, that a dreadful accidentwas narrowly averted. 

Washington made more soup, and soon had a fine meal ready, over whichthe travellers discussed their recent experience. 

"And when do you think we will arrive?" asked Jack of Mr. Henderson. 

"We ought to be at the moon inside of two days now. We have not madequite the speed we calculated on, but that does not matter. I think wewill go even more slowly on the remainder of the trip, as I wish totake some scientific observations. "

"Yes, and so do I, " added Mr. Roumann. "I think if we make fifteenmiles a second from now on we will be moving fast enough. "

Accordingly the Cardite motor was slowed down, and the projectile shotthrough space at slightly reduced speed, while the two scientists madeseveral observations, and did some intricate calculating about etherpressure, the distance of heavenly bodies and other matters of interestonly to themselves. 

It was on the afternoon of the third day following the turning turtleof the _Annihilator_ that Mark, who was looking through a telescope inthe pilot-house, called out: "I say, Jack, look here!"

"What's the matter?" asked his chum. 

"Why, we're rushing right at the moon! I can see the mountains andcraters on it as plain as though we were but five miles away!"

"Then we must be nearly there, " observed Jack. "Let's tell the others, Mark. "

They hurried to inform the two professors, who at once left theirtables of figures and entered the steering chamber. Then, after gazingthrough the glass, Mr. Henderson announced: "Friends, we will land onthe moon in half an hour. Get ready. "

"Are we really going to be walking around the moon inside of thirtyminutes?" asked Mark. 

"I don't know about walking around on it, " answered the German. "Wefirst have to see if there is an atmosphere there for us to breathe, and whether the temperature is such as we can stand. But theAnnihilator will soon be there. "

The speed of the Cardite motor was increased, and so rapidly did theprojectile approach Luna that glasses were no longer needed todistinguish the surface of the moon. 

There she floated in space, a great, silent ball, but not like theearth, pleasantly green, with lakes and rivers scattered about inverdant forests. No, for the moon presented a desolate surface to thegaze of the travellers. Great, rugged mountain peaks arose all aboutimmense caverns that seemed hundreds of miles deep. The surface wascracked and seamed, as if by a moonquake. Silence and terribleloneliness seemed to confront them. 

"Maybe it's better on some other part of the surface, " said Jack, in alow voice. 

"Perhaps, " agreed Mark. "It's certainly not inviting there. "

Nearer and nearer they came to the moon. It no longer looked like agreat sphere, for they were so close that their vision could only takein part of the surface, and it began to flatten out, as the earth doesto a balloonist. 

And the nearer they came to it the more rugged, the more terrible, themore desolate did it appear. Would they be able to find a place toland, or would they go hurtling down into some awful crater, or bedashed upon the sharp peak of some mountain of the moon?

It was a momentous question, and anxious were the faces of the twoprofessors. 

"Mr. Henderson, if you will undertake to steer to some level place, Iwill take charge of the motor, " suggested Mr. Roumann. "I willgradually reduce the speed, and get the repelling machine in readiness, so as to render our landing gentle. "

"Very well, " responded the aged scientist, as he grasped the steeringwheel. 

The progress of the _Annihilator_ was gradually checked. More and moreslowly it approached the moon. The mountains seemed even higher now, and the craters deeper. 

"What a terrible place, " murmured Jack. "I shouldn't want to livethere. "

"Me either, " said Mark. 

"Can you see a place to land?" called Professor Roumann through thespeaking-tube from the engine room to the steering tower. 

"Yes, we seem to be approaching a fairly level plateau, " was Mr. Henderson's reply. 

"Very well, then, I'll start the repelling machine. "

The Cardite motor was stopped. The projectile was now being drawntoward the moon by the gravity force of the dead ball that once hadbeen a world like ours. Slowly and more slowly moved the greatprojectile. 

There was a moment of suspense. Mr. Henderson threw over the steeringwheel. The _Annihilator_ moved more slowly. Then came a gentle shock. The dishes in the galley rattled, and there was the clank of machinery. The Shanghai rooster crowed. 

"We're on the moon at last!" cried jack, peering from an observationwindow at the rugged surface outside. 

"Yes; and now to see what it's like, " added Mark. "We'll go outside, and----"

"Wait, " cautioned Professor Roumann. "First we must see if we canbreathe on the moon, and whether the temperature will support life. Imust make some tests before we venture out of the projectile. "

CHAPTER XIX

TORCHES OF LIFE

The natural inclination of the boys to rush out on the surface of themoon to see what it was like was checked by the words of caution fromProfessor Roumann. 

"Do you think it would be dangerous to venture outside the projectile?"asked Jack, as he looked from the window and noted the rugged, unevensurface of the moon. 

"Very much so, " was the answer. "According to most astronomers, thereis absolutely no air on the moon, also no moisture, and the temperatureis either very high or around the freezing point. We must find out whatit is. "

"How can we?" inquired Mark. 

"I'll soon show you, " went on the German. "Professor Henderson, willyou kindly assist me. "

When it had been decided to come to the moon in quest for the field ofdiamonds, certain changes had been made in the _Annihilator_ to fit itfor new conditions that might be met. One of these consisted of anaperture in the two sides of the projectile permitting certain delicateinstruments to be thrust out, so that the conditions they indicatedcould be read on dials or graduated scales from within. 

"We will first make a test of the temperature, " said Mr. Roumann, "asthat will be the easiest. " Accordingly a thermometer was put outside, and those in the air-craft anxiously watched the red column of spirits. The temperature was marked as seventy-five inside the _Annihilator_, but the thermometer had not been outside more than a second beforeit began falling. 

"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson, as he noted it. "The temperature isgoing down. I'd rather have it too cold than too hot. We can stand aminus fifty of cold better than two hundred and twelve of heat. We havefur garments with us. "

"It is still going down, " remarked Jack, as he saw the red column dropdown past the thirty mark. 

"Below freezing, " added Mark. 

The spirits fell in the tube until they touched twenty-eight degrees, and there they remained. 

"Twenty-eight degrees, " remarked Professor Henderson. "That isn't sobad. At least, we can stand that if we are warmly clad. "

"Yes, but it will be colder to-night, " said Jack. For they had landedon the moon in bright sunlight. 

"To-night?" questioned the German scientist, with a smile. 

"Yes, it's always colder when the sun goes down, " went on the lad. 

"You have forgotten one thing, " said Mr. Henderson, with a smile at hisyoung protégé. "You must remember, Jack, that the nights and days hereare each fourteen days long--that is, fourteen of our days. "

"How's that?" asked Jack. 

"Why, " broke in Mark, who was a trifle better student than was hischum, "don't you remember that the moon rotates on its axis once amonth, or in about twenty-eight days, to be exact, and so half of thattime is day and half night, just as on our earth, when it revolves onits axis in twenty-four hours, half the time is day and half the timeis night. "

"Sure, I ought to have remembered, " declared Jack. 

"Mark is right, " added Mr. Henderson. "And, as we have most fortunatelyarrived on the moon at the beginning of the long day, we will havefourteen days of sunshine, during which we may expect the temperatureto remain at about twenty-eight degrees. But now about the atmosphere. ""We will test that directly, " went on the German. "It will take sometime longer, though. "

Various instruments were brought forth and thrust out of the opening inthe side of the projectile, which opening was so arranged that it wasclosed hermetically while the instruments were put forth. Then thereadings of the dials or scales were taken, and computations made. Infact, some of what corresponded to the moon's atmosphere was secured ina hollow steel cup and brought inside the _Annihilator_ for analysis. 

"Well, " remarked Professor Roumann, as he bent over a test tube, thecontents of which he had put through several processes, "I am afraid wecannot breathe on the moon. "

"Can't breathe on it?" gasped Jack. "Then we can't go out and walkaround it. "

"I didn't say that, " resumed the German, with a smile. "I said wecouldn't breathe the moon's atmosphere. In fact there is nothing therethat we would call atmosphere. There is absolutely no oxygen, and thereare a number of poisonous gases that would instantly cause death ifinhaled. "

"Then how are we to get out and hunt for those diamonds, Professor?"went on Jack. "Gee whiz! if I'd known that, I wouldn't have come. Thisis tough luck!"

"Maybe the professor can suggest a way out of the difficulty, boys, "spoke Mr. Henderson. "It certainly would be too bad if, after ourperilous trip, we couldn't get out of our cage and walk around themoon. "

"I think perhaps I can discover a way so that it will be safe toventure forth, " said Mr. Roumann. "But I must first conduct somefurther experiments. In the meanwhile suppose you boys get out somefur-lined garments, for, though it is only twenty-eight degrees, wewill need to be well clad after the time spent inside this warmprojectile. "

"It does look as if he expected to get us out, " remarked Jack, as heand his chum went to where Andy Sudds was. 

"Yes, you'll get a chance to pick up diamonds after all, Jack. That is, if there are any here. "

"Of course there are diamonds. You wait and see, " and then, with thehelp of the old hunter, they took from the store-room their furgarments. 

It was half an hour before the warm clothes were sorted out, and thenthe boys went back to where the two professors were. 

"Well, " asked Jack cautiously, "can we go outside?"

"I think so, " answered the German cheerfully. "But you must always becareful to carry one of these with you, " and he handed to each of theboys a steel rod about two feet long, at the end of which was a smalliron box, with perforations in the sides and top. 

"What is this?" asked Jack. "It looks like a magician's wand. "

"And that is exactly what it is, " said Mr. Henderson. "As there is noatmosphere fit to breathe on the moon, we have been forced to make ourown, boys. You each hold what may be called torches of life. To ventureout without them would mean instant death by suffocation or poison. "

"And will these save our lives?" asked Mark. 

"Yes, " said Mr. Roumann. "In the iron boxes on those rods are certainchemicals, rich in oxygen and other elements, which, when brought incontact with the gases on the moon, will dispel a cloud of air aboutwhoever carries them--air such as we find on our earth. So, boys, becareful never to venture out without the torches of life. I had themprepared in anticipation of some such emergency as this, and all thatwas necessary was to put in the chemicals. This I have done, and now, if you wish, you may go out and stroll about the moon. "

CHAPTER XX

ON THE EDGE OF A CRATER

There was a little hesitation after Professor Roumann had spoken. Eventhough he assured them all that it would be safe to venture out on thesurface of the moon, with its chilling temperature and its poisonous"atmosphere" (if such it can be termed), there was an uncanny feelingabout stepping forth into the midst of the desolation that was on everyside. 

For it was desolate--terribly so! Not a sound broke the stillness. There was no life--no motion--as far as could be seen. Not a tree orshrub relieved the rugged monotony of the landscape. It was like a deadworld. 

"And to think that people may have once lived here, " observed Jack, ina low voice. 

"Yes, and to think that there may be people on the other side of themoon even now, " added Mark. "We must take a look if it's possible. "

"Well, " remarked Mr. Henderson, after a while, "are we going out andsee what it's like or not. "

"Of course, we are, " said Jack. "Come on, Mark, I'm not afraid. "

"Me either. Do we have to do anything to the torches to make themoperate, Professor Roumann?"

"Merely press this lever, " and the scientist showed them where therewas one in the handle of the steel rod. "As soon as that is pressed, itadmits a liquid to the chemicals and the oxygen gas is formed, risingall around you, like a protecting vapor. After that it is automatic. "

"How long will the supply of chemical last?" inquired Jack. 

"Each one is calculated to give out gas for nearly two weeks, " was thereply; "possibly for a little longer. But come, I want to see how theywork. Here is your life-torch, Professor Henderson, and there is onefor you, too, Andy, and Washington. "

"'Scuse me!" exclaimed the colored man hastily, as he started backtoward the kitchen. 

"Why, what's the matter?" asked Jack. "Don't you want to go out, andwalk around the moon, and pick up diamonds?"

"Diamonds am all right, " answered Washington, "but I jest done fo'gotdat I ain't fed my Shanghai rooster to-day, an' I 'spects he's mightyhungry. You folks go on out an' pick up a few obde sparklers, an' whenI gits de Shanghai fed I'll prognosticate myse'f inter conjunction wifyo' all. "

"You mean you'll join us?" asked Mark. 

"Dat's what I means, suah. "

"Why, I do believe Washington's afraid!" cried Jack jokingly. 

"Askeered! Who's afraid?" retorted the colored man boldly. "Didn't Idone tole yo' dat I got t' feed my rooster? Heah him crowin' now? Yo'all go 'long, an' I'll meet yo' later, " and with that Washingtondisappeared quickly. 

"Well, he'll soon pluck up courage and come out, " declared ProfessorHenderson. "Let him go now, and we'll go out and see what it is like onthe moon. "

"I hope we find those diamonds, " murmured Jack, and Mark smiled. 

In order not to admit the poisonous gases into the projectile, it wasdecided to leave the Annihilator and return to it by means of a doubledoor, forming a sort of air lock. It was similar to the water lock usedon the submarine. That is, the adventurers entered a chamber built inbetween the two steel walls of their craft. The interior door was thensealed shut automatically. Next the outer door was opened, and theycould step directly to the surface of the moon and into the deadlyatmosphere. 

"Well, are we all ready?" asked Mr. Roumann, as he picked up one of thechemical torches. 

"I guess so, " responded Andy Sudds, who had his gun with him. "I hope Isee some game. I haven't had a shot in a long while. "

"You're not likely to up here, " spoke Mr. Henderson. "Game is scarce onthe moon, unless it's some of that green cheese Washington talkedabout. "

They entered the air lock and fastened the door behind them. ThenProfessor Roumann pressed on the lever that swung open the outerportal. 

"Hold your torches close to your head, " he called. "The moon atmospheremay be too strong for us at first until we create a mist of oxygenabout us. "

Out upon the surface of the moon they stepped, probably the first earthbeings so to do, though they had evidence that the inhabitants of Marshad preceded them. 

For a moment they all gasped for breath, but only for a moment. Thenthe gas began to flow from the life-torches, and they could breathe aswell as they had done while in the projectile, or while on the earth. 

"Well, if this isn't great!" cried Jack, gazing about him. 

"It certainly beats anything I ever saw, " came from Mark. 

"Wonderful, wonderful, " murmured Professor Henderson. "We will be ableto gain much valuable scientific knowledge here, Professor Roumann. Wemust at once begin our observations. "

"I agree with you, " spoke the German. 

Andy Sudds said nothing. He was looking around for a sight of game, with his rifle in readiness. But not a sign of life met his eager eyes. 

Once they were outside the projectile it was even more desolate than ithad seemed when they looked from the observation windows. It wasabsolutely still. Not a breath of wind fanned their cheeks, for wherethere is no air to be heated and cooled there could be no wind which iscaused by the differences of temperature of the air, the cold rushingin to fill the vacuum caused by the rising of the hot vapors. Clad intheir fur-lined garments, which effectually defied the cold, theadventurers stepped out. 

Over the rugged ground they went, gazing curiously about them. It waslike being in the wildest part of the Canadian Rocky Mountains of ourearth, and, in fact, the surface of the moon was not unlike themountainous and hilly sections of the earth. There were no long rangesof rugged peaks, though, but rather scattered pinnacles and deephollows, great craters adjoining immense, towering steeples of rocks, with comparatively level ground in between. 

The life-torches worked to perfection. As our friends carried them, there arose about their bodies a cloud of invisible vapor, which, however, was as great a protection from the poisonous gases as a coatof mail would have been. 

"This is great!" exclaimed Jack. "It's much better than to have to puton a diving-suit and carry a cylinder of oxygen or compressed air abouton our shoulders. "

They strolled away from the projectile and gazed back at it. Nothingmoved--not a sound broke the stillness. There was only the blazingsunlight, which, however, did not seem to warm the atmosphere much, forit was very chilly. On every side were great rocks, rugged and broken, with here and there immense fissures in the surface of the moon, fissures that seemed miles and miles long. 

"Well, here's where I look for diamonds, " called Jack, as he steppedboldly out, followed by Mark. "Let's see who'll find the firstsparkler. "

"All right, " agreed his chum, and they strolled away together, slightlyin advance of the two professors and Andy, who remained together, thescientist discussing the phenomena on every side and the hunter lookingin vain for something to shoot. But he had come to a dead world. 

Almost before they knew it Jack and Mark had gone on quite somedistance. Though they were not aware of it at that moment, it was mucheasier to walk on the moon than it was on the earth, for they weighedonly one sixth as much, and the attraction of gravitation was so muchless. 

But suddenly Jack remembered that curious fact, and, stooping, hepicked up a stone. He cast it from him, at the same time uttering ayell. 

"What's the matter?" called Mark. 

"Look how far I fired that rock!" shouted Jack. "Talk about it beingeasy! why, I believe I could throw a mile if I tried hard!"

"It goes six times as far as it would on the earth, " spoke his chum, "and we can also jump six times as far. "

"Then let's try that!" proposed Jack. "There's a nice level place overthere. Come on, I'll wager that I can beat you. "

"Done!" agreed Mark, and they hurried to the spot, their very walkingbeing much faster than usual. 

"I'll go first, " proposed Jack, "and you see if you can come up to me. "He poised himself on a little hummock of rock, balanced himself for amoment, and then hurled himself through space. 

Prepared as he was, in a measure, for something strange, he neverbargained for what happened. It was as if he had been fired from somecatapult of the ancient Romans. Through the air he hurtled, like somegreat flying animal, covering fifty feet from a standing jump. 

"Say, that's great!" yelled Mark. "Here I come, and I'll beat----"

He did not finish, for a cry of horror came from Jack. 

"I'm going to fall into a crater--a bottomless pit! I'm on the edge ofit!" yelled the lad who had jumped. 

And, with horror-stricken eyes, Mark saw his chum disappear from sightbeyond a pile of rugged rocks, toward which he had leaped. The lastglimpse Mark had was of the life-torch, which Jack held up in the air, close to his head. 

"Jack--in a crater!" gasped Mark, as he ran forward, holding his ownlife-torch close to his mouth and nose. 

CHAPTER XXI

WASHINGTON SEES A GHOST

Advancing by leaps and bounds, and getting over the ground in a mannermost surprising, Mark soon found himself on the edge of the great, yawning crater, into which his chum Jack had started to slide. I saystarted, for, fortunately, the lad had been saved from death but by anarrow margin. 

As Mark gazed down into the depths, which seemed fathomless, and whichwere as black as night, he saw his friend clinging to a rockyprojection on the side of the extinct volcano. Jack had managed tograsp a part of the rough surface as he slid down it after his recklessjump. He looked up and saw Mark. 

"Oh, Mark, can't you save me?" he gasped. "Call Professor Henderson!"

"I'll get you up, don't worry!" called Mark, as confidently as hecould. "Hold tight, Jack. What has become of your life-torch?"

"I have it here by me. I didn't drop it, and it's on a piece of therock near my head. Otherwise I couldn't breathe. Oh, this place isfearfully deep. I guess it hasn't any bottom. "

"Now, keep still, and don't think about that. Save your strength, holdfast, and I'll get you up. "

But, having said that much, Mark was not so sure how next to proceed. It was going to be no easy task to haul up Jack, and that without ropesor other apparatus. Another matter that added to the danger was thenecessity of keeping the life-torch close to one's face in order toprevent death by the poisonous gases. 

Mark's first impulse was to hasten back and call the two professors, but he looked over the desolate landscape, and could not see them, andhe feared that if he went away Jack might slip and fall into theunknown depths of the crater. 

"I've got to get him out alone, " decided Mark. "But how can I do it?"

He crawled cautiously nearer to the edge of the extinct volcano andlooked down. A few loose stones, dislodged by his weight, rattled downthe sides. 

"Look out!" cried Jack quickly, "or you'll fall, too!"

"I'll be careful, " answered Mark, and then he drew away out of danger, with a queer feeling about his heart, which was beating furiously. Markhad hoped to be able to make his way down the side of the crater towhere his chum was and help him up. But a look at the steep sides andthe uncertain footing afforded by the loose rocks of lava-likeformation showed that this could not be done. 

"I've got to think of a different scheme, " decided Mark, and, spurredon by the necessity of acting quickly if he was to save Jack, he fairlyforced his brain to work. For he saw by the strained look on his chum'sface that Jack could not hold out much longer. 

"I have it!" cried Mark at length. "My fur coat! I can cut it intostrips of hide and make a rope. Then I can lower it down to Jack andhaul him up. "

He did not think, for the moment, of the cold he would feel when hestripped off the fur garment, and when it did come to him in a flash henever hesitated. 

"After all, I've often been out without an overcoat on cold days, " hesaid to himself. "I guess I can stand it for a while, and when Jack isup I can run back to the projectile and keep warm that way. "

To think was to act, and Mark laid down his life-torch to take off thebig fur coat. The next instant he had toppled over, almost in a faint, and, had he not fallen so that his head was near the small perforatedbox on the end of the steel rod, whence came the life-giving gas, thelad might have died. 

He had forgotten, for the instant, the necessity of always keeping thetorch close to his face to prevent the poisonous gases of the moon fromoverpowering him. Mark soon revived while lying on the ground, and, rising, with his torch in his hand, he looked about him. 

"I've got to have my two hands to work with, " he mused, "and yet I'vegot to hold this torch close to my face. Say, a fellow ought to havethree hands if he's going to visit the moon. What can I do?"

In an instant a plan came to him. He thrust the pointed end of thesteel rod in the crevice of some rocks, and it stood upright, so thatthe perforated box of chemicals was on a level with his face. 

"There, " said Mark aloud, "I guess that will work. I can use both myhands now. " The plan was a good one. Next, taking off his coat, the ladproceeded to cut it into strips, working rapidly. He called to Jackoccasionally, bidding him keep up his courage. "I'll soon have youout, " he said cheeringly. 

In a few minutes Mark had a long, stout strip of hide, and, taking hislife-torch with him, he advanced once more to the edge of the crater. He stuck the torch in between some rocks, as before, and looked down atJack. 

"I--I can't hold on much longer, " gasped the unfortunate lad. "Hurry, Mark!"

"All right. I'm going to haul you up now. Can you hold on with one handlong enough to slip the loop of this rope over your shoulders?"

"I guess so. But where did you get a rope?"

"I made it--cut up my fur coat. "

"But you'll freeze!"

"Oh, I guess not. Here it comes, Jack. Get ready!"

Mark lowered the hide rope to his chum. The latter, who managed to getone toe on a small, projecting rock, while he held on with his righthand, used his left to adjust the loop over his shoulders and under hisarms. 

"Are you all ready?" asked Mark. 

"Yes, but can you pull me up?"

"Sure. I'm six times as strong as when on the earth. Hold steady now, and keep the torch close to your face. "

Mark had placed some pieces of his fur coat under the rope where itpassed over the edge of the mouth of the crater to prevent the jaggedrocks from cutting the strips of hide. 

"Here you come!" he cried to Jack, and he began to haul, taking care tokeep his own head near his torch, which was stuck upright. Mark hadspoken truly when he said he possessed much more than his usualstrength. Any one who has tried to haul up a person with a rope from ahole, and with no pulleys to adjust the strain of the cable, knows whata task it is. But to Mark, on the moon, it was comparatively easy. 

Hand over hand he pulled on the hide rope until, with a final heave, hehad Jack out of his perilous position. He had pulled him up from themouth of the crater, and the thick fur coat Jack wore had prevented thesharp rocks from injuring him. In another moment he stood beside Mark, a trifle weak and shaky from his experience, but otherwise unhurt. 

"How did you happen to go down there?" asked Mark. 

"Not from choice, I assure you, " answered Jack. "I couldn't see thecrater when I jumped, as it was hidden by some rocks, and I was into itbefore I knew it. But don't stand talking here. Put on my coat. I don'tneed it. I'm warm. "

"I will not. I'm not a bit cold. But we may as well get back to theprojectile, for they'll be worrying about us. " Thereupon Mark brokeinto a run, for, now that the exertion of hauling up Jack was over, hebegan to feel cool, and the chilling atmosphere of the moon struckthrough to his bones. 

In a short time the two lads were back at the _Annihilator_, wherethey found Professors Roumann and Henderson getting a bit anxious aboutthem. Their adventure was quickly related, and the boys were cautionedto be more careful in the future. 

"This moon is a curious, desolate place, " said Mr. Henderson, "and youcan't behave on it as you would on the earth. We have discovered somecurious facts regarding it, and when we get back I am going to write abook on them. But I think we have seen enough for the present, so we'llstay in the rest of the day and plan for farther trips. "

"Aren't we going to look for those diamonds?" asked Jack, who hadalmost fully recovered from his recent experience. 

"Oh, yes, we will look around for them, " assented Mr. Roumann. "Ithink, after a day or so, we will move our projectile to another partof the moon. We want to see as much of it as possible. "

They sat discussing various matters, and, while doing so, WashingtonWhite peered into the living cabin. 

"Has yo' got one ob dem torch-light processions t' spare?" he asked. 

"Torch-light processions?" queried Mark. "What do you think this is, anelection, Wash?"

"I guess he means a life-torch, " suggested Jack. "Are you going out, Wash?"

"Yais, sah, I did think I'd take a stroll around. Maybe I kin find adiamond fo' my tie. "

Laughing, Jack provided the colored man with one of the torches, instructing him how to use it, and presently Washington was seenoutside, walking gingerly around, as though he expected to go throughthe crust of the moon any moment. Pretty soon, however, he got morecourage and tramped boldly along, peering about on the ground for allthe world, as Mark said, as if he was looking for chestnuts. 

They paid no attention to the cook for some little time until, when theboys and the two professors were in the midst of a discussion as towhere would be the best place to move the projectile next, they heardhim running along the corridor toward the cabin. 

"Wash is in a hurry, " observed Jack. 

The next instant they sprang to their feet at the sight of thefrightened face of the colored man peering in on them. He was as nearwhite as a negro can ever be, which is a sort of chalk color, and hiseyes were wide open with fear. 

"What's the matter?" asked Jack. 

"A ghost! I done seen de ghost ob a dead man!" gasped the colored man. 

"A ghost?" repeated Mark. 

"Yais, sah, right out yeah! He's lyin' down in a hole--a dead man. Golly! but I'se a scared coon, I is!" and Washington looked over hisshoulder as though he feared the "ghost" had followed him. 

CHAPTER XXII

A BREAKDOWN

At first they were inclined to regard the announcement of Washingtonlightly, but the too evident fright of the colored man showed thatthere was some basis for his fear. 

"Tell us just what you saw, and where it was, " said Mr. Henderson. "Wasthe man alive, Washington?"

"No, sah. How could a ghost be alive? Dey is all dead ones, ghosts am!"

"There are no such things as ghosts, " said Mr. Henderson sternly. 

"Den how could I see one?" demanded the cook triumphantly, as if therewas no further argument. 

"Well, tell us about it, " suggested Jack. 

"It were jest dis way, " began Washington earnestly, and with occasionalglances over his shoulder, "I were walkin' along, sort ob lookin' ferdem sparklin' diamonds, an' I didn't see none, when all on a suddint Ilooked down in a hole, and dere I seen HIM!" and he brought out theword with a jerk. 

"Saw what--who?" asked Mr. Roumann. 

"De ghost--de dead man. He were lyin' all curled up, laik he wereasleep, an' when I seed him, I didn't stop t' call him t' dinner, yo'can make up yo' minds t' dat all. "

"Can you show us the place?" inquired Jack. 

"Yais, sah, massa Jack, dat's what I kin. I'll point it out from dishyeah winder, but I ain't g'wine dar ag'in; no, sah, 'scuse me!"

"Well, show us then, " suggested Mark. "I wonder what it can be?" hewent on. 

"Maybe one of the people who came from Mars after the diamonds, who wasforgotten and left here, and who died, " said Jack. 

"It's possible, " murmured Mr. Henderson. "However, we'll go take alook. Get on your fur coats, boys, and take the life-torches. Will youcome, Andy?"

"Sure. It's got to be more than a ghost to scare me, " said the hunter. 

They emerged from the projectile and walked in the direction Washingtonhad pointed, holding their gas torches near their heads and talking ofwhat they might see. 

"This will be evidence in favor of my diamond theory, " declared Jack. "It shows that the Martians were here. "

"Wait and see what it is, " suggested his chum. 

They walked along a short distance farther, and then Mark spoke. 

"That ought to be the place over there, " he said, pointing to adepression between two tall pinnacles of black rock. 

Jack sprang forward, and a moment later uttered a cry of astonishment. 

"Here it is!" he called. "A dead man!"

"A dead man?" echoed Professor Henderson. 

"A petrified man, " added Jack, in awe-struck tones. "He's turned tostone. "

A few seconds later they were all grouped around the strange object--itwas a man no longer, but had once been one. It was a petrified humanbeing, a full-grown man, to judge by the size, and it was a solid imagein stone, even the garments with which he had been clothed being turnedto rock. 

For a moment no one spoke, and they gazed in silence at what was anevidence of former life on the moon. The man was huddled up, with theknees drawn toward the stomach and the arms bent around the body, as ifthe man had died in agony. The features were scarcely distinguishable. 

"That man was never an inhabitant of Mars, " spoke Professor Henderson, in a low voice. "He is much too large, and he has none of thecharacteristics of the Martians. "

"I agree with you, " came from Mr. Roumann. 

"Then who is he?" asked Jack. 

"I think, " said the aged scientist, "that we are now gazing on all thatwas once mortal of one of the inhabitants of the moon. "

"An inhabitant of the moon?" gasped Mark. 

"Yes; why not?" went on Mr. Henderson. "I believe the moon was once aplanet like our earth--perhaps even a part of it, and I think that itwas inhabited. In time it cooled so that life could no longer besupported, or, at least, this side of the moon presents thatindication. The people were killed--frozen to death, and by reason ofthe chemical action of the gases, or perhaps from the moon beingcovered with water in which was a large percentage of lime, they wereturned to stone. That is what happened to this poor man. "

"Such a thing is possible, " admitted Professor Roumann gravely. 

And, indeed, it is, as the writer can testify, for in the MetropolitanMuseum in New York there are the remains of an ancient South Americanminer, whose body has been turned into solid copper. The corpse, ofwhich the features are partly distinguishable, was found four hundredfeet down in an old copper mine, where the dripping from hiddensprings, the waters of which were rich in copper sulphate, hadconverted the man's body into a block of metal, retaining its naturalshape. The body is drawn up in agony, and there is every indicationthat the man was killed by a cave-in of the mine. Some of his toolswere found near him. 

They remained gazing at the weird sight of the petrified man for sometime. 

"Then the moon was once inhabited?" asked Jack at length. 

"I believe so--yes, " answered Professor Henderson. 

"Then where are the other people?" asked Mark. "There must be more thanone left. Why was this man off here alone?"

"We don't know, " responded the German scientist. "Perhaps he was offalone in the mountains when death overtook him, or perhaps all hiscompanions were buried under an upheaval of rock. We can onlytheorize. "

"It will be something else to put in the book I am to write, " said Mr. Henderson. "But, now that we have evidence of former life on the moon, we must investigate further. We will make an attempt to go to the otherside of the country, and to that end I suggest that we set ourprojectile in motion and travel a bit. There is little more to seehere. "

This plan met with general approval, and, after some photographs hadbeen taken of the petrified man, and the professors had made notes, andset down data regarding him, and had tried to guess how long he hadbeen dead, they went back to the _Annihilator_. 

"Well, did yo' all see him?" asked Washington. 

"We sure did, " answered Jack. "You weren't mistaken that time. "

They got ready to move the projectile, but decided to remain over nightwhere they were. "Over night" being the way they spoke of it, though, as I have said, there was perpetual daylight for fourteen days at atime on the moon. 

Professors Roumann and Henderson made a few more observations forscientific purposes. They found traces of some vegetation, but it wasof little value for food, even to the lower forms of animal life, theydecided. There was also a little moisture; noticed at certain hours ofthe day. But, in the main, the place where they had landed was mostdesolate. 

"I hope we get to a better place soon, " said Jack, just before theysealed themselves up in the projectile to travel to a new spot. 

As distance was comparatively small on the moon, for her diameter isonly a little over two thousand miles and the circumference only aboutsix thousand six hundred miles, the _Annihilator_ could not be speededup. If it went too fast, it would soon be off the moon and into spaceagain. 

Accordingly the Cardite motor was geared to send the big craft along atabout forty miles an hour, and at times they went even slower thanthat, when they were passing over some part of the surface which theprofessors wished to photograph or observe closely. 

They did not rise high into the air, but flew along at an elevation ofabout two hundred feet, steering in and out to avoid the towering peaksscattered here and there. Occasionally they found themselves overimmense craters that seemed to have no bottom. 

For two days they moved here and there, finding no further signs oflife, neither petrified nor natural, though they saw many strangesights, and some valuable pictures and scientific data was obtained. 

It was on the third day, when they were approaching the side of themoon which from time immemorial has been hidden from view of theinhabitants of the earth, that Jack, who was with Mark in the engineroom, while the two professors were in the pilot-house, remarked to hischum: "Mark, doesn't it strike you that the water pump and the airapparatus aren't working just right?"

"They don't seem to be operating very smoothly, " admitted Mark, afteran examination. 

"That's what I thought. Let's call Mr. Henderson. The machinery mayneed adjusting. "

Jack started from the engine room to do this, and as he paused on thethreshold there was a sudden crash. Part of the air pump seemed to flyoff at a tangent, and a second later had smashed down on the Carditemotor. This stopped in an instant, and the projectile began falling. Fortunately it was but a short distance above the moon's surface, andcame down with a jar, which did not injure the travellers. 

But there was sufficient damage done to the machinery, for with thebreaking of the air pump the water apparatus also went out ofcommission, and together with the breakdown of the Cardite motor hadfairly stalled the _Annihilator_. 

"What's the matter?" cried Professor Henderson, running in from thepilot-house, for an automatic signal there had apprised him thatsomething was wrong. 

"There's a bad break, " said Jack ruefully. 

"A bad break! I should say there was, " remarked the scientist. "I thinkwe'll have to lay up for repairs. " And he called Mr. Roumann. 

CHAPTER XXIII

LOST ON THE MOON

Notwithstanding that they were somewhat accustomed to having accidentshappen, it was not with the most pleasant feelings in the world thatthe moon travellers contemplated this one. It meant a delay, and adelay was the one thing they did not want just now. 

They desired to get to the other side of the moon while the long periodof sunshine gave them an opportunity for observation. True there wassome time yet ere the long night of fourteen days would settle down, but they felt that they would need every hour of sunshine. 

"Well, it's tough luck, but it can't be helped, " said Mark. 

"No, let's get right to work, " suggested Jack. 

They got out their tools and started to repair the two pumps. It wasfound that the Cardite motor was not badly damaged, one of the negativeelectrical plates merely having been smashed by a piece of the brokenconnecting rod of the air pump. It was only a short time before themotor was ready to run again. 

But it could not be successfully operated without the air and waterpumps, and it was necessary to fix them next. New gaskets were needed, while an extra valve and some sliding gears had to be replaced. 

"It's an all day's job, " remarked Professor Henderson. 

But many hands made light work, and even Washington and Andy werecalled upon to do their share. By dinner time the work was more thanhalf done, and Professor Roumann, announced that he and Mr. Hendersonwould finish it if Jack and Mark would take a look at the exterior ofthe projectile, to see if any repairs were needed to that. 

The boys found that some of the exterior piping had become loosed atthe joints, because of the jar of the sudden descent, and, taking thenecessary tools outside, while they stuck their life-torches uprightnear them, they labored away. 

At four o'clock the two lads had their task completed, and at the sametime Professor Henderson announced that the air and water pumps werenow in good shape again. 

"Then let's get under way at once, " suggested Mr. Roumann. "We havelost enough time as it is. Hurry inside, boys, and we'll start. "

The two chums were glad enough to do so, and in a few minutes they wereagain moving through the air toward the unknown portion of the moon. 

Below the travellers, as they could see by looking down through aplate-glass window in the floor of the projectile, were the same ruggedpeaks, the same large and small craters that had marked the surface ofthe moon from the time they had first had a glimpse of it. There was anuninteresting monotony about it, unrelieved by any save the verysparest vegetation. 

"I am beginning to think more and more that we will find people on theother side of this globe, " remarked Mr. Roumann, as he made anobservation through a telescope. 

"What strengthens your belief?" inquired Mr. Henderson. 

"The fact that the vegetation is growing thicker. There are many moreplants below us now than there were before. This part of the moon isbetter able to support life than the portion we have just come from. "

This seemed to be so, but they were still some distance from theopposite side of the moon. 

"I don't see anything of those diamonds you talked so much about, Jack, " said Mark, with a smile, a little later. "I guess all theReonaris you get you can put in a hollow tooth. "

"You wait, " was all Jack replied. 

The projectile was slowed up to permit the two professors to make somenotes regarding a particularly large and deep crater, and a few minuteslater when Mark, who was in the engine room, attempted to speed up theCordite motor it would not respond. 

"Humph! I wonder what's wrong?" he asked of Jack. 

"Better call Mr. Roumann, and not try to fix it yourself, " suggestedhis chum, when, in response to various movements of the lever, themachine seemed to go slower and slower. 

The German came in answer to the summons. 

"Ha!" he exclaimed, "that motor is broken again. We shall have to stoponce more for repairs. I shall need to take it all apart, I fear. Getme the negative plate remover, will you, Mark?"

The lad went to the tool chest for it. He opened the lid and fumbledabout inside. 

"It doesn't seem to be here, " he announced. 

"What! the negative plate remover not there?" cried the professor. "Why, it must be. It is one of the new tools we got, and it has notbeen used for anything; has it?". 

"Oh, by Jinks!" cried Jack suddenly. 

"What's the matter?" asked his chum. 

"That plate remover! Don't you remember you and I had it when we werefixing the pipes outside the projectile, when we had the otherbreakdown? We must have left it back there on the ground. "

Jack and his chum gazed blankly at each other. 

"I guess we did, " admitted Mark dubiously. 

"And it is the only one we have, " said Mr. Roumann. "We need it verymuch, too, for the projectile can't very well be moved without it. "

"How can we get it?" asked Jack. "I'm sorry. It was my fault. "

"It was as much mine as yours, " asserted Mark. "I guess it's up to usto go back after it. It isn't far. We can easily walk it. "

There seemed to be nothing else to do, and, after some discussion, itwas decided to have the two boys walk back after the missing tool, which was a very valuable one. 

"Take fresh life-torches with you, " advised Mr. Henderson, "and you hadbetter carry some food with you. It may be farther back than you think, and you may get hungry. "

"I guess it will be a good thing to take some lunch along, " admittedJack. "And some water, too. We can't get a drink here unless we come toa spring, and we haven't seen any since we arrived. "

"I'll go with you, if you don't mind, " said Andy. "I may see somethingto shoot. "

The three of them, each one carrying a freshly charged vapor-torch, abasket of food and a bottle of water, started off, well wrapped intheir fur coats. Andy had a compass to enable them to make their wayback to where the tool was left, for, amid the towering peaks and thevalley-like depressions, very little of the level surface of the mooncould be seen at a time. 

They walked on for several hours, every now and then hoping that theyhad reached the place where the projectile had been halted, and wherethey expected to find the tool. But so many places looked alike thatthey were deceived a number of times. 

At length, however, they reached the spot and found the instrumentwhere Jack had carelessly dropped it. They picked it up and turned togo back, when Andy Sudds saw a large crater off to one side. 

"Boys, I'm going to have a look down that, " he said. "It may contain abear or wildcat, and I can get a shot. "

"Guess there isn't much danger of a bear being on the moon, " said Mark, but the old hunter leaned as far over the edge of the crater as hedared. 

"No, there's nothing here, " he announced, with almost a sigh, and hestraightened up. As he did so there came a tinkling sound, as if someone had dropped a piece of money. 

"What's that?" asked Jack. 

"By heck! It's the compass!" cried Andy. "It slipped from my pocketwhen I stooped over. Now it's gone!"

There was no question of that. They could hear the instrument tinklingfar down in the unfathomable depths, striking from side to side of thecrater as it went down and down. 

"We'll never see that again, " spoke Mark dubiously. "Can we get back tothe projectile without it?" asked Jack. 

"Oh, I fancy I can pick my trail back, " answered the hunter. "It isn'tgoing to be easy, for there are no landmarks to guide me, but I'll domy best. I ought to have known better than to put a compass in thatpocket. "

It was not with very light hearts that they started back, and for atime they went cautiously. Then, as they seemed to get on familiarground, they increased their pace and covered several miles. 

"Say, " remarked. Jack, as he sat down on a big stone. "I don't know howthe rest of you feel, but I'm tired. We've come quite a distance sincewe picked up that tool. "

"Yes, farther than it took us to find it after we left the projectile, "added Mark. "I wonder if we're going right?"

The two boys looked at Andy. He scratched his head in perplexity. 

"I can't be sure, but it seems to me that we came past here, " he said. "I seem to remember that big rock. "

"There are lots like it, " observed Jack. 

"Suppose we try over to the left, " spoke Mark, after they had restedfor ten minutes. 

They swerved in that direction, and, after keeping on that trail forsome time, and becoming more and more convinced that it was the wrongone, they turned to the right. That did not bring them to familiarground, and there was no sight of the projectile. 

"Let's go straight ahead, " suggested Andy, after a puzzled pause. "Ithink that will be best. "

"Well, which way is straight ahead?" asked Mark. 

"That's so, it is hard to tell, " admitted the hunter. "I wish I hadn'tlost that compass. "

They wandered about for an hour longer. They could seem to make noprogress, though they covered much ground. Suddenly Jack called out:

"Say, we've been going around in a circle!"

"In a circle?" asked Mark. 

"Yes, " went on his chum. "Here's the very rock I sat down on a whileago. I remember it, for I scratched my initials on it. "

Jack pointed out the letters. There was no disputing it. They had madea complete circle. For a moment they maintained silence in the face ofthis alarming fact. Then Mark exclaimed:

"I guess we're lost!"

"Lost on the moon!" added Jack, in an awestruck voice, and he gazed onthe chill and desolate scene all about them; the great pinnacles ofrocks, in fantastic form; the immense black caverns of craters oneither hand; the sickly green vegetation. 

"Lost on the moon!" whispered Mark, and there was not even an echo ofhis voice to keep them company. Only a chill, desolate silence!

CHAPTER XXIV

DESOLATE WANDERINGS

For a moment the three stood helplessly there and stared at each other. They could scarcely comprehend their situation at first. Then, with aglance at the cold and quiet scene all about them, a look up at thesun, which was the only cheerful object in the whole landscape, Jackobserved: "Oh, I say, come on now, don't let's give up this way! Wehave only taken a wrong turn, and I'll wager that the projectile willbe just around the corner. Come on, " and he started off. 

"Yes, " said Mark, "that's the trouble. There are so many corners, andwe have taken so many wrong turns, that we're all confused. I think thebest thing to do will be to stay here a while and pull ourselvestogether. "

"That's right, " spoke old Andy. "Many a time in the woods I've got allconfused-like, and then I'd sit down and think, and I'd get on theright path in a few minutes after. "

"The trouble here is, " said Jack, "that there are no woods. If therewere we might know how to get out of them. But think of it! Lost onthe moon, in the midst of a whole lot of queer mountain peaks, and bigholes that would hold half a dozen cities of the United States at thesame time, and never know it! This is a fearful place to be lost in!"

"I'm not going to admit that we're lost, " declared Mark stoutly. 

"Hu! You're like the Indian, " spoke Jack. "The Indian who got lost inthe woods. He insisted that it wasn't he who was lost, that it was hiswigwam that couldn't be found. He knew where he himself was all thewhile. That's our case, I suppose. We're here, but the projectile islost. "

"Ha! ha!" laughed Andy Sudds. "That's a pretty good joke!"

"But not being able to find the projectile is no joke, " went on Mark, who always took matters more seriously than did his chum. "What are wegoing to do?" he added. "We can't stay here like this. "

"Maybe we'll have to, " declared Jack. "We certainly can't get off themoon--at least, not until we reach the projectile, and I'd like todiscover those diamonds before we go back. "

"Hu! Those diamonds!" exploded Mark. "I think this whole thing is awild-goose chase, anyhow! If it hadn't been for those diamonds wewouldn't have come to the moon. I don't believe there are any diamondshere, anyhow. "

"Well, I can't prove it to you now, but I will before we get back, "asserted Jack. "We'll be wearing diamonds, as the song says. "

"Diamonds aren't going to keep us warm when we're freezing, " went onMark, who seemed bound to look on the dark side, "and we can't eat 'emwhen we're hungry. A lot of good they'll do us if we do find them!"

"Oh, cheer up!" suggested Jack cheerfully. "And, speaking of eating, what's the matter with having some lunch? What did we bring it alongfor if we're not going to eat? Let's begin. "

His good spirits were contagious, not that Andy needed any specialcheering up, but Mark did. In a few minutes they were seated on somerugged rocks, and, with their life-torches stuck in cracks, so that theperforated metal boxes of chemicals would be on a level with theirfaces, they opened the baskets they had been fore-sighted enough tobring with them. 

"Why, I feel better already, " asserted Jack, as he munched somesandwiches which Washington White had made. "As soon as we've finishedwe'll have another hunt for the projectile, and I'll wager that we'llfind it. "

"I wouldn't finish if I were you, " suggested Andy, who was eatingsparingly. 

"Finish what?" asked Jack. 

"All your lunch. You see, " the old hunter went on, "we may find theprojectile, and, again, we may not. I'm inclined to think we're not sovery far from it, but we may be some time locating it in among allthese peaks and craters. So it will be the best plan to save some ofour lunch and drinking water until--well, until we're hungry again, "and he carefully put back into his basket the remains of the food. 

"You don't mean to say you think we'll be all day finding theAnnihilator, do you?"

Jack paused, with a sandwich half way to his mouth as he asked thisquestion. 

"Well, it's best to be on the safe side, " spoke Andy guardedly. "We mayfind it, and, again, we may not. Save your powder against the time ofneed, I say--by powder meaning victuals and drink. We can't drop in arestaurant up here, and I don't see much game to shoot, and I shouldhate to eat such fodder as this, " and he poked with his foot somesickly green vines, growing on the ground. 

The boys' faces, which had become more cheerful, assumed a seriouslook. Jack stopped eating at once and placed back in the basket hisremaining sandwiches. He also corked up the bottle of water, which waskept from freezing by means of a fur pouch in which it was carried. 

"If there's a possibility of being lost some time, " spoke Mark, "we'dbetter figure out just how long our food will last, " and he examinedthe contents of his basket. 

Fortunately Washington White, with a knowledge of the appetites of thechums, had filled the baskets with lavish hands. There was, they found, food enough to last them three days, if they ate sparingly, and therewas enough water for half that time, providing they only took smallsips when thirsty. But they had noticed, in one or two places, littlepools of liquid, which they had not tasted, but which might prove to bedrinking water. Certainly they would need more if they were destined toremain away from the projectile for very long. 

"Well, then, " observed Mark, when the food calculation was over, "itappears that we can remain lost for about three days, at the most. "

"Oh, but we'll be back home--I mean in the projectile--long beforethat, " declared Jack. 

"I wish I was sure of that, " murmured Andy with a dubious shake of hishead. 

"Well, let's move on again, " suggested Jack. "We feel better now, andmaybe we'll have better luck. "

They started off, tramping over the rugged surface of the moon, whilethe sun shone with tepid heat down on them. They had to go this way andthat to avoid the immense fissures in the ground or the yawningcraters, which loomed deep, and in awful silence, in their path. Sometimes they climbed small mountains or crawled in and out of smallcraters, slipping and stumbling. 

They were not cold, for their fur garments kept them comfortably warm, and there was no wind to make the freezing temperature search throughthe crevices of their clothing. But it was the desolate silence, theutter absence of any form of life save the pale green vegetation thatgot on their nerves. It was like being in a dead world--on a planetthat seemed about to dissolve into space. 

They began their further search for the projectile with hope in theirhearts, but this gradually gave way to despair as they wandered on overthe desolate surface, and saw nothing but the same rugged peaks, thesame yawning caverns and the innumerable craters, large and small. 

On they wandered, looking on all sides for the missing projectile, butthey had no glimpse of it. Even climbing to one of the high peaks, whence they had a view of the surrounding country, afforded them notrace of the _Annihilator_, They were utterly lost. 

Old Andy, who, by reason of his experience as a trapper and hunter, hadtaken the lead, came to a halt. He looked around helplessly. He did notknow what to do. 

"Well, boys, " he remarked at length, "I don't like to say it, but Ican't seem to get anywhere. I give up. "

"Give up?" murmured Jack, in blank dismay. 

"Yes, for the time being, " said the old man. "I'm all played out. Iguess we all are. We must have a rest. Here's a sort of cave. Let'scrawl in and have a sleep. Then maybe we can do something to-morrow--no, not to-morrow, for they don't have that on the moon, where the dayis fourteen days long--but after we sleep we may be able to find ourway back. Anyhow, I've got to get some sleep, " and without another wordthe old hunter went into the cave, and, fixing his life-torch near hishead, where the fumes from it would dissipate the poisonous gases ofthe moon, he closed his eyes, and was soon in slumber. 

"I--I guess we'd better do the same, " said Jack, and Mark nodded. Theywere both sick at heart. 

CHAPTER XXV

THE PETRIFIED CITY

For a time, after they had entered the cave, which was in the side of arugged mountain, the boys talked in low tones of their periloussituation. For that it was perilous they both knew. Had they been onthe earth, lost in some desolate part of it, away from civilization, their plight, would have been bad enough with what little food theypossessed. 

But on the far-off moon--the dead moon, which contained no livingcreatures save themselves, as far as they could tell--with no form ofanimal life that might serve to keep them from starving, with only thescantiest of vegetation, their situation was most deplorable. 

"And then there's another thing, " said Mark, as if he was cataloguing alist of their troubles. 

"What is it?" asked Jack. "I guess we have all the troubles that belongto us, and more, too. "

"Well, what are we going to do when the life-torches give out, and wecan't breathe any more?" asked Mark dubiously. 

"Well, I guess it'll be all up with us then, if we don't starve todeath in the meanwhile, " answered Jack. "But I'm afraid we will get outof food before the torches are exhausted. They were freshly filledbefore we started out after that tool, and they'll last for two weeks. So we don't have to worry about that. 

"By Jinks! this is all my fault, anyhow, it seems. If I hadn't seenthat item in the Martian paper about the diamonds, we never would havecome here, and if I hadn't left that tool on the ground outside of theprojectile we wouldn't have had to come back after it, and we wouldn'thave become lost. So I guess it's up to me, as the boys say. "

"Oh, nonsense!" exclaimed Mark, who, as soon as he heard his chumblaming his own actions, was ready to shoulder part of theresponsibility himself. "We all wanted to come to the moon, " he wenton, "and, as for leaving the tool and forgetting it, I'm as much atfault as you are. Let's go to sleep, and maybe we'll feel better whenwe wake up. "

It was a new role for Mark--to be cheerful in the face of difficulties--and Jack appreciated it. They stretched out on the hard, rocky floorof the cavern, taking care to fix their life-torches so that the fumeswould dispel the poisonous gases. Then the two lads joined Andy inslumberland. 

Meanwhile, as may be imagined, those aboard the projectile were veryanxious about the fate of the two boys and the hunter. They could notunderstand what delayed them, and, though they guessed the real cause, after several hours had passed, there was nothing the two scientistscould do. 

They could not move the projectile until it had been repaired, and thiscould not be done, without the tool--at least, they did not believe sothen. Nor did Mr. Henderson and the German think it would be safe tostart out in search of the wanderers. 

"For, " said Mr. Henderson, "if we went we would easily get lost amidthese peaks ourselves, and they are so much alike and in such numbersthat there is no distinguishing feature about them. We had better stayhere in charge of the _Annihilator_ until the boys and Andy come back. They can't be away much longer now. "

So worn out and exhausted were the boys and the hunter that they sleptfor several hours in the cave, and the rest did them good. They awokein better spirits, and, after a frugal meal and a sip of the fast-dwindling water, they started off once more to locate the projectile. 

"I'm a regular amateur hunter to go and lose my compass, " complainedold Andy. "I ought to have it fastened to me, like a baby does therattle-box. I ought to kick myself, " and he accepted all the blame fortheir misadventure. But the boys would not suffer him to thus accusehimself, and they insisted that they would shortly be with the twoprofessors and Washington in the _Annihilator_ once more. 

"Well, it can't come any too soon, " said Jack, "for I am beginning tofeel the need of a square meal and a big drink of water. "

"So am I, " said Mark, "but let's not think of it. "

All that day they wandered on, crossing the rugged mountains, climbingtowering peaks, and descending into deep valleys. At times they skirtedthe lips of craters, to look shudderingly into the depths of which madethem dizzy, for the bottoms were lost to sight in the black gloom thatenshrouded the yawning holes. 

Their food was getting less and less, and what there was of it was mostunpalatable, for the bread was stale and dry, though the meat keptperfectly in that freezing temperature. How they longed for a hot cupof coffee, such as Washington used to make! and how they would haveeven exchanged their chance of filling their pockets with the moondiamonds for a good meal, such as was so often served in theprojectile!

On and on they went. Once, as they were crossing the lip of a greatcrater, Mark became dizzy, and would have fallen had not Jack caughthim. Mark had forgotten, for the moment, and had lowered his life-torch, so that his mouth and nose were not enclosed in the film ofvapor that emanated from the perforated box. 

"You must be careful, " Andy warned them. 

"What's the use?" asked Mark despondently. "I don't believe we'll everfind the projectile. "

"Of course we will!" exclaimed Jack. "I know we can't be far from it, only we can't see it because of the mountains. If we only had some wayof letting them know where we are, they could signal to us. "

"By gum!" suddenly exclaimed Andy. 

"What's the matter?" asked Jack, for the old hunter was capering aboutlike a boy. 

"Matter? Why, the matter is that I'm a double-barrelled dunce, " was theanswer. "Look here; do you see that?" and he held up his rifle. 

"Sure, " replied Jack, wondering if their sufferings and worry had madethe old hunter simple-minded. 

"What is it?" asked Andy, shaking it in the air. 

"Your rifle, " answered Mark, looking at Jack in surprise. 

"Of course, " answered the hunter, "and a rifle is made to be fired off, and here I've been carrying mine for nearly three days now, and Ihaven't shot it once. You wanted a signal to make the folks in theprojectile hear us. Well, here it is I I guess they can hear this, andwhen they do they can come and get us, for we don't seem able to reachthem. I'll just fire some signal shots. "

"That's the stuff!" cried Jack, and Andy proceeded to discharge hisrifle. 

The report the gun made in that quiet place was tremendous, and theeffect was curious, for, there being no air in the ordinary acceptanceof the word, there was no echo. It was as if one had hit two shinglestogether. Merely a loud, sharp sound, and then an utter silence, thevibrations being swallowed up instantly. 

"Do you think they can hear that?" asked Andy. 

"It sounds loud enough, " answered Jack. "Shoot some more, " which theold hunter did. They wandered on still farther, firing at intervals allthat day, but there came no answering report or calls to direct them tothe projectile. They climbed once more to the tops of towering peaks, but there they found their range of vision limited by peaks stillhigher, while there were great valleys, in one of which, whether nearor far they could not tell, they knew, the _Annihilator_ was hidden. 

They had almost lost track of time now, and they did not know how farthey had wandered. They had sought out lonely caves to sleep in whenthey were so weary they could go no farther, and they had sat about onbleak rocks shivering, and had eaten their scanty meals--shiveringbecause in spite of their fur garments they were cold, as they did noteat enough to keep their blood properly circulating. They could notwhen they did not have the food to eat!

Andy used up all but a few of his cartridges in firing signals, but tono purpose. Their water was all but gone, and of their food only enoughremained for a day longer, though their life-torches still gave forthplenty of vapor. 

"Well, what's to be done?" asked Jack, as they sat about, lookinghelplessly at one another. 

"Might as well give up, " suggested Mark bitterly. 

"Give up? Not a bit of it!" cried Andy, as cheerfully as he could. "Let's keep on. We'll find the projectile sooner or later. "

So they kept on. It was while making their way between two greatmountain peaks that towered above their heads on either side, thousandsof feet up, making a sort of natural gateway, that Jack, who was in thelead, cried out in astonishment at the sight that met his gaze when hehad passed the pinnacles. 

"Look!" he shouted, pointing forward. 

What he indicated was a great crater--larger and deeper than any theyhad yet met with. It seemed a mile across, and, if gloom and darknesswere any indications, it was a hundred miles deep. 

But it was not the size of the great hole in the ground, not itsfearful gloom, that attracted their attention. What did was a greatnatural or artificial bridge of stone that was thrown across the middleof it from edge to edge. A bridge of stone that spanned the abyss; aroadway, fifty feet wide, which reached into some unknown land, connecting it with the desolate country in which our friends had beenwandering. 

"A bridge of stone across the cavern, " said Jack, "but see. Here is ahouse of stone. This was the guard-house, I'll wager--the guardhouse atthe entrance to some city, and that bridge is the means by which theinhabitants entered and left. Maybe we are at the edge of the inhabitedpart of the moon!"

His words thrilled them. They pressed forward to the beginning of thebridge across the crater. They looked into the stone hut. Clearly ithad been made by hands, for it was composed of blocks of stone, neatlyfitted together. Jack's theory seemed confirmed. 

Mark peered into the house, and uttered a cry of alarm. 

"There's a petrified man in there!" he gasped. 

Jack and Andy looked in at the open window. They saw, sitting at atable, which was also of rock, a man, evidently a soldier, or rather hehad been, for he was nothing but stone now, like the hut in which hedwelt. 

The wanderers looked at each other with fear on their faces. Whatdreadful mystery were they about to penetrate? "Let's cross thebridge, " suggested Jack, in a low voice. "Maybe this marks the end ofdesolation. Perhaps we may find life and food across the crater. "

"But--but the petrified man!" gasped Mark. 

"What of it? He won't hurt us. Maybe there are live men, who will takecare of us, beyond there, " and Jack pointed across the bridge of stone. 

There was nothing to keep them where they were--in the land ofdesolation. They could not live much longer there, with no food andwater. To pass on over the crater seemed the only thing to do. 

"Come ahead, " called Jack boldly. They followed him. They kept in themiddle of the road, for to approach the edge, where there was a sheerdescent of so many feet that it made them dizzy to think of it, filledthem with terror. On they hurried until, in a short time, they hadcrossed the great chasm. 

The road over the crater came to an end between two peaks, similar tothose at the beginning. Jack was the first to pass them, and as heemerged he once more uttered a cry--a cry of fear and wonder. 

And well he might, for in a valley below the wanderers there was acity. A great city, with wonderful buildings, with wide streets welllaid out--a city in which figures of many men and women could be seen--little children too! A fair city, teeming with life, it seemed!

But then, as they looked again, struck by the curious quiet thatprevailed, they knew that they were gazing down on a city of the dead--a city where the inhabitants had been turned to stone, even as had thesoldier on guard in his lonely hut. 

They had come upon a petrified city of the moon!

CHAPTER XXVI

SEEKING FOOD

"Well, if this isn't the limit!" burst out Jack, when he had stood andcontemplated the silent city for several moments, which also hiscompanions did. "After all our wanderings and troubles, when we do finda place, it isn't any good to us. I don't suppose there is a squaremeal in the whole town! Isn't it wonderful, though--every person turnedto stone!"

"Wonderful!" gasped old Andy. "I never saw anything like it in all mylife! What do you reckon did it, boys?"

"The same thing that turned the man in the hut, and the one Washingtonthought was a ghost, into stone, " answered Mark. "There was a rain ofsome lime-water, or a liquid charged with similar chemicals, and thepeople were turned to rocks. "

It was uncanny, and for a moment they hesitated on the edge of thecity, which lay in a sort of cup-like valley, surrounded on all sidesby towering peaks of the moon mountains. The bridge over which they hadcome afforded the only entrance to the city, and in times of war(provided the inhabitants of the moon ever fought) the passage musthave been well guarded. 

It was evidently a time of peace when the calamity that turned theinhabitants to stone came upon them, for only one soldier was in theguard hut--doubtless being there merely to give an alarm, or possiblyto keep out undesirable strangers. 

"Well, are we going to stand here all day?" asked Jack of hiscompanions, when they had contemplated the silent city for five minuteslonger. 

"I say, let's go down there and see what we can find. I'm gettinghungry. "

"There'll be nothing there to eat, " declared Mark. "If there ever wasanything, it's now stone. Think of a loaf of bread like a brick, and achunk of meat like some great rock!"

"Let's go down, anyhow, " added Andy, and they advanced. 

As they got down into the streets, the weird effect came over them morestrongly. It was as if they had suddenly entered some large town, andat their advent every living person had been turned into an image. 

"Wonderful, wonderful!" murmured Jack. 

"I've read of the uncovering of the ancient buried cities, and how theyfound women in the kitchen baking bread, and men at their work, butthis goes ahead of that, for here the people are not dust--they arestatues!"

"It certainly is wonderful, " agreed Mark. "I only wish the twoprofessors could see this. They could write several books about it. This proves that the moon was once inhabited, though it is dead now. The projectile should have come to this part of the moon. "

"Maybe they'll bring it here, when we get back and tell them what we'veseen, " suggested Jack. 

"Yes, if we ever do get back, " went on his chum, with a return of hisgloomy thoughts. 

The strangeness of the scenes all about them can scarcely be imagined. Think of looking at a city street teeming with life, men and womenhurrying here and there, dogs running about, children at their play, and then suddenly seeing that same street become as dead as somemountain, with the people represented as stones on that same mountain, and you can get some idea of what our friends looked upon. 

Here was a woman, looking in a store window, probably at some bargains, though even the very window and store itself was now stone, and thewoman was like a block of marble. Near her was a little child, alsoturned to stone, and there were a number of men, standing together on astreet corner as if they had been talking politics when the calamityovertook them. 

There were shops where the workers had been turned to stone at theirbenches, there were houses at the windows of which stone faces peeredout, and there were parks on the benches of which sat men, women andchildren, stiff and solid--creatures of stone! Truly it was a city ofthe dead!

The wanderers walked about, seeing new wonders on every side. Theyspoke in whispers at times, as though at the sound of a loud voice thesilent ones would awaken and resume the occupations or pleasures theyhad left off centuries ago. 

Another strange part of it was that the people were not so verydifferent from those of the earth. They were exactly the same in sizeand feature, but their clothing, as nearly as could be told from thestone garments, seemed of a bygone fashion, such as was in voguehundreds of years ago. There were no horses observed, though there werestone dogs and cats, and the shops given over to the sale of foodcontained in the windows what seemed to be chunks of meat, loaves ofbread, and pies and cakes, though now they were only pieces of rock. 

"It's just as if one of our cities and the people in it should besuddenly petrified, " said Mark. "It's almost like the earth up here;only they don't seem to have gotten to trolley cars yet. "

"Maybe they would if the moon hadn't cooled off when it did, and killedthem all, " suggested Jack. "But, I say, let's get down to somethingmore practical than theorizing. "

"What, for instance?" asked Mark. 

"Looking for something to eat, " went on Jack. "I'm nearly starved, andI have only half a sandwich left. I want to eat it, yet, if I do, Idon't know where I'm going to get more. And as for water, I'd give ahandful of diamonds, if I had them, for half a glass of even warmwater. "

"Yes, we do need food and water badly, " said Andy. 

"Then let's look for it, " suggested Jack. "If we can find food in anyof these houses or shops, I don't believe the people will care if wetake it. "

"Find food here?" cried Mark. "Why, you must be crazy! All the food isturned to stone, and what isn't would be spoiled! Why, no one has beenalive here for thousands and thousands of years!"

"That's nothing, " asserted Jack. "Don't you remember reading how, inthe arctic regions, they have found the bodies of prehistoric elephantsand mastodons encased in blocks of ice, where they have been forcenturies. The meat is perfectly preserved because of the cold. Andwhat of the grains of wheat they find in the coffins of Egyptianmummies? Some of that is three thousand years old, yet it grows whenthey plant it, and they can make bread of it. 

"Now, maybe we can find some wheat or something to eat in some of thesehouses. If there's meat, it will be perfectly preserved, for thetemperature is below freezing. "

"That may be, " admitted Mark, convinced, in spite of himself, "but it'sturned to stone, I tell you. "

"The outside part may be, " said Jack, "but if we can crack off theoutside layer of stone we may find some good meat inside. I'm going tolook, anyhow. "

"That's not a bad idea!" cried Andy with enthusiasm. "Think of having aloaf of bread and some beefsteak thousands of years old. I suppose theyhad beefsteak here, " he added cautiously. 

"Some kind of meat, anyhow, " agreed Jack. "Well, let's look for a placethat was once a restaurant or hotel, and we'll see what luck we have. Come on. "

They walked along the silent streets, with their silent occupants, andfinally Jack found what he was seeking. It was an eating place, tojudge by the appearance, and at tables inside were seated stone men andwomen. 

"Back to the kitchen!" cried Jack with enthusiasm. "There's where we'llfind food, if there is any!"

"It'll be all stone, " declared Mark, but he and Andy followed Jack. 

They came to the place where was what appeared to be a stove. It wasmore like a brick oven, however, than a modern range, though in dishesthat were now stone something was being cooked when the catastropheoccurred. 

"There's meat, I'll wager!" cried Jack, pointing to several objects ona table. They looked like chunks of beef, but when Mark struck themwith the end of his life-torch they gave forth a sound as if a rock hadbeen tapped. 

"What did I tell you?" Mark asked, "Nothing but rocks. And the bread isalso a stone, " he added bitterly. 

"You're right, " admitted Jack, with a sigh. "And I'm getting hungrierthan ever. " They all were. For days they had been without sufficientfood, and now, when it was almost within their reach, they were deniedit by this curious trick of nature. With pale and wan faces they gazedat each other, wetting their parched lips, for they had some time sincetaken the last of their scant supply of water, and they were verythirsty. 

"I guess it's all up with us, " murmured Mark. "We'll soon be like thesepoor people here--blocks of stone. "

"If we only could change this meat back into it's original shape, "spoke Jack musingly, smiting his fist against a block of beef. 

Suddenly Andy uttered a cry. 

"I have it!" he fairly shouted. 

"What?" asked Jack. 

"I have a plan to get meat out of this hunk of stone!"

The two boys gazed at the old hunter as though they thought he had losthis reason, but, chuckling gleefully, Andy took from his pouch severalcartridges, and proceeded to remove the wads, and pour the powder fromthe paper shells out on the stone table. 

"I'll have some meat for us, " he muttered. "We shan't starve now!"

CHAPTER XXVII

THE BLACK POOL

"What are you going to do, Andy?" asked Jack, as he watched the oldhunter. 

"What am I going to do? Why, I'm going to blast out some of this meat, that's what I'm going to do! I heard you boys talking about elephantsand other things being preserved for centuries in a cake of ice, and, if that's true, why won't the meat in this petrified city be preservedjust as well? It's always below freezing here, and that's cold enough. "

"But the meat has turned to stone, " objected Mark. 

"Only the outside part of it, to my thinking, " answered Andy. "Ibelieve that inside these lumps of rock we'll find good, fresh meat!"

"But how are you going to get it?" asked Jack. 

"Just as I told you--blast it out with some of the powder from mycartridges. I used to be a miner before I turned hunter, and when wewanted gold we used to fire a charge in some rocks. Now we want meat, and I'm going to do the same thing. I'll put some powder underneaththis block of stone that looks as if it was a chunk of roast beef, andwe'll see what happens. It's lucky I saved some of my cartridges. "

While he was talking the old hunter had taken some of the powder andput it back in one of the paper shells. Then, making a fuse by twistingsome powder grains in a piece of paper he happened to have in hispocket, he inserted it in the improvised bomb, using some dirt andsmall stones with which to tamp down the charge. He discovered a crackin the big stone, which they hoped would prove to be a chunk of roastbeef, and Andy put the cartridge in that. 

"Look out now, boys, " he called, "I'm going to light the fuse. I didn'tmake a heavy charge, but it might do some damage, so we'll go outside. "

They hurried from the place, with its silent guests and waiters, andreached the street. A moment later there sounded a dull explosion. 

"Now, let's see what we've got!" called Jack. 

Back to the kitchen they ran, the two boys in the lead. 

"Why--why--the stone has disappeared!" cried Jack, in disappointment, as he glanced all around. 

"Yes, but look here, " added Mark. "Here are bits of meat, " and hepicked up from the stone table some scraps of meat. 

"Is it really roast beef?" cried Jack. "Good to eat?"

Mark smelled of it. Then he put the morsel cautiously to his lips. Thenext instant it had disappeared. It was proof enough. 

"Good! I should say it was good!" exclaimed Mark. "I wish there wasmore of it! What happened to the rock of meat, Andy?"

"I used too heavy a charge, and it blew all to pieces. I'll know betternext time. There are lots more chunks of meat, and we'll soon have afeast. I'll make another bombshell. "

He worked rapidly while Jack sampled some of the shreds of meat thathad been scattered about by the explosion. The beef was perfectlycooked, and in spite of its great age it was as fresh and palatable asfrozen meat ever is. Besides the heat generated by the explosion hadpartly thawed it, so that there was no trouble in chewing it. 

Once more came the explosion, a slight one this time, and when theadventurers re-entered the kitchen they found that what had been a lumpof stone had been broken open, and the middle part, like the kernel ofa nut, was sweet and good. It was cooked, so they did not have to eatit raw. 

"Say, maybe this isn't good!" exclaimed Jack, chewing away. "It's thebest ever!"

"And there's enough in this city to keep us alive for months, if wecan't find the projectile in that time, " declared Andy. 

"Don't you think we will?" asked Mark. 

"Of course, but I was only just mentioning it. Now, eat all you want, boys, I have quite a few cartridges left. I didn't fire away as many asI thought I did, and we can blast out a dinner any time we want it. Soeat hearty!"

They needed no second invitation, and for the first time in severaldays they had enough to eat. It was comfortable in the petrifiedrestaurant, too, for they could move about without carrying their life-torches constantly in their hand. The gases from the perforated boxesfilled the rooms, and were not quickly dispelled by the poisonousvapors as they were outside, so they could walk around in comparativefreedom. 

"Now, if we could only blast out a loaf of bread, we'd be all right, "said Jack. They found some petrified loaves, but on breaking one openit was found to be stone all the way through. 

Spurred on by an overwhelming thirst, they wandered about the deadcity, but found no moisture. They tried to chew some of the pale greenvegetation that grew more plentiful on this side of the moon, but itwas exceedingly bitter, and they could not stand it, though there wassome juice in it. 

They crossed the city, and wandered out into the country beyond. Itappeared to have been a fertile land before the stone death settleddown on it. They saw farmers in the fields, turned into images, besidethe oxen with which they had been plowing. But nowhere was there a signof water. Had it not been for a frozen rice pudding, they would haveperished that first day in the stone city. 

As it was, they dragged out a miserable existence, eating from time totime of the blasted meat. But even this palled on them after a while, for their lips were parched and cracked, and their tongues were swollenin their mouths. 

"I can't stand this any longer!" cried Jack. 

"What are you going to do?" asked Mark. 

"Go out and look for water. There must be some in the country outsideif there isn't any in this city. I'm going to have a look. Besides, ifI'm going to die, I might as well die while I'm busy. I'm not going tosit here in this dreadful place and give up. "

His words urged them to follow him, and, with lagging steps, for theywere weak and faint, they went from the restaurant, which they had madetheir home since coming to the petrified city. 

Out into the open fields they went, but their search seemed likely tobe in vain. Between times of looking for the water they scanned the skyfor a sight of the projectile, which, hoping against hope, they thoughtthey might see hovering over them. But there was no sight of it. 

They came to a vast, level plain, girt with mountains, a lonesomeplace, where there was no sign of life. Listlessly they walked over it. 

Suddenly Andy, who was in the lead, uttered a cry and sprang forward. The boys ran to him, and found the old hunter gazing into the depths ofa great black pool, which filled a depression in the surface of themoon. It was a small crater, and was filled, nearly to the top, withsome black liquid, which gloomily reflected back the light of the sun. 

"I'm going to have a drink!" cried Andy, and before the boys could stophim he threw himself face downward at the edge of the black pool. 

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE SIGNAL FAILS

"Stop! Don't drink that! It may be poison!" yelled Jack. 

"Pull him back!" shouted Mark, and together they advanced on the oldhunter. They tried to drag him away from the black pool, but Andy shookthem off. 

"Let--me--alone!" he gasped, as he bent over the uninviting liquid anddrank deeply. "It's water, I tell you--good water--and I'm almost--dead--from--thirst!"

"Water? Is that water?" cried Jack. 

"Well, it's the nearest thing to it that I've tasted since I've beenlost on the moon, " spoke Andy, as he slowly arose. "My, but that wasgood!" he added fervently. 

"But--water?" gasped Mark. "How can there be water here?"

"Taste and see, " invited the old hunter. 

They hesitated a moment, and then followed his example. The liquid--water it evidently had once been--had a peculiar taste, but it was notbad. By some curious chemical action, which they never understood, theliquid had been prevented from evaporating, nor was it frozen orpetrified as was everything else on the moon. 

What gave the liquid its peculiar black color they could not learn. Sufficient for them that it was capable of quenching their thirst, andthey all drank deeply and refilled their bottles. 

"Now, I feel like eating again, " spoke Andy, "We can take some of thisback with us, and have a good meal on blasted meat. Whenever we getthirsty we'll have to make a trip back here for water. "

The boys agreed with him. They examined the black pool. It appeared tobe filled by hidden springs, though there was no bubbling, and thesurface was as unruffled as a mirror. The liquid was not very inviting, being as black as ink, but the color appeared to be a sort ofreflection, for when the water, if such it was, had been put intobottles it at once became clear, nor did it stain their faces or hands. 

"Well, it's another queer thing in this queer moon, " said Jack. "I wishthe two professors could see this place. They'd have lots to writeabout. "

"I wonder if we'll ever see them again?" asked Mark. 

"Sure, " replied Jack hopefully. "We'll fill our lunch baskets, take alot of water along, and have another hunt for the projectile soon. "

They did, but with no success. For several days more they lived in thepetrified city, the meat encased in its block of stone, which Andyblasted from time to time, and the black water keeping them alive. Fromtime to time they went out in the surrounding country, looking for theprojectile. But they could not find the place where they had left it, nor could they find even the place where they had picked up the losttool that had cost them so much suffering. They were more completelylost than ever. They crossed back and forth on the bridge over thecrater chasm, and penetrated for many miles in a radius from that, marking their way by chipping off pieces of the rocky pinnacles, asthey did not want to leave the petrified city behind. 

From some peaks they caught glimpses of other towns that had fallenunder the strange spell of the petrification. Some were larger and somesmaller than the one they called "home. "

Jack proposed visiting some of them, thinking they might find betterfood, but Mark and Andy decided it was best to stay where they were, asthey were nearer the supposed location of the projectile. 

"I think they'll manage to fix it up somehow, so it will move, " saidAndy, "and then they'll come to look for us. I hope it will be soon, though. "

"Why?" asked Jack, struck by something in the tone of the old hunter. 

"Because, " replied Andy, "I am afraid our life-torches won't last muchlonger. Mine seems to be weakening. I have to hold it very close to myface now to breathe in comfort, while at first the oxygen from it wasso strong that I could hold it two feet off and never notice thepoisonous moon vapors. "

This was a new danger, and, thinking of it, the faces of the boysbecame graver than ever. Death seemed bound to get them somehow. 

Two more days went by. They had now been lost on the moon over a week. Each one now noticed that his life-torch was weakening. How much longerwould they last? They dared not answer that question. They could onlyhope. 

The sun, too, was moving away from them. Soon the long night would setin. By Mark's computation there was only three more days of daylightleft. What would happen in the desolate darkness?

As they were returning from the black pool, with their water bottlesfilled, and put inside the fur bags to prevent the frost from reachingthem, Mark happened to gaze over across a line of towering peaks. Whathe saw caused him to gasp in astonishment. 

"Jack! Andy! See!" he whispered hoarsely, pointing a trembling fingerat the sky. 

There, outlined against the cloudless heavens, was a long, black shape, floating through the air about two miles distant. 

"The projectile! The _Annihilator!_" yelled Jack. "Shout! Call to them!Wave your hands! Andy, fire your gun! They have started off, and theycan't see us. We must make them hear!"

Together they raised their voices in a mighty shout. The old hunterfired his gun several times. They waved their hands frantically. 

But the projectile never swerved from its course. On it moved slowly, those in it paying no heed to the wanderers, for they did not hearthem. Andy fired his gun again, but the signal failed, and a fewminutes later the _Annihilator_ was lost to sight behind a great peak. 

CHAPTER XXIX

THE FIELD OF DIAMONDS

Dumbly the wanderers gazed at each other. They could not comprehend itat first. That the projectile, on which their very lives depended inthis dead world of the moon, should float away and leave them seemedincredible. Yet they had witnessed it. 

"Do--do you really think we saw it--saw the _Annihilator_, Mark?" askedJack in a low voice, after several minutes had passed. 

"Saw it? Of course, we saw it. We've seen the last of it, I'm afraid. But what do you mean?"

"I--I thought maybe I was out of my head, and I only saw a vision, "answered Jack. "You know--a sort of mirage. It was real, then?"

"Altogether too real, " spoke Andy Sudds grimly. "They didn't see us norhear us. We're left behind!"

"But can't we do something?" demanded Mark. "Let's start off and try tocatch them. They were going slow. "

"The wonder to me is how they moved at all, " said Jack. "I thought themachinery wouldn't work until we got back with the lost tool. "

"Probably the two professors found some way of patching up the motor, "was Mark's opinion, and later they found that this was so. 

For some time they remained staring in the direction in which theprojectile had vanished, as if they might see it reappear, but thegreat steel shell did not poke its sharp nose in among the toweringpeaks which hid it from view. Probably it was many miles away now. 

"Well, " remarked old Andy at length, "we've got to make the best of it. We won't have many more days of light, and we must gather what food wecan, put it where we can find it in the dark, and also bring in somewater from the black pool. We can store that in some of the stonetables. By turning them upside down they will make good troughs, and itwon't freeze. We must work while we have light, for soon the long nightwill come. "

The sight of the projectile going away seemed to take the heart out ofall of them, and they did not know what to do. For some time theyremained there idly, until Andy roused the boys to a sense of theirresponsibility by urging upon them the necessity of getting together astore of meat and water. 

As they had about exhausted the limited food supply in the ancientrestaurant, they sought and found another and larger one. There theyhad the good fortune to come upon some whole sides of beef and lamb, which were petrified on the outside, but which, when they had blastedoff the outer shell of stone, gave them good food. 

They made several trips to the black pool, and brought in all theliquid they could, for they did not want to have to go outside thepetrified city into the wild and desolate country beyond, after thedismal night had settled down. They feared they would become lostagain. 

Their lonely situation seemed to grow upon them. The appalling silenceall about terrified them. The weird sight of the petrified men andwomen in the petrified city got on their nerves. 

They had done all they could. A store of meat had been blasted out andput away. It would keep outside of the stone shell now, for the weatherwas getting colder with the advent of the long night. 

This fact worried them. With the temperature at twenty-eight when thesun was shining, what might it not fall to in the darkness? Theterrible cold of the arctic regions might be nothing compared to thefrostiness of the dead moon in the shadow. Their fur garments, thick asthey were, might be no more protection than so much paper. And they hadno means of making a fire, nor anything to burn on one had they beencapable of kindling it, for Andy had used the last of his cartridges toblast with, and where everything was petrified there was no wood. 

Then, too, their life-torches were giving out. The emanations of oxygenwere weaker, and they had to hold them almost under their noses tobreathe the vital vapor. 

One day, or rather what corresponded to a day, for they had lost alltrack of time, Andy Sudds arose from the stone bench on which theirmeager meal had been served. He started from the restaurant where theyhad taken up their abode. 

"Where are you going?" asked Jack. 

"I'm going to make one last attempt to find the projectile before itgets too dark, " answered the hunter. "We can go out, look around forseveral hours, and get back before darkness sets in. We might as welldo it as sit here doing nothing. Then, too, we can bring in some morewater. We'll need all we can store away. "

"I'll go with you, " volunteered Jack, and Mark, not wanting to be leftalone in the dead city, followed. Carrying their life-torches andwrapping their fur garments closely about them, for it had grown muchcolder, they sallied forth. 

They found a thin film of ice on the black pool, showing that it wouldprobably freeze when it got cold enough, though the ordinarytemperature of thirty-two degrees had not affected it. They filledtheir water bottles, and then Andy proposed that they take a new path--one they had not tried before. 

They hardly knew where they were going, but ever as they tramped onthey cast anxious looks upward to see if they might descry theprojectile hovering over them. But they did not see it. 

Jack had taken the lead, and was walking along, glancing idly about. Hecame to a place where two peaks were so close together that it was allhe could do to squeeze through. But the moment he had passed the defileand looked out on a broad, level field, he came to a sudden stop. Hiscompanions, who pressed after him, saw him rub his eyes and shake hishead, as if disbelieving the evidence of what lay before him. Then Jackmurmured: "It can't be true! It can't be true!"

"What?" called Mark. 

"There! Those, " answered his chum. "See, the field is covered withdiamonds! We have found the diamonds of the moon--the field of Reonaristhat the men of Mars discovered! There are the diamonds--millions ofthem!"

"Diamonds!" exclaimed Mark. He squeezed through the defile, and stoodbeside Jack. Before him in the fading light of the sun was a broadfield, girt around with towering cliffs, and the surface of the fieldwas covered with white stones. 

Jack sprang forward and gathered up a double handful. He let them runthrough his fingers in a sparkling stream. Old Andy came up to theboys. 

"They're only glass or crystals, " he said. 

"They are _not_ glass or crystals!" declared Mark, who had made a studyof gems. "I should say they were diamonds, probably meteoric diamonds, very rare and valuable. Why, there is the ransom of a thousand kingsspread out before us!"

He fell upon his knees and began to scoop up the gems. His chum wasmaking a little heap of the stones. 

"The ransom of a thousand kings!" murmured Jack. "More diamonds than inall the world--and I'd give my share for a good ham sandwich!"

CHAPTER XXX

BACK TO EARTH--CONCLUSION

At any other time the discovery of such a vast store of wealth wouldhave set the wanderers half wild with joy. Now they only accepted thefact dully, for the perils of their situation overburdened them. AsJack had said, they needed food more than the gems, for at best thesupply they had blasted out could not last long, and when that was gonewhere were they to get more, for there were no more cartridges, and therending force of powder was needed to open the rocky meat. 

"I knew we'd find the diamonds, " murmured Jack, as he began to fill thepockets of his fur coat. "I'm right, after all, Mark, you see. "

"Yes, but what good will it do us? What's the good of even carrying anyaway. We can never use them. "

"That's so, " agreed Jack, in a low voice. "I might as well leave themhere. "

But somehow the desire to pick up gems which, when they were cut andpolished, would rival many of the famous diamonds of history was toostrong to be resisted. Though he was afraid he would never get back toearth to enjoy them, Jack could not help putting in his pockets agoodly supply of the largest of the precious stones. Andy did the same, and Mark, in spite of his gloomy feelings, stuffed his pockets. Theyworked with their torches held close to their faces, and in the searchfor the better stones they literally walked over millions of dollars'worth of the gems. 

For there, stretched out before them, was an actual field of diamonds. As Mark had said, they were of meteoric origin, that is, a meteor hadburst over that particular portion of the moon, and the chemical actionhad created the diamonds, which had fallen in a shower in the field. 

"If you boys have all you want, then let's get back to the city, "suggested Andy. "No telling when it will be night now. "

They followed his advice, and soon were going back by way of the blackpool. It seemed more lonesome than ever, after the excitement ofdiscovering the field of diamonds, and even Jack, glad as he was tohave his theory vindicated, got tired of referring to it. His triumphmeant little to him now. 

They were at the entrance to the petrified city. As they were about togo in, ready to hide themselves in the deepest part of the restaurant, away from the terrible cold and appalling darkness they felt would soonbe upon them, Mark came to a sudden halt. He glanced quickly up intothe air and cried out: "Hark!"

"What's the matter?" asked Jack, as they stood in a listening attitude. 

"I heard a noise, " whispered Mark. "It sounded--I'm sure it sounded--like the crackling of the wireless motor waves of the projectile. Listen!"

Faintly through the silence came a sound as if there was a discharge ofan electric current. It increased in volume, and there was a faintroaring in the atmosphere. 

"It's her--it's the _Annihilator!_" shouted Jack, leaping about. 

"Wait, " counselled Andy, who dreaded the terrible disappointment shouldthe boys be mistaken. The sound came nearer. The crackling couldplainly be made out now. The sun was out of sight, but there was stillthe glow which follows sunset. 

The boys were eagerly scanning the heavens, Their hearts beat high withhope. Suddenly, in the olive-tinted sky just above a range of ruggedpeaks, a black shape loomed. A black shape, as of a great cigar, pointed at both ends. It shot into full view. 

"The projectile!" yelled Jack. 

"The _Annihilator!_" gasped Mark. 

"Thank Heaven, they have found us in time!" exclaimed Andy fervently, and the three stretched out their arms toward the craft from which theyhad been parted so long. It was as if they tried to pull it down tothem. 

"Do they see us?"

"Will they pass us by?"

"Make a noise so they'll hear us!"

"Wave to them!"

"Oh, if they leave us now!"

Questions, ejaculations and entreaties came rapidly from the lips ofthe wanderers. They raised their voices in a shout. They leaped up anddown. They wildly waved their hands and life-torches. 

Then, to their inexpressible joy, they saw the course of the projectilechange. It was headed toward them, and a few minutes later it settledslowly to the ground about half a mile away. 

"Come on!" cried Jack! "We must hurry to them, or soon it will be toodark to see them, or for them to find us. It's our last chance; don'tlet's lose it!"

He sprang forward, the others after him, and together they ran towardthe projectile. They could see the two professors and Washington Whiteemerging from the steel car, waving their hands. 

On rushed the lost wanderers, over the rough stones, skirting the greatcliffs, falling into small craters, crawling out again, just missingseveral times being precipitated into yawning caverns, and stumblingover petrified bodies that strewed the ground. 

Ever did they hasten onward though, increasing their speed. They cameto a great crater that lay between them and the projectile, butfortunately there was across the middle of it a natural bridge ofstone. But it was narrow--scarcely wide enough for one at a time. 

"We can never cross on that!" cried Mark, halting. 

"We've got to!" shouted Jack, and he sprang fearlessly forward, fairlyrunning over the narrow path, which had a sheer descent of thousands offeet on either side. 

Mark, though fearful that he would become dizzy and fall, followedAndy. They were soon across the narrow bridge, and speeding on towardthe _Annihilator_. Five minutes later they had reached it, and werebeing wildly welcomed by the two professors and Washington White, whohad advanced to meet them. 

"I 'clar t' goodness-gladness!" exclaimed the colored man, "I amsuttinly constrained t' espress my approbation ob de deleterous mannerin which yo' all has come back t' dis continuous territory. "

"Do you mean you're glad to see us, Wash?" asked Jack. 

"Dat's what I done said, " was the answer, with a cheerful grin, "an' Imight also remark dat dinner am serbed in de dinin' car. "

"Hurrah!" cried Jack. "That's the best news I've heard in a week. Nomore blasted beef for mine! Give me ham and eggs!"

"But what happened to you? Where have you been? We have searched allover for you, and were just giving you up for dead, and going back tothe earth, " said Professor Henderson. "We caught sight of you at thelast minute. "

"Oh, you mustn't go back until you go to the field of diamonds!" criedJack, and then by turns he and Mark and Andy told of their terribleadventures while they were lost on the moon. 

On their part Professors Roumann and Henderson stated how they hadwaited in vain for the return of the wanderers, and had then, bystrenuous work, managed to make the necessary repairs without themissing tool. Then they set out to discover the lost ones, butsucceeded only just in time, for it was now quite dusk. 

"An' did yo' all really discober dem sparklers?" asked Washington, ashe served what the boys thought was the finest dinner they had evertasted. 

"We sure did, " replied Jack. "Here are a couple for that red necktie ofyours, " and he passed over two big diamonds. 

It did not take long to move the projectile to the field of thesparkling gems, and by means of a powerful search-light enough weresoon gathered up to satisfy even Washington White, who declared that hewould be the best decorated colored man in Bayside when they got back. The two professors made what observations they could in the petrifiedcity in the fast-gathering darkness, and then, having taken a petrifiedman into the projectile with them to deposit in a scientific museum inwhich Professor Roumann was interested, the _Annihilator_ was sealedshut. 

And it was only just in time, for with the suddenness of an eclipseintense darkness settled down, and the temperature, as indicated by athermometer thrust outside, showed a drop of a hundred degrees. 

"We never could have lived out there, " said Jack. 

"Well, we'll soon be back on earth, " observed Mark, and a little laterthe Cardite motor was out in operation, and the journey back to thisworld begun. 

Little of moment happened on the return trip. The boys went more intodetail about their wanderings, and told how they had managed to liveduring the time they were lost. The two professors and Washington spokeof their worry and anxiety, and their vain search for the wanderers. 

As they were anxious to get back home, the motor was speeded to thelimit, and in much less time than they had made the trip to the moonthey had arrived in sight of the earth again. As they did not want tocreate too much excitement, they hovered about in the air over Baysideuntil dark, when they gently descended almost in the very spot fromwhich they had started. 

"Well, " remarked Jack, as he stepped out on the earth once more, "itwas quite an experience to go to the moon, and I suppose being lostthere wasn't the worst thing that could happen to us, but all the sameI'm glad to be back. "

"So am I, " declared Mark. "It was worth while going, " and he felt ofhis pocketful of diamonds. 

"We certainly made some very valuable scientific observations, "asserted Mr. Henderson, "and we will be able to prove that the moon wasonce inhabited. "

Washington White was carefully lifting out his Shanghai rooster, whichwas uttering loud crows. As soon as he had set the fowl on the ground, the colored man started off. 

"Where are you going?" asked Mark. 

"I'm going t' a jewelery shop t' hab my diamonds made inter a stick-pinfo' my red necktie, " was the answer. 

"Oh, you'd better wait until morning, " suggested Professor Henderson. 

They gathered about the table in the cozy dining room of their home, while Washington got a meal ready. Every one was talking about what awonderful trip they had had. 

"The only trouble is, " said Jack, "that we've been to about all theinteresting places in this universe now. I wonder where we can gonext?"

"I'm going to bed right after supper, " announced Mark. "Maybe I'lldiscover a new land in my dreams. "

The moon voyagers had a great store of gems, and, as they did not wishto bring down values by disposing of them, they only sold a few, which, because of their great size and brilliancy, brought a large price. Several jewelers wanted to know where the diamonds came from, but thesecret was well kept. Most of the gems were used for scientificpurposes, but Mark and Jack gave some to certain of their friends. 

The petrified man proved a great curiosity, and a history of it, in twolarge volumes, can be seen in the museum where the body is exhibited. Professor Henderson wrote the account, and also published quite anextensive history of the trip to the moon, which was considered byscientists and laymen to be a most remarkable journey. 

But, though our friends had been to many strange places, it wasreserved for them to have yet still more wonderful adventures, thoughfor a time after returning from the moon they remained at home, the twoprofessors busy over their scientific work, and the boys engaged withtheir studies, while Andy occasionally went hunting, and Washington gotthe meals and, between times, fed his rooster and admired the diamondsin his red necktie. And now we will bid our friends good-by. 

THE END