A Columbus of Space | Page 6

into despair. I had to give up all hope. Remembering how
near we were to the coast, I concluded that they had drifted out over the
sea and gone down. It was hard for me, after the lie I had told, to let out
the truth to such of their friends as I knew, but I had to do it. Then the
police took the matter in hand and ransacked Stonewall's laboratory and
the shanty without finding anything to throw light on the mystery. It
was a newspaper sensation for a few days, but as nothing came of it
everybody soon forgot all about it--all except me. I was left to my
loneliness and my regrets.
"A year has now passed with no news from them. I write this on the
anniversary of their departure. My friends, I know, are
dead--somewhere! Oh, what an experience it has been! When your
friends die and are buried it is hard enough but when they disappear in
a flash and leave no token--! It is almost beyond endurance!"
CHAPTER II
A TRIP OF TERROR
I take up the story at the point where I dropped it to introduce Church's
narrative.
As minute after minute elapsed and we continued in motion we
changed our minds about the descent, and concluded that the inventor
was going to give us a much longer ride than we had anticipated. We
were startled and puzzled but not really alarmed, for the car traveled so

smoothly that it gave one a sense of confidence. On the other hand, we
felt a little indignation that Edmund should treat us like a lot of boys,
without wills of our own. No doubt we had provoked him, though
unintentionally, but this was going too far on his part. I am sure we
were all hot with this feeling and presently Jack flamed out:
"Look here, Edmund," he exclaimed, dropping his customary
good-natured manner, "this is carrying things with a pretty high hand.
It's a good deal like kidnapping, it seems to me. I didn't give you
permission to carry me off in this way, and I want to know what you
mean by it and what you are about. I've no objection to making a little
trip in your car, which is certainly mighty comfortable, but first I'd like
to be asked whether I want to go or no."
Edmund shrugged his shoulders and made no reply. He was very busy
just then with the metallic knobs. Suddenly we were jerked off our feet
as if we had been in a trolley driven by a green motorman. Edmund
also would have fallen if he had not clung to one of the handles. We
felt that we were spinning through the air at a fearful speed. Still
Edmund uttered not a word, but while we staggered upon our feet, and
steadied ourselves with hands and knees on the leather-cushioned
benches like so many drunken men, he continued pulling and pushing
at his knobs. Finally the motion became more regular and it was
evident that the car had slowed down from its wild rush.
"Excuse me," said Edmund, then, quite in his natural manner, "the
thing is new yet and I've got to learn the stops by experience. But
there's no occasion for alarm."
But our indignation had grown hotter with the shake-up that we had
just had, and as usual Jack was spokesman for it:
"Maybe there is no occasion for alarm," he said excitedly, "but will you
be kind enough to answer my question, and tell us what you're about
and where we are going?"
And Henry, too, who was ordinarily as mute as a clam, broke out still
more hotly:

"See here! I've had enough of this thing! Just go down and let me out. I
won't be carried off so, against my will and knowledge."
By this time Edmund appeared to have got things in the shape he
wanted, and he turned to face us. He always had a magnetism that was
inexplicable, and now we felt it as never before. His features were
perfectly calm, but there was a light in his eyes that seemed electric. As
if disdaining to make a direct reply to the heated words of Jack and
Henry he began in a quiet voice:
"It was my first intention to invite you to accompany me on a very
interesting expedition. I knew that none of you had any ties of family or
business to detain you, and I felt sure that you would readily consent.
In case you should not, however, I had made up my mind to go alone.
But you provoked me more than you knew, probably, at the club, and
after we had entered the car, and, being myself hot-tempered, I
determined to teach