Lost on the Moon | Page 5

who was refused work on the projectile, tried to
blow it up with a bomb. He partly succeeded, but the damage was
repaired, and the start made.
Inside the projectile our friends shut themselves up, and the powerful
motors were started. Off it shot, at the rate of one hundred miles a
second, but the travellers were as comfortable as in a Pullman car. They
had plenty to eat and drink, they manufactured their own air and water,
and they slept when they so desired.
But Axtell, the crazy machinist, had hidden himself aboard, and, in
mid-air, he tried to wreck the projectile. He was caught, and locked up
in a spare room, but, when Mars was reached, he escaped.

The book tells how our friends were welcomed by the Martians, how
they learned the language, saw many strange sights, and finally got on
the track of the Cardite, or red substance, which the German professor,
Mr. Roumann, had come so far to seek. This Cardite was capable of
great force, and, properly controlled, could move great weights and
operate powerful machinery.
Our friends wanted to take some back to earth with them, but when
they attempted to store it in their projectile, they met with objections,
for the Martians did not want them to take any. They had considerable
trouble, and the crazy machinist led an attack of the soldiers of the red
planet against our friends, the adventurers in the projectile.
Among the other curiosities brought away by our friends, was a
newspaper printed in Mars, for the inhabitants of that place where
much further advanced along certain lines than we are on this earth, but
in the matter of newspapers they had little to boast of, save that the
sheets were printed by wireless electricity, no presses being needed.
As told at the opening of this story, Jack had noticed on one of the
sheets they brought back, an account of how some of the Martians
made a trip to the moon, and discovered a field of Reonaris. This trip
was made shortly before our friends made their hasty departure, and it
was undertaken by some Martian adventurers on another part of the red
planet than where the projectile landed, and so Professor Henderson
and his friends did not hear of it at the time.
"Well, then, suppose we make the attempt to go to the moon," said
Professor Roumann, after a long discussion in the laboratory. "It will
not 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
so interested 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
your studies at college," said the aged man, "but, since this matter has
come up, it will be just as well if you do not arrange to resume your

lessons 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. "Practically
speaking, 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 the
morning, and see what needs to be done to it to get it ready for another
trip through space."
"Not much will have to be done, I fancy," remarked the German
scientist. "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 old
house where the professor lived and did much of his experimental
work.
"I'll go," volunteered Jack, and when he opened the portal there stood
on 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 the white
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 wait for

you at the white bridge.' That's all there is to it."
"No name signed?" asked Jack.
"Not a name.