Through Space to Mars | Page 6

am Massa Mark?"
"Here I am," replied Jack's chum, as he followed him out on the platform of the train, which had come to a stop.
"Dats right!" exclaimed Washington. "Let me hab yo' extended article ob transportation an' I'll jest expidite it in--"
"I guess you mean it, all right," interrupted Jack. "But what's up? Why did the professor send for us?"
"I doan't know, Massa Jack."
"You don't know?"
"Nopy. He jest done gone tell me to send dat transmigatory telegraph, an' dat's all."
"But why does he want us? He's not sick, is he?" asked Mark.
"Never felt bettah!" exclaimed Washington as he walked along the street leading from the depot, a valise in either hand. "His state ob health am equal to de sophistication ob de soporiferousness."
"You mean he sleeps well?" questioned Jack.
"Dat's what I done meant to convey to yo', Massa Jack."
"Well, why don't you say it?" asked Mark.
"Dat's jest what I done. I said--"
"Never mind," interrupted Jack.
"Then you can't tell us why the professor sent for us?"
"He's got company," went on Washington, as if he had just thought of that.
"Company?" exclaimed both boys.
"Yyais."
"Who is it?"
"Why, his name am Santell Roumann."
"What an odd name!" commented Mark.
"Is he a doctor?" asked Jack.
"He speaks wid a Germannes aceetnuation," said Washington. "He suttinly uses de most ogilistic conglomerations--"
"If he can beat you, he's a wonder," said Jack. "But where did he come from?"
"I 'clar t' goodness I doan't know. All I knows is dat he jest comed. One day he wasn't dere, and come next day he was."
"Does the professor know him?"
"Suah! He's a friend ob de perfesser," added Washington. "De perfesser was pow'ful glade t' see him."
"'Then he must be some scientist," said Mark.
"Dat's it! He's chock full obscientistical bombasticness an' labiodentalisms," said the colored man.
"I guess the professor wanted us to meet him and learn something that we couldn't in college," spoke Mark. "Well, we'll soon be there."
"Yes," assented Jack. "I want to find out what it's all about. Santell Roumann--that's an odd name."
"An' he's a mighty odd man," supplemented Washington.
They reached the house a few minutes later, and went in the front door. The sounds of two voices came from the library. One of them was that of Professor Henderson. He was saying:
"I tell you it can't be done! It is utterly impossible! It is madness to think of such a terrible trip!"
"And I tell you it can be done--it shall be done and you are the very man to accomplish it," insisted the other. "You and your young assistants will succeed. I know you will. You will go with me, and we will make the longest journey on record."

CHAPTER IV
WONDERFUL PLAN
"I wonder what they can be talking about?" asked Mark of Jack, as they paused outside the library door.
"I don t know, but it concerns us."
"What makes you think so?"
"Because, didn't you hear the stranger speak of us as the 'young assistants'? That's us."
"Very likely. But who is the man in with Professor Henderson, and what is the wonderful journey he is talking about?"
"Dat gen'man in wid de perfesser am also a perfessor." Explained Washington in a whisper. "He's Perfesser Santell Roumann. Now I 'spects I'd better saggasiate mahself inter proximity t' de culinary reservation."
"You mean you've got to go to the kitchen?" asked Jack with a smile.
"Dat's what I approximated to yo'," replied the colored man.
"I wonder if we'd better go in now, or wait until Professor Henderson is through talking to Mr. Roumann?" asked Mark.
"Yo' am to go right in," remarked Washington. "Dem's de orders I got when I went t' de statione t' meet yo'."
"All right," assented Jack. "Come on, Mark. We'll find out what's wanted of us."
The two boys entered the library, whence the voices of Professor Henderson and Mr. Roumann could still be heard in earnest discussion. Mr. Henderson looked up as his proteges advanced to the middle of the apartment.
"Jack! Mark!" he exclaimed. "I am very glad you came so promptly. I have something very important to communicate to you--something that I hope will make up for the loss you suffer in being taken away from college in the middle of the term. Or, to be more correct, Mr. Roumann will impart most of the information, for it is at his suggestion that I sent for you."
"Are these the young assistants of whom you spoke?" asked the other man, and the boys noticed that he was a big, burly German, with a bushy, gray beard, and penetrating, blue eyes.
"This is Jack Darrow," said the professor, indicating the stout youth, "and the other is Mark Sampson. They have lived with me several years now, and we have had many adventures together."
"Ha! Hum! Yes!" murmured Mr. Roumann, then he said something in German.
"I beg your pardon," he went on quickly. "I have a habit of talking to myself