Through Space to Mars | Page 6

by Mark.
"Hello, Wash!" cried the fat lad. "How are you? Catch this valise!" and he threw it to the
colored man before the train had come to a stop. Washington deftly caught the grip,
though he had to make a quick movement to accomplish it.
"I 'clar t' gracious!" he exclaimed. "Dat suttinly am a most inconsequential mannah in
which to project a transmigatory object in contiguousness to mah predistination."
"Whoa, there!" cried Jack. "Better take two bites at that, Wash!"
"Dat's all right, Massa Jack," answered the colored man. "I'se glad to see yo', an' I suttinly
hopes dat de transubstantiationableness ob my--"
"Wow!" cried Jack. "Say that over again, and say it slow."
"Don't yo' foregather mah excitability?" asked the colored man rather anxiously.
"Yes, I guess so. What's the answer? How's the professor? How's Andy? What's the
matter? Why did he send for us?"
"Wait! Wait! Please wait!" begged Washington. "One ob dem interrogatorial projections
at a time, Massa Jack. Where 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'