Through Space to Mars | Page 7

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 in my own
language once in a while. What I said was that I did not know the lads were so young. I
am somewhat apprehensive--"
"Do not be alarmed on the score of their youth," cried Professor Henderson. "I assure you
that they have had a peculiar training, and, in some scientific attainments, they know as
much as I do. You will not find them too young for our purpose, in case we decide that
the thing can be done."
"I tell you it can be done, and it shall be done," insisted Mr. Roumann.
"I have my doubts," went on Mr. Henderson.
Jack and Mark must have shown the wonder they felt at this talk between the professor

and his friend, for their guardian turned to them and said:
"Boys, you must excuse me for not telling you at once the reason why I sent for you. The
truth is that Mr. Roumann has laid a very strange proposition before me. It is so
stupendous that I hardly know whether to consider it or not. I want to talk with you about
it, and see what you think."
"They will go with us, will they not?" asked Mr. Roumann.
"That is for them to say," replied Mr. Henderson.
"Go where?" asked Jack, wondering if there was in prospect another voyage to one of the
Poles, or a trip to the interior of the earth.
Professor Henderson looked at the other man. They were silent a moment.
"Shall I tell them?" asked Mr. Henderson.
"Surely," assented Mr. Roumann. "It all depends on you and them whether we go or
remain on earth."
Jack started. Then there was a question of getting off the earth. He began to think there
might be exciting times for Mark and himself.
"Mr. Roumann has proposed a wonderful plan to me," went on Professor Henderson. "It
is nothing more nor less than a trip to--"
"Mars!" burst out the blue-eyed man. "We are going to make the most wonderful journey
on record. A trip through space to the planet Mars! Such an opportunity for reaching it,
and proving whether or not there is life on it, will not occur again for many years. It is
now but thirty-five millions of miles away from us. Soon it will begin to recede, at the
rate of twenty-eight millions of miles a year, until it is two hundred and thirty four
millions of miles away from us. Then we may never be able to reach it. Now, when it is
but thirty-five millions of miles away, we have a chance to get there."
"I still believe it is impossible," said Professor Henderson in a low voice.
"Nothing is impossible!" exclaimed Mr. Roumann. "We shall go to Mars! I say it! I who
know! I who hold the secret of the wonderful power that will take us there, and, what is
more, bring us back! I say it! We shall go!"
"Impossible!" said the professor again, shaking his head.
"Don't say that word!" implored Mr. Roumann. "I will prove to you that we shall go."
"Go to Mars!" exclaimed Mark.
"Thirty-five million miles!" exclaimed Jack with awe in his tones. "How can we ever
cover that distance? No airship ever made would do it."

"Not an airship, perhaps," said Mr. Roumann, "but something else. I will tell you how--"
"Perhaps I had better explain from the beginning," interrupted Mr. Henderson.
"Maybe it will be better," assented the other.
"Boys, be seated," spoke their guardian,