Henderson questioningly, for there was an odd
manner about the blue-eyed scientist.
"That is something I do not wish to speak about at present," said
Mr. Roumann quickly. "I will tell you my other reason for going
to Mars--when we get there."
"Now, as to the method. As I told you, Professor Henderson, and
as I intimated to you boys, we will go in a long, torpedo-shaped
projectile, which, though it will not be very large in diameter,
will be long enough to contain all our machinery and ourselves,
with a sufficient store of provisions for a year or more. But I
know what you are going to ask, and that is: How can I send the
projectile through space?
"Well, I'll tell you--that is, partly tell you, for some parts of
my secret can never be revealed. I have discovered a wonderful
power, more wonderful than man ever dreamed of before. I have
called it Etherium, for the reason that I expect it to carry us
through the ether, or space that exists outside of the atmosphere
of this earth and that of Mars.
"Now, professor, do you think you and your assistants can build a
proper projectile?"
"We built an airship that went to the North Pole, we constructed
a submarine that took us to the South Pole, and we had the Flying
Mermaid, in which we went to the center of the earth," said Mr.
Pages:
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47