"Well, Wash," asked Jack, as the colored man returned, "did you
find the beds making themselves, or waltzing around the room?"
"Nope, dey seemed t' be ordinary, respectable beds. But I ain't
goin' t' take no chances in 'em. I'se goin' t' sleep on de flo'."
"Why?"
"'Cause I don't want t' wake up in de middle ob de night an'
find mahself squashed inter a jellyfish. I believe de beds am
bewitched same as de table is."
"Nonsense," said Jack. "They're all right. This is a fine
place to live."
They found the beds good to sleep in, and nothing disturbed them.
Washington, however, stretched out on the floor, and he arose
early to prepare breakfast on the stove, which never needed to
have a fire built in it, because of the marvelous red substance.
By an arrangement of levers and valves the heat could be
increased or diminished at pleasure.
The same Martian who had conducted the travelers to the house
returned soon after breakfast, and by signs and motions indicated
to them that the crazy machinist left in the projectile had been
properly cared for. The Martian also indicated to the world-dwellers
that they were free to go where they pleased about the city, which
they learned was called Martopolis, and was the largest city on the
planet.
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