e that?" ex

Professor Hend

the window,"

added Mark. "It wa

" inquired Mr. Roumann, and

d Jack. "I saw him for only a second

ache?" asked the German, and st

at all," said Jack. "He was s

be he," murmu

it was?" asked Pr

ho has been trying to discover my secret. But the man whom I fear

e at

t's all

ight have shaved his mustache off, bu

ome one wandering about looking for a chicken coop tha

s a tramp. There was too much intelligence shown. The face was an evil one, and seemed to indicate tha

ent on the professor. "I don't like prowlers around here. I have s

at I propose. As I have said, we will need a projectile, two hundred feet long and about ten feet through in the thickest part. In that we will build sleeping and living apartments, lacks to store the air w

professor. "I thought you said the new power

ee we will have to carry

Why is

t mediums. We are going to shoot through the atmosphere of the earth; th

rent from our atmo

it Etherium. Then when we reach Mars, we will find a different atmosphere, somewhat like this earth's, I expect, but which will require still another kind of power to move us in. I ho

tile for you," said Mr. Henderson. "It

tile is finished we will enter it, seal ourselves up, and be shot through spa

rior intelligence, as some authorities believe, from the fact that Mars may have been inhabited for millions of years before this earth was

artians a very learned race,

ike the fellows on earth-playing baseb

colleges," added Mark, "and

nly fair to tell you that the building of this projectile will cost considerable money. I do not hesitate on this account, but, as you know,

large sum. I have no money to advance you, but I can promise you that when we reach Mars you will be a

there was much gold

"but something that can be turned into gold. I am on the track of the most

pped s

y a strong effort. "Sufficient to state that you will

erful is it?" asked Mr. Henderson. "Y

d I will

an drew several rough outlines, and the discussion became quite technical. Toward the close, the inventor of the–secret force gave a demonstration of its power. By

e proper machine it will be ten times more strong. The conditions here

ut be after that demonst

ke the projectil

I'll star

from Mars even more wealthy than you were whe

rson with a smile. "I have enough left, however,

r Mars!" c

ous red substan

ried Mr. Roumann warningly. "Tha

some trusty machinists began the building of the Annihilator, as t