The herald., 1898-02-20

| spring toward the nucleus of the comet
with a. sudden access of velocity that
would fling every one of Its crew from
| his feet. and all would lie sprawling on
| the floor of the car while 1t rushed, as
1t seemed to inevitable and instant de-
struction.
So great was our excitement and so
complete our absorption in the fearful
peril that we had not noticed the pre-
else direction in which the comet was
carrying us. 1t was enough to know
that the goal of the journey was the
furnace of the sun. But presently
some one in the flagship recalled us
to more accurate sense of our situa-
tion in space by exclaiming:
why, there is the earth!"
And there, indeed, it was, it's great
globe rolling under our eyes, with the
contrasted colors of the continents and
| clouds. and the watery CLEAN of the
ocean spread beneath us.
! we are going to strike IT." ex-
claimed somebody. "The comet Is go-
ing to dash into the earth"
| Such q collision at first seemed in
evitable. but presently 1T was noticed
that the direction of the comets mo-
ton was such that while it might Craze
the earth 1t would not actually strike
it.
And so. like a swarm of giant insects
crcling about an electric light from
whose magic influence they cannot es-
cape. our ships went en-, to be whipped
against the earth in passing and then
to continue their swift journey to de-
| struction.
THANK God, this saves us!" sudden
| ly cried Mr.. Edison.
"What-what?"
"Why, the earth of course. Do you
not see that as the comet sweeps close
| to the great planet the superior at
traction of the latter will snatch us
from it's grasp. and that thus we shall
| be able to escape?"
! And it was indeed as Mr.. Edison had
predicted. In blaze of falling meteors
the comet swept the outer limits of the
earths atmosphere and passed on.
while the swaying ships. having been.
| instructed by signals what to do des-
perately applied their electrical ma
chinery to reverse the attraction and
| threw themselves into the arms of their
mother earth.
In another instant we We're all free,
settling down through the quiet atmos-
phere with the Atlantic Ocean spark
ling in the morning sun far below.
| We looked at one another in amaze
ment. SO this was the end of our voy-
| age This was the completion of our
warlike enterprise We had started out
to conquer a world. and we had come
back ignominiously dragged in the
train of a comet.
1t would be impossible to describe
the chagrin of every member of the ex-
peditlon.
The electric ships rapidly assembled
and hovered high in the air. while their
commanders consulted about what
should be done. A universal feeling OF
shame almost drove them to decision
not to land upon the surface of the
planet, and If possible not to let its in
habitants know what had occurred.
shall not delay my narrative by un-
dertaking to describe the astonishment
and the disappointment of the inhabit-
ants of the earth when, within a fort
night from our departure, they saw US
back again, with no laurels of victory
crowning our brows.
We made short story of 1t, for we
had not the heart to go into details. We
told of our unfortunate comrades whom
we had buried on the moon. and there
was one gleam of satisfaction when we
exhibited the wonderful crystals we
had collected in the crater at Arlstar-
chus.
Mr.. Edison determined to stop only
long enough to test the electrical ma
chinery of the cars, which had been
more or less seriously deranged during
our wild chase after the comet. and
then to start straight back for Mars
this time on a through trip.
The astronomers, who had been
L
with their telescopes. reported that
mysterious lights continued to be Wis.,
ible, but that nothing Indicating the
starting of another expedition for the
earth had been seen.
Within twenty-four hours we were
ready for our second start.
High above us. in the centre of the
heavens, glowed the red planet which
was the goal of our journey.
The needed computations of velocity
and direction of flight having been re-
peated, and the ships being in readi-
ness, we started direct for Mars.
An enormous charge of electricity
was impaired to each member of the
squadron, in order that as soon as we
had reached the upper limits of the att
mosphere. where the ships could move
swiftly, without danger of being con-
sumed by the heat developed by the
friction of their passage through the
air. very great initial velocity could
be impaired.
Once started off by this tremendous
electrical kick and with no atmosphere
to resist our motion, we should be able
to retain the same velocity, barring in
cidental encounters. until We arrived
near the surface of Mars.
When we We're free of the atmos-
phere. and the ships were moving away
from the earth, with the highest veloc-
} ity which we were able to impart TO
. them observations on the stars were
made in order to determine the rate of
our speed.
This was found to be ten miles in a
second or 1854, 900 miles in day, a very
much greater speed than that with
which we had travelled on starting to
r touch at the moon. Supposing this
, velocity to remain uniform-and with
| no known resistance 1t might reason
ably be expected to do so-we should
arrive at Mars in a little less than
! forty-two days. the distance Of the
/ planet from the earth being, at this
. time, about thirty-six million miles.
$ TO BE CONTINUED.