Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1915-02-11

40 enthusiastic 10 rho others by then.
We all went out % the shed together
and entered the machine.
The interior was mostly filled with
machinery. There was an open space
about ten by six feet square at tile for
ward end. and table. covered with
levers and switches. stood In the cen
ter Of this.
The professor took up his position
in front Of this table and pushed over
one Of the levers. and the machine
moved out into the yard. Then he
showed over another one and away
we went
Smith and I stood forward, looking
ont OF the eyes. which were filled with
heavy plate glass. The sensation was
much the same as one experiences on
board ship in q heavy sea, only
more regular and steady.
We would alight with an almost Inn
perceptible Jar and Immediately rise
again. covering fully mile at each
Jump.
We passed over four towns IN an
many seconds. and all in one jump
Things were beginning to get interest
ing.
And just then we lift something. n
might have been a tree or a church
we were going too fast to see-but
whatever Il was. we went right
through It like bullet through a pine
board.
IL save rs a terrific jar though. and
Smith, Bag and I went down all in q
heap In the nose OF the grasshopper
while the professor slammed into the
table and over that went.
We all Jumped up and righted the
table az soon as we could, but the
controlling apparatus was all in a
tangle and we seemed to be COINS
faster than ever.
Stop IT," yelled Smith. II want q
get out"
But We couldn't stop. When the
shock came the professor had his hand
on the speed switch and had jammed
IL over to fun speed and broken the
lever on short.
About ten minutes passed. durine
which Bag and the professor worked
frantically. trying TO stop the maehin
cry. Then came @ tremendous splash
and we dove into q lake or some
thing.
We came quickly 70 the surface
again. and then how that grasshoppei
did swim! It went through the water
like an express train, throwing up q
spray In front Of IL so we couldn't see
out OF the windowns. In about two
minutes we were on dry land again
jumping along as fast AZ ever.
Cant you stop it," yelled Smith
Il want to get out I tell you"
Stop Il yourself them yelled bach
the professor. seeming a little exas
perated.
Smith took him at his word, and
grabbing a crowbar, he smashed II
into the machinery. This proved eff
fectual, for with one more bound the
grasshopper stopped.
"Phew!" says I. a little excited my
self. here's where I walk"
Same here" says Smith. "whers
are WEI"
Before could answer, someone
started shooting from the outside. an6
we all made q jump for the door and
looked out cautiously.
There were six men, dressed from
head to feet In furs. and standing knee
deep In snow! And this, mind you
happened on the cath of July.
Who're you shooting atr yelled
Bag.
The men looked surprised and came
up alongside.
i beg your pardon" says one d
them. Il thought this thing was alive
and indigenous to this region"
Well. Il couldn't act any worse Il
1t was" says Smith. who are you 2
I'm Stellman." says he, and
want you to understand that got
here first"
That so?" said Smith. We'll, thai
amt any sign that we didn't hurry
along as fast as we could. Hope We
haven't kept you waiting"
Seeing that ! wasn't expecting you
] can't say that you have" answered
Stellman. Did you get here IN that
thing?'
We did"
"Whered you start from?"
Kansas"
Kansas! How did you ever &c,
across the Arctic ocean,"
Il wasn't aware that we had
crossed II. Have WEI"
Why. you must have. Don't you
know where you are?"
II wish did" says Smith wistfuily
Would you mind telling u.s."
This 10 the north pole." says Stell
man.
looked at my watch. Just so min
utes had elapsed since we left Kan
sas.
GOSH" says I. GOSH" And nov
I wonder that I was able to express
myself that much.
Then We all got together and ex.
planned things.
Mr.. Stellman, who represented the
Chicago Boomerang. had discovered
the north pole In an airship. Having
discovered Il. he was preparing TO re
turn. and as the machinery In the
grasshopper was hopelessly ruined. az
kindly offered to give us q lift as fan
as Spitzbergen.
II almost broke Bags heart because
he had TO leave his grasshopper be.
hind. He wanted Stellman to take n
along In the airship. which ne
wouldn't do.
We had had enough of grasshoppers
At Spitzbergen we caught q tradin.
vessel bound for Halifax, from which
port we fina9ly arrived home, none the
worse for the racket.
Bag mentioned something about
building another grasshopper one day.
but he only mentioned II once, for
Smith and | opened up and made re.
marks that caused him to abandon the
idea.