_ CHAPTER XXI. MARS AT LAST
Anticipating, as they had for some time past, such an announcement, it was none the less startling to the boys.
"Then we are really nearing Mars?" exclaimed Jack.
"Not only nearing it, but we will be there within twenty-four hours," answered the German scientist. "I was looking for this. I expected the Etherium motor to stop as soon as it reached the atmosphere of the planet, and it has done so. We will not have to start it again until we make the return trip. I will now again put into operation the atmospheric motor, and we will see how it behaves. Kindly inform Mr. Henderson, so he will understand what is taking place."
Mark hastened to the pilot house with this message, and then returned to watch Mr. Roumann, the professor agreeing to remain at the steering wheel until relieved by his friend.
Mr. Roumann began adjusting the second motor. It had been kept in readiness for instant service, and did not require much attention.
"I don't see why we have to use it at all," said Jack.
"Why shouldn't we?" Mark wanted to know.
"Because if we are near Mars it ought to attract us, just as if we were near the earth. We ought to fall right into it."
"That is just the danger," commented Mr. Roumann. "We don't want to fall. We want our projectile under perfect control, and I can only attain that end by using the motor. Besides, we are not near enough to Mars to be attracted by its force of gravitation, even supposing it is the same as that of our earth. We might not be attracted at all, and if we did not use the motor we might float around the planet as if we were a moon. No, if we wish to reach Mars we must use the atmospheric motor."
A few minutes later it was started, and the Annihilator was once more speeding along, this time under new power, and not quite so fast. All on board the projectile found themselves anticipating what they would see on the new and wonderful planet they were soon to visit.
"It hardly seems possible," murmured Jack, "that we have made such a journey--the longest on record."
"It will be more wonderful if we get back to earth," spoke Mark.
"Oh, I don't know," went on his chum. "We may like it so on Mars, that we'll want to stay. And there isn't any reason why we shouldn't, provided we find nice people there. We haven't many friends, Mark. Our best ones are right here with us. We could just as well stay as not."
"Yes, provided, as you say, that the Martians are nice people. But you must remember that we're going to be strangers in a strange land."
"Well, one always treats strangers politely," declared Jack. "I guess we'll get along all right. Anyhow, I'm glad we're near there."
"So am I," declared Mr. Henderson. "I will be able to make some scientific observations, and, perhaps, write a book about them when I get back to earth. I might make some money out of it."
"You won't need to make money, if what I suspect is true," said Mr. Roumann.
"What is that?"
"Well, I can't go into details now, but I hope to secure something that will make our fortunes. There is only one thing I fear."
"What is that?"
"The Martians may prevent me taking any of it away. But I am not going to borrow trouble. Let us see how the motor is working."
They had all gone, with the exception of Andy and Washington, to the pilot house, and they now returned to the engine-room.
"Ha! That is rather strange!" exclaimed Mr. Roumann as he looked at the buzzing machinery.
"What's the matter?" asked Mark.
"The atmospheric motor is running much faster than I ever saw it go before. I wonder if that crazy machinist could have gotten loose and meddled with it?"
"I'll look," volunteered Jack, but he soon ascertained that the man was still securely bound.
The motor was humming and snapping away, and a gage connected with it showed that it was forcing the Annihilator along at the rate of two hundred miles a second.
"That is faster even than we moved when the Etherium machine was working at its best," said Mr. Roumann with a puzzled look. "Can I have made a mistake in my calculations? I hardly think so."
"Jack, run to the pilot house, and see if the automatic steering apparatus is all right. Also see what the speed gage there indicates." Jack hurried off, and soon returned.
"We're heading right for Mars, as indicated on the chart," he said, for there was an arrangement whereby the projectile could be automatically steered.
"What speed does the gage there show?" asked the German scientist.
"Two hundred miles a second."
"The same as here," murmured Mr. Roumann. "I wonder what can cause it?"
He leaned over the motor, and made some calculations. Then he exclaimed:
"I have it!"
"What is the reason?" inquired the professor.
"It is because we are speeding through an atmosphere much less dense than that of our earth. There the motor would only work at a certain speed. Here, in the atmosphere of Mars, it goes more than twice as fast, because there is less resistance."
"Is that good or bad?" asked Jack.
"Good. We shall reach the planet all the sooner now. Boys, get ready to land on Mars in a few hours!"
The news was startling in itself, but so many strange things had happened on the trip that this only produced a momentary impression.
"Yo' say dat we am shortly goin' t' promulgate eurseves inter conjunctionary juxtaposition wid de exterior circumference an' surface ob de planetary sphere commonly called Mars?" asked Washington White.
"If you mean whether or not we are near Mars, why, we are," answered Jack with a laugh. "But, Wash, if you use such language as that I don't know what the Martians will think of you."
"I knows," answered the colored man with great dignity. "Dey'll take me fo' jest what I am--a mostest profundity educationalized specimen ob de human fambly. But I'se glad we's so neah Mars."
"Why? Are you tired of being cooped up here?" asked Mark.
"Not prexactly, but mah Shanghai rooster am. He's dat lonesome dat's he's homesick for t' git out an' do a bit ob scratchin' on de ground."
"Look out that he doesn't fly away when he gets on Mars," cautioned Jack. "Things there are twice as light as they are on the earth, and he'll only weigh a pound or so, instead of two or three."
Washington grunted, but said nothing. He served a meal, probably the last one that would be eaten before their arrival.
"We have been just twelve days, so far, on our journey," declared Mr. Roumann. "That is a little longer than I calculated, but it was due to unexpected troubles."
"Well, we've been very comfortable here," commented Mr. Henderson.
And indeed they had. Except for the rather cramped quarters, and the absence of scenery, they had lived as well as they could have done at home. They had plenty to eat and drink during their marvelous trip through space, they had enjoyed the reading of books, had listened to fine music, and had been traveling in perpetual sunlight.
What was before them? Every one asked himself that question.
On and on the projectile sped. Mr. Roumann, who had taken charge of the steering wheel called the attention of the boys to a small, dark object off to the right.
"What is it?" asked Jack. "It looks like a bright ball of fire."
"One of the moons of Mars," was the answer. "That is Deimos, and we are now but ten thousand miles from the planet, for that is the moon distance from Mars."
"How small it is!" commented Mark.
"Yes, it isn't much like our moon, but I suppose it answers for the Martians."
"But if we're only ten thousand miles away from Mars, and are traveling at two hundred miles a second, we'll be there in less than a minute!" cried Jack.
"We would, only I have shut down the motor. We are now approaching only from the force of the attraction of gravitation, and that, I find, is much less than on our earth. At the proper time I will reverse the motor, to make our landing easy."
The indicators showed that the Annihilator was now traveling along at about the rate of a fast automobile.
"We're almost there!" cried Mark.
Mr. Roumann adjusted the machinery. Sometimes he speeded it up, and again he slowed it down. He found he had the projectile under perfect control. Once again he set the motor in motion, approaching Mars at a fast rate.
They shot past another shining body.
"The second moon!" he called to the boys. "We are but sixteen hundred miles away now."
"Get ready to land!" cried Jack. "All ashore that's going ashore!"
"Maybe we'll land in the water," spoke Mark.
"No, I can so regulate the projectile that such a thing won't happen," declared Mr. Roumann.
"I will send it ahead for a few seconds, and then see what happens."
They sped forward. Suddenly there loomed up before them a great mass. It seemed to be rushing to meet them. It looked something like the earth, as seen from a balloon at a great height.
"Mars!" cried Mr. Roumann. "There is the planet we aimed for! Mars at last!"
He reversed the motor. The motion of the projectile became less. Nearer and nearer it approached the wonderful planet on which all their thoughts were centered.
"But it isn't red!" objected Jack.
"Wait until night," said the German. "We are approaching it from the daylight side."
"Am we goin' t' ram it hard?" asked Washington.
"I trust not," was Mr. Roumann's reply.
He reversed the atmospheric motor still more. They were so near the planet now that they could distinguish land and water, great buildings, patches of woodland and open spaces.
"There are people there! I see people!" cried Jack.
Indeed, there did seem to be a mass of beings looking up at the approaching projectile.
Very gently the Annihilator came nearer and nearer. There was no doubt now but that Mars was inhabited--but by what a strange race! Before those in the projectile had time to wonder at the inhabitants, they felt a sudden jar. The Annihilator came to rest. It had landed in a soft bed of sand.
"Welcome to Mars!" cried Mr. Roumann, opening a door in the side of the craft and stepping out, followed by his companions. They were at once surrounded by a throng of the queerest people that they had ever imagined.
A great shout arose, and as the adventurers stood in a group near their craft, they suddenly found themselves being moved forward toward the crowd by some strange, mysterious force. _