Through Space to Mars; Or, the Longest Journey on Record

hat test tube, w

his companion, a boy of about his own age, who

e small one?" quest

"I want to put plenty of the chemical

k. You know what hap

idn't get hurt. I have to laugh when I think of the way

responded Mark with rather a serious air

ome on, are you going to hand me that test tube, or will I

Mark as he passed it over. "

the test tube which Mark handed him. Then he inserted in the opening a cork, from

is experiment

aking-laughing

p laughing when I think of the way you

untenance, as Washington White would say," comme

n't going

o you

carefully. I've calculated just ho

w gas, and you've never yet su

; b

emicals to make it from any you ever experi

oes.

of calculation, just how much force will develop from th

this tube is very strong, and even if it

to generate is stronger t

and that's time enough. Here, just hold this rubber tube under this jar, will you? And be sure to

elping his chum Jack in the experiment, inserted it under the edge of a large bell–gla

, who was somewhat older than his companion, was of a more adventurous turn of mind, and was constantly trying new things. Not always safe ones, either, for often he had produced small explosions in the laboratory of the coll

r the jar?" asked Jack as he

to do in case you prove that your theory is right, and t

s will be the lightest gas ever

n made for use in the Flying Mermaid, in

r hope to. I'm going to make a new gas, though, and I'll show y

'd have some one else hold this. I'

nd the burner. Then, if it bursts, the books will prevent the pieces of glass from flying all about. Does that satisfy you?" and

"I suppose it's all right-unless

Jack with a laugh. "There's no satisf

I don't want

en if it does explode and the books are scattered away, it can't hurt much to b

lame. Then he turned on more of the illuminating gas, which, coming through the Bunsen burner, was

eat expanded the powder, and the end of the

Mark, peering over the pile of

" admitted Jack. "I'

kind of gas. He wanted to be where he could see the vapor beginning to collect in the top of the tube, pass off through the glass in the cork, and then t

atched, he saw a thick, yellowish vapor collec

he cried. "Ther

name of it?"

t in the jar and show it to Professor Lenton

rience, Mark knew you never could tell what would happen when Jack began to try new combinations o

n that pan of wate

not

low gas, and some ought to be over to where you

he crackling noise was louder. T

now!" suddenl

cess! I knew I could make it. Is any

re a few seconds of silence, broken only by the roari

vapor in the

Jack. "Now I guess Professor L

ttered a cry, for he saw the cork being forced from the t

ied Jack. "Sh

the laboratory seemed filled with fra