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 watching Mars, since our departure, with
their telescopes, reported that mysterious lights continued to be
visible, 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.

The moon was now no longer in a position to help us on our way. It had
moved out of line between Mars and the earth.

High above us, in the center 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
repeated, and the ships being all in readiness, we started direct for
Mars.

An enormous charge of electricity was imparted to each member of the
squadron, in order that as soon as we had reached the upper limits of
the atmosphere, where the ships could move swiftly, without danger of
being consumed by the heat developed by the friction of their passage
through the air, a very great initial velocity could be imparted.

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, baring incidental encounters, until we arrived near the
surface of Mars.

When we were free of the atmosphere, and the ships were moving away from
the earth, with the highest velocity 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 864,000 miles in a day, a
very much greater speed than that with which we had travelled on
starting to touch at the moon. Supposing this velocity to remain
uniform, and, with no known resistance, it might reasonably 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.

Nothing occurred for many days to interrupt our journey. We became
accustomed to our strange surroundings, and many entertainments were
provided to while away the time. The astronomers in the expedition found
plenty of occupation in studying the aspects of the stars and the other
heavenly bodies from their new point of view.

At the expiration of about thirty-five days we had drawn so near to Mars
that with our telescopes, which, th