mentioned this mental image to Almos, as I felt convinced that he knew
nothing of it, and therefore would be unable to help me in any way.
Moreover, my training had taught me to seek a scientific reason for
things which might appeal to the superstitious as weird and uncanny. I
was therefore loath to speak of it to Almos, until I had proved beyond
doubt that it was not an hallucination.

After I had spent many hours in vainly seeking a possible cause for this
mysterious mental image, the realization that I was but the veriest
infant in the wonderful achievements of our sister planet, finally
decided me upon the wiser course of leaving such matters until I had
become better acquainted with Martian inventions and scientific
progress. I therefore looked forward to visiting this wonderful world
with the greatest anticipation, and though I was entirely ignorant of
how this stupendous and seemingly impossible feat should be
accomplished, such was my faith in Almos' superior knowledge of science,
that I did not, for a moment, doubt the possibility of such a thing.
Little did I realize the fearful nature of the journey--the success of
which was based entirely on theories--or I would have shrunk in horror
from such an undertaking.





CHAPTER V.

THE HAZARDOUS UNDERTAKING.