continue our observations; but, in the meanwhile, you had better say
nothing about them."

On my way home I looked for the ruddy planet as I had done in the
earlier part of the night, but with very different feelings in my heart.
The ice of distance and isolation separating me from it seemed to have
broken down since then, and instead of a cold and alien star, I saw a
friendly and familiar world--a companion to our own in the eternal
solitude of the universe.




CHAPTER II.

HOW CAN WE GET TO THE OTHER PLANETS?


The next evening promised well, and I kept my appointment, but
unfortunately a slight haze gathered in the sky and prevented us from
making further observations. While hoping in vain for it to clear away,
Professor Gazen and I talked over the possibility of journeying to other
worlds. The gist of our argument was afterwards published in a
conversation, entitled "Can we reach the other planets?" which appeared
in _The Day after To-morrow_. It ran as follows:

_I_. (_the writer_). "Do you think we shall ever be able to leave the
earth and travel through space to Mars or Venus, and the other members
of the Solar System?"