colored man.

They resumed the interrupted dinner, discussing the possibility of what
might have happened, and congratulating themselves that it did not take
place.

"It certainly seems like old times to be eating while travelling along
like a cannon-ball," remarked Jack. "I declare, it gives me an
appetite!"

"You didn't need any," retorted his chum. "But say! maybe things don't
taste good to me, after what I got while that fellow Axtell had me a
prisoner! Jack, I'll have a little more of that cocoanut pie, if you
don't mind."

Jack passed over the pastry, and Mark took a liberal piece. Then
Washington brought in the ice cream, which was frozen on board by means
of an ammonia gas apparatus, the invention of Professor Henderson. The
novelty of dining as comfortably as at home, yet being thousands of
miles above the earth, and, at the same time, speeding along like a
cannon-ball, did not impress our friends as much as it had during their
trip to Mars.

"Well, we're making a little better time now," observed Mark, as he and
the others rose from the table and went to the engine room. "The gauge
shows that we're making twenty-five miles a second."

"We will soon go much faster," announced Professor Roumann. "I have not
yet had a chance to test my Cardite motor to its fullest speed, and I
think I will do so. I wish to see if it will equal my Etherium machine.