"Look out, now, everybody! We're going to turn right side up again!"

As he spoke he turned a small valve wheel. There was a clanging of
heavy ballast weights, which slid down their rods to the proper places.
Then, like some great fish turning over in the water, the _Annihilator_
turned over in the ether, and was once more on her proper keel, if such
a shaped craft can be said to have a keel.

Of course, the occupants of the space ship went slipping and sliding
back, even as they had fallen ceilingward before, but they were
prepared for it, and no one was hurt. From the galley came a chorus of
cries, as pots and pans once more scattered about Washington, but there
was no more soup to spill.

As soon as the _Annihilator_ was righted, the Cardite motor began to
work automatically, and once more the projectile, with the seekers of
the moon, was shooting through space at their former speed. They had
lost considerable distance, but it was easy to make it up.

"Well, that _was_ an experience," remarked Jack, as he and his chum
began picking up the tools and other objects that were scattered all
about by the change in equilibrium.

"I should say yes," agreed Mark. "I'm glad it didn't happen at dinner
time. That fellow Axtell is a fiend to think of such a thing."

"Indeed, he is! But we're all right now, though it did feel funny to be
turned upside down."