and a man on the moon could jump six times as high as he can on this
earth, and throw a stone six times as far."

"What's dat?" inquired Washington White quickly, nearly dropping some
packages he was carrying into the projectile. "What was yo' pleased t'
saggasiate, in remarkin' concernin' de untranquility ob the densityness
ob stones jumpin' ober a man what is six times high?" he asked.

"Do you mean what did I say?" asked Mark solemnly.

"Dat's what I done asked yo'," spoke the colored man gravely.

"Well, you didn't, but perhaps you meant to," went on the youth, and he
repeated his remarks.

"'Scuse me, I guess I'd better not go on dish yeah trip after all,"
came from Washington.

"Why not?" demanded Professor Henderson.

"'Cause I ain't goin' t' no place whar ef yo' wants t' take a little
jump yo' has t' go six times as far as yo' does when yo' is on dis yeah
earth. An' s'posin' some ob dem moon men takes a notion t' throw a
stone at me? Whar'll I be, when a stone goes six times as far as it
does on heah? No, sah, I ain't goin'!"

"But perhaps there are no men on the moon," said Mark quickly. "It is
only a theory of astronomers that I'm talking about."

"Oh, only a theory; eh?" asked Washington quickly.