"And if it does work, when can we start?" asked Jack.

"Two days later; that is, if everything else is in readiness, the food
and other, supplies on board."

"They are all ready to be stowed away," said Andy Sudds, who had been
hunting all day.

It was an anxious assemblage that gathered inside the big shed the next
day, to watch Professor Roumann try the Cardite motor. Would it work as
well as had the Etherium one? Would it send them along through space at
enormous speed? True, they would not have to travel so far, nor so
fast, but more power would be needed, since, as it was feared no food,
water, nor air could be had on the moon, many more supplies were to be
taken along than on the trip to Mars, and this made the projectile
heavier.

"We will test the Cardite in this small motor first," said Mr. Roumann,
as he pointed to a machine in the projectile used for winding a cable
around a windlass when there was necessity for hauling the _Annihilator_
about, without sending it into the air.

Into the receptacle of the motor, the German professor placed some of
the wonderful red substance he had secured from Mars. Then he closed
the heavy metal box that held it, and, looking about to see if all was
in readiness, he motioned to those watching him that he was about to
shift the lever that would start the motor.

"If it works as well as I hope it will," he said, "it ought to pull the