"I mean could we go to Mars if we wanted to?"

"You don't mean to say you want to go back there, and run the chance of
being attacked by the savage Martians, do you?" asked Jack.

"No, I was only asking," and the other seemed confused.

"Well, of course, we _could_ go there, as we have plenty of supplies
and enough of the Cardite," said Mr. Roumann. "But I think the moon
will be the limit of our trip this time."

The work went on, the last things to be put aboard the projectile being
a number of scientific instruments. The injured one wandered in and
out, now being in the house and again in the big shed. He seemed
restless and ill at ease, and frequently he walked to the front gate
and gazed down the road.

"You seem to be looking for some one," spoke Jack. "Are you expecting
your girl to come along and bid you good-by, Mark?"

"Who--me? No, I--I was just looking to see if--if it was going to
rain."

"Rain? Well, rain won't make much difference to us soon. We will be
outside of the earth's atmosphere in a jiffy after we have started, and
then rain won't worry us. Is your stateroom all fixed up?"

"No, I didn't think of that. Guess I'd better look after it."