toward the moon's surface sooner than we had intended.

In scientific emergencies I deferred to my companion, and now asked for an
explanation of this erratic behavior of our balloon. Instead of replying
at once, the doctor stooped and cut a fine wire, which released one of the
sand bags suspended for ballast from the bottom of our car, and told me to
watch it. We both watched it, and instead of starting with rapidity for
the center of the earth, as all well-conducted sand bags have done from
the beginning of the world, it seemed to hesitate and float around a
minute, as though it were no more than a handful of feathers. And then,
slowly at first, but soon more and more swiftly, forgetting its birthplace
and its old mother earth, it fell unblushingly toward the moon.

Intent on watching the fickle sand bag, we did not at first notice that
our whole conveyance was practicing the same unhandsome maneuver. But we
soon became aware that we had changed allegiance also. We had started with
the earth at our feet and the moon looming up on one side of us, but here
we were now riding with the moon under us and the earth away off at our
side.

My fellow in this strange experience now found his voice.

"You doubtless realize," said he, "what has taken place. We are now so far
from the earth that its attraction is very weak and the nearer mass of the
moon is drawing us."

"That is quite evident," I said, "but you seem as unconcerned about it as
if such a trip as this were an everyday affair with you."

"I am not at all indifferent to the wonderful character of this journey,"