that we needed the severe labor on our condensers to keep us from
freezing.

Meantime, our speed increasing every hour, the planet that had once been
our home was growing smaller before our eyes. At length we were flying
through space at such a rate that we could not suppress our fears that the
terrible suggestion of the doctor's would be realized. We had both made a
mental calculation as to how large the earth ought to look from the moon
at its normal distance, and as it approached that size we could not hide
our anxiety from each other. Without a word from the doctor I could see by
his face that hope was fast leaving him, and as we were now going more
rapidly than ever I felt that we had nothing to do but accept our fate.

In regard to such intensity of feeling at this stage of our experience, it
maybe objected that our condition was hopeless anyway, and it could make
no difference whether we remained within the earth's influence or not. But
in spite of our desperate situation we had some sentiment remaining. The
earth was the only home we had ever known, and I am not ashamed to say
that we did not like to lose sight of it; especially as there was not the
slightest possibility that we should ever see it again, unless, indeed,
our moon should turn into a comet with eccentric orbit, and so bring us
back at some future day--a very unlikely occurrence, as all will admit who
know anything about moons and comets.

Our speed did not lessen but rather increased as we gradually broke away
from the earth's attraction, and the dear old earth was fast becoming a
less significant object in our sky. If our situation was lonesome before,
it was now desolation itself.

"Doctor," said I, when I could control my emotions enough to speak, "where