X. THE TOP OF THE GRAND TETON

XI. STRANGE FATE OF A KITE

XII. BETTER THAN ALCHEMY

XIII. THE LOOTING OF THE MOON

XIV. THE LAST OF DR. SYX



THE MOON METAL


I

SOUTH POLAR GOLD

When the news came of the discovery of gold at the south pole, nobody
suspected that the beginning had been reached of a new era in the
world's history. The newsboys cried "Extra!" as they had done a
thousand times for murders, battles, fires, and Wall Street panics,
but nobody was excited. In fact, the reports at first seemed so
exaggerated and improbable that hardly anybody believed a word of
them. Who could have been expected to credit a despatch, forwarded by
cable from New Zealand, and signed by an unknown name, which contained
such a statement as this:

"A seam of gold which can be cut with a knife has been found within