soon as we got acquainted with the people of the caverns the idea
occurred to me that I should like to take some of them with us when we
visit the other hemisphere. There are many interesting observations that
their presence on that side of Venus would give rise to, and, besides,
they might be of great use to us. Of course I meant to bring them back to
their home. But the puzzling question has been how to transport them. The
car has a full load already."

"They've got good legs; make 'em walk," said Jack.

Edmund burst into a laugh.

"Why, Jack," he asked, "how far do you think it is to the other side of
Venus?"

"I don't know," said Jack, "but I suppose it's not very far round her.
How far is it?"

"Five thousand miles, at least, to the edge of the sunlit hemisphere."

Jack whistled.

"By Jo! I wouldn't have believed it."

"Well, it's a fact," said Edmund, "and of course I don't propose to take
several months to make the journey. Now the sight of these fellows at
work has shown me just how it can be done in short order. It's this way:
I'll have iron sleds made, put the natives that I propose to take along
upon them, hitch them by wire cables, which luckily I've got, to the car,
and away we'll spin. The power of the car is practically unlimited, and,