Produced by Anne Soulard, Tiffany Vergon, Joshua Hutchinson
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
LOST ON THE MOON OR IN QUEST OF THE FIELD OF DIAMONDS
BY ROY ROCKWOOD
CHAPTER
I. A WONDERFUL STORY
II. SOMETHING ABOUT OUR HEROES
III. PREPARING FOR A VOYAGE
IV. AN ACCIDENT
V. THE WORK OF AN ENEMY
VI. ON THE TRACK
VII. MARK IS CAPTURED
VIII. JACK IS PUZZLED
IX. A DARING PLOT
X. "HOW STRANGE MARK ACTS"
XI. READY FOR THE MOON
XII. MARK'S ESCAPE
XIII. A DIREFUL THREAT
XIV. OFF AT LAST
XV. THE SHANGHAI MAKES TROUBLE
XVI. "WILL IT HIT US?"
XVII. TURNING TURTLE
XVIII. AT THE MOON
XIX. TORCHES OF LIFE
XX. ON THE EDGE OF A CRATER
XXI. WASHINGTON SEES A GHOST
XXII. A BREAKDOWN
XXIII. LOST ON THE MOON
XXIV. DESOLATE WANDERINGS
XXV. THE PETRIFIED CITY
XXVI. SEEKING FOOD
XXVII. THE BLACK POOL
XXVIII. THE SIGNAL FAILS
XXIX. THE FIELD OF DIAMONDS
XXX. BACK TO EARTH--CONCLUSION
CHAPTER I
A WONDERFUL STORY
"Well, what do you think of it, Mark?" asked Jack Darrow, as he laid
aside a portion of a newspaper, covered with strange printed
characters. "Great; isn't it?"
"You don't mean to tell me that you believe that preposterous story, do
you, Jack?" And Mark Sampson looked across the table at his companion
in some astonishment.
"Oh, I don't know; it may be true," went on Jack, again picking up the
paper and gazing thoughtfully at it. "I wish it was."
"But think of it!" exclaimed Mark. "Why, if such a thing exists, and if
we, or some one else, should attempt to bring all those precious stones
to this earth, it would revolutionize the diamond industry of the
world. It can't be true!"
"Well, here It is, in plain print. You can read it for yourself, as you
know the Martian language as well as I do. It states that a large field
of 'Reonaris' was discovered on the moon near Mare Tranquilitatis (or
Tranquil Ocean, I suppose that could be translated), and that the men
of Mars brought back some of the Reonaris with them. Here, read it, if
you don't believe me."
"Oh, I believe you, all right--that is, I think you have translated
that article as well as you can. But suppose you have made some error?
We didn't have much time to study the language of Mars while we were
there, and we might make some mistake in the words. That article might
be an account of a dog-fight on the red planet, instead of an account
of a trip to the moon and the discovery of a field of Reonaris; eh,
Jack?"
"Of course, I'm likely to have made an error, for it isn't easy to
translate this stuff." And Jack gazed intently at the strangely printed
page, which was covered with characters not unlike Greek. "I may be
wrong," went on the lad, "but you must remember that I translated some
other articles in this paper, and Professor Henderson also translated
them substantially as I did, and Professor Roumann agreed with him.
There _is_ Reonaris on the moon, and I wish we could go there and get
some."
"But maybe after you got the Reonaris it would turn out to be only
common crystals," objected Mark.
"No!" exclaimed Jack. "Reonaris is what the Martians call it in their
language, and that means diamonds. I'm sure of it!"
"Well, I don't agree with you," declared the other lad.
"Don't be cranky and contrary," begged Jack.
"I'm not; but what's the use of believing anything so wild and weird as
that? It's a crazy yarn!"
"It's nothing of the sort! There are diamonds on the moon; and I can
prove it!"
"Well, don't get excited," suggested Mark calmly. "I don't believe it;
that's all. You're mistaken about what Reonaris is; that's what you
are."
"I am not!" Jack had arisen from his chair, and seemed much elated. In
his hand he held clinched the paper which had caused the lively
discussion. It was as near to a disagreement as Jack Darrow and Mark
Sampson had come in some time.
"Sit down," begged Mark.
"I'll not!" retorted Jack. "I'm going to prove to you that I'm right."
"How are you going to do it?"
"I'm going to get Professor Henderson and Professor Roumann to
translate this article for you, and then you can ask them what Reonaris
is. Guess that'll convince you; won't it?"
"Maybe; but why don't you ask Andy Sudds or Washington White to give
their opinion?"
"Don't get funny," advised the other lad sharply, and then, seeing that
his chum was smiling, Jack laughed, cooled down a bit, looked at the
paper which he had crumpled in his hand, and said:
"I guess I _was_ getting a little too excited. But I'm sure I'm right.
Here's the paper I brought from Mars to prove it, and the only thing
there's any doubt about is whether or not Reonaris means diamonds. I'll
ask----"
At that moment the door of the library, in which Jack and Mark were
seated, was cautiously opened, and a black, woolly head was thrust in.
Then two widely-opened eyes gazed at the boys.
"What's the matter, Washington?" asked Jack, with a laugh.
"'Scuse me, Massa Jack," answered the colored man, "but did I done heah
you' to promulgate some conversationess regarding de
transmigatorability ob diamonds?"
"Do you mean, were we talking about diamonds?" inquired Mark.
"Dat's what I done said, Massa Mark."
"No, you _didn't_ say it, but you meant it, I guess," went on Jack.
"Yes, we _were_ talking about diamonds, Washington. I know a place
that's full of them."
"Where?" inquired the colored man, thrusting his head farther into the
room, and opening his eyes to their fullest extent. "Ef it ain't
violatin' no confidences, Massa Jack, would yo' jest kindly mention it
to yo's truly," and Professor Henderson's faithful servant, who had
followed him into many dangers, looked at the two boys, who, of late
years, had shared the labors of the well-known scientist. "Where am
dose diamonds, Massa Jack?"
"On the moon," was the answer.
"On de moon? Ha! Ha! Dat's a joke!" And Washington began to laugh. "On
de moon! Ha! Ho!"
"Well, you can read it for yourself," went on the lad, tossing the
paper over to the colored man. The latter picked it up, gazed at it,
first from one side, and then from the other. Next he turned it upside
down, but, as this did not make the article any clearer, he turned the
paper back again. Then he remarked, with a puzzled air:
"Well, I neber could read without mah glasses, Massa Jack, so I guess
I'll hab t' let it go until annoder time. Diamonds on de moon, eh?
Dat's wonderful! I wonder what dey'll be doin' next? But I'se got t'
go. Diamonds on de moon, eh? Diamonds on de moon!"
As Washington turned to leave the room, for he had entered it when Jack
and Mark were talking to aim, the latter lad asked:
"Did you want to see us about anything particular, Wash?"
"Why, I suah did," was the reply, "I did come t' tell yo' dat Perfesser
Henderson would be pleased to hold some conversations wid yo', but when
Massa Jack done mentioned about dem diamonds, I clean fo'got it.
Diamonds on de moon, eh?"
"Well, if the professor wants us we'd better go," suggested Mark. "Come
on, Jack, and stop dreaming about Reonaris and the moonbeams. Get back
to earth."
"All right; laugh if you want to," said Jack sturdily, "but the time
will come, Mark, when you'll find out that I'm right."
"How?" asked Mark.
"I don't know, but I'm sure I can prove what I say."
The two boys were to have the wonderful diamond story demonstrated to
them sooner than either expected. Following the colored man, the lads,
Jack carrying the paper, made their way to the laboratory of Professor
Henderson. His door was open, and the aged man, whose hair and beard
were now white with age, was bending over a table covered with papers,
chemical apparatus, test tubes, alembecs, Bunsen burners, globes, and
various pieces of apparatus. Another man, not quite so old as was Mr.
Henderson, was on the point of leaving the apartment.
"Ah, boys," remarked the older professor, as he caught sight of them,
"I hope I didn't disturb you by sending for you."
"No; Jack and I were only having a red-hot discussion about diamonds on
the moon," said Mark, with a laugh.
"Diamonds on the moon!" exclaimed Professor Henderson.
"Diamonds on the moon?" repeated his friend, Prof. Santell Roumann. "Is
this a joke, boys?"
"Mark thinks so, but I don't!" cried Jack, enthusiastically. "Look
here, Professor Henderson, and also Mr. Roumann. Here is one of the
newspapers that we brought back with us in our projectile, the
_Annihilator_, after our trip to Mars. I have been translating some of
the articles in it, and to-night I came across one that told of a trip
made by some of the inhabitants of Mars to the moon, in a sort of
projectile, like ours, only more on the design of an aeroplane.
"They landed on the moon, the article states, and found a big field, or
deposit, of Reonaris, which I claim are diamonds. Mark says I'm wrong,
but, Professor Henderson, isn't Reonaris to the Martians what diamonds
are to us?"
"It certainly is," agreed the older scientist, and he looked for
confirmation to his scholarly companion.
"Reonaris is substantially a diamond," said Professor Roumann. "It has
the same chemical constitution, and also the diamond's hardness and
brilliancy. But I don't understand how any diamonds can be on the moon."
"You can read this for yourself," suggested Jack, passing over the
paper, which was one of some souvenirs brought back from what was the
longest journey on record, ever taken by human beings.
Mr. Roumann adjusted his glasses, and carefully read the article that
was printed in such strange characters. As he perused it, he nodded his
head thoughtfully from time to time. Then he passed the paper to
Professor Henderson.
The older scientist was somewhat longer in going over the article, but
when he had finished, he looked at the two boys, and said: "Jack is
right! This is an account of a trip made to the moon by some of the
Martians, who have advanced much further in the art of air navigation
than have we. Some of the words I am not altogether familiar with, but
in the main, that is what the paper states."
"And doesn't it tell about them finding a field of Reonaris?" asked
Jack eagerly, for he was anxious to prove to his chum that he was right.
"Yes, it does," replied Mr. Henderson.
"And Reonaris is diamonds, isn't it?" asked Jack.
"It is," answered Professor Roumann gravely.
"Then," cried Jack, "what's to hinder us from going to the moon, and
getting some of those diamonds? The Martians must have left some! Let's
go to the moon and get them! We can do it in the projectile with which
we made the journey to Mars. Let's start for the moon!"
For a moment there was silence in the laboratory of the scientist. It
was broken by Washington White, who remarked:
"Good land a' massy! Annodder ob dem trips through de air! Well, I
ain't goin' to no moon--no sah!! Ef I went dere, I'd suah get looney,
an' I has troubles enough now wid'out dat, I suah has!" And, shaking
his head dubiously, the colored man shuffled from the room.