Lost on the Moon | Page 6

But I'll just take a run down and see what it is. I'll not be
long. Much obliged, Dick."
The boy who had brought the note turned to leave the house, and Mark
prepared to follow. Jack said:
"Let me see that note."
He scanned it closely, and, as Mark was getting on his hat and coat, for
the night was chilly, his chum went on:
"Mark, if I didn't know, that we had left Axtell, the crazy machinist, up
on Mars, I'd say that this was his writing. But, of course, it's
impossible."
"Of course--impossible," agreed Mark.
"But, there's one thing, though," continued Jack.
"What's that?" asked Mark.
"I don't like the idea of you going off alone in the dark, to meet a man
who doesn't sign his name to the note he wrote. So, if you have no
objections, I'll go with you. No use taking any chances."
"I don't believe I run any risk," said Mark, "but I'll be glad of your
company. Come along. Maybe it's only a joke." And the two lads
started off together in the darkness toward the white bridge.
CHAPTER III
PREPARING FOR A VOYAGE
"Seems like rather an odd thing; doesn't it?" remarked Jack, as he and
his chum walked along.

"What?"
"This note."
"Oh, yes. But what made you think the writing looked like that of the
crazy machinist who tried to wreck the projectile?"
"Because I once saw some of the crazy letters he sent us, and he wrote
just like the man who gave Dick this note. But come on, let's hustle,
and see what's up."
In a few minutes they came in sight of the white bridge, which was
about a quarter of a mile down the road from the professor's house. The
two boys kept well together, and they were watching for a first sight of
the man in waiting.
"See anything?" asked Jack.
"No; do you?"
"Not a thing. Wait until we get closer. He may be in the shadow. It's
dark now."
Almost as Jack spoke, the moon, which had been hidden behind a bank
of clouds, peeped out, making the scene comparatively bright. The
boys peered once more toward the bridge, and, as they did so, they saw
a figure step from the shadows, stand revealed for an instant in the
middle of the structure, and then, seemingly after a swift glance toward
the approaching chums, the person darted off in the darkness.
"Did you see that?" cried Jack.
"Sure," assented Mark. "Guess he didn't want to wait for us. Why, he's
running to beat the band!"
"Let's take after him," suggested Jack, and, nothing loath, Mark
assented. The two lads broke into a run, but, as they leaped forward, the
man also increased his pace, and they could hear his feet pounding out
a tattoo on the hard road.

The two youths reached the bridge, and sped across it. They glanced
hastily on either side, thinking possibly the man might have had some
companions, but no one was in sight, and the stranger himself was now
out of view around a bend in the highway.
"No use going any farther," suggested Jack, pulling up at the far side of
the bridge. "There are two roads around the bend, and we couldn't tell
which one he'd take. Besides, it might not be altogether safe to risk it."
Mark and Jack, on their return, told Professor Henderson and the
German scientist something of their little excursion.
"But who could he have been?" asked Mr. Roumann. "Perhaps if you
ask the boy who brought the note he can tell you."
"We'll do it in the morning," decided Mark.
"It's peculiar that he wanted Mark to meet him," spoke Amos
Henderson. "Have you any enemies that you know of, Mark?"
"Not a one. But what makes you think this man was an enemy,
Professor?"
"From the fact that he ran when he saw you and Jack together.
Evidently he expected to get Mark out alone."
They discussed the matter for some time, and then the boys and the
scientists retired to bed, ready to begin active preparations on the
morrow, for their trip to the moon.
There was much to be done, but their experience in making other
wonderful trips, particularly the one to Mars, stood the travellers in
good stead. They knew just how to go to work.
To Washington was entrusted the task of preparing the food supply,
since he was to act as cook. Andy Sudds was instructed to look after
the clothing and other supplies, except those of a scientific nature,
while the two young men were to act as general helpers to the two

professors.
As the Annihilator has been fully described in the volume entitled,
"Through Space to Mars," there is no