CHAPTER XXIX
THE FIELD OF DIAMONDS
Dumbly the wanderers gazed at each other. They could not comprehend itat first. That the projectile, on which their very lives depended inthis dead world of the moon, should float away and leave them seemedincredible. Yet they had witnessed it.
"Do--do you really think we saw it--saw the _Annihilator_, Mark?" askedJack in a low voice, after several minutes had passed.
"Saw it? Of course, we saw it. We've seen the last of it, I'm afraid.But what do you mean?"
"I--I thought maybe I was out of my head, and I only saw a vision,"answered Jack. "You know--a sort of mirage. It was real, then?"
"Altogether too real," spoke Andy Sudds grimly. "They didn't see us norhear us. We're left behind!"
"But can't we do something?" demanded Mark. "Let's start off and try tocatch them. They were going slow."
"The wonder to me is how they moved at all," said Jack. "I thought themachinery wouldn't work until we got back with the lost tool."
"Probably the two professors found some way of patching up the motor,"was Mark's opinion, and later they found that this was so.
For some time they remained staring in the direction in which theprojectile had vanished, as if they might see it reappear, but thegreat steel shell did not poke its sharp nose in among the toweringpeaks which hid it from view. Probably it was many miles away now.
"Well," remarked old Andy at length, "we've got to make the best of it.We won't have many more days of light, and we must gather what food wecan, put it where we can find it in the dark, and also bring in somewater from the black pool. We can store that in some of the stonetables. By turning them upside down they will make good troughs, and itwon't freeze. We must work while we have light, for soon the long nightwill come."
The sight of the projectile going away seemed to take the heart out ofall of them, and they did not know what to do. For some time theyremained there idly, until Andy roused the boys to a sense of theirresponsibility by urging upon them the necessity of getting together astore of meat and water.
As they had about exhausted the limited food supply in the ancientrestaurant, they sought and found another and larger one. There theyhad the good fortune to come upon some whole sides of beef and lamb,which were petrified on the outside, but which, when they had blastedoff the outer shell of stone, gave them good food.
They made several trips to the black pool, and brought in all theliquid they could, for they did not want to have to go outside thepetrified city into the wild and desolate country beyond, after thedismal night had settled down. They feared they would become lost again.
Their lonely situation seemed to grow upon them. The appalling silenceall about terrified them. The weird sight of the petrified men andwomen in the petrified city got on their nerves.
They had done all they could. A store of meat had been blasted out andput away. It would keep outside of the stone shell now, for the weatherwas getting colder with the advent of the long night.
This fact worried them. With the temperature at twenty-eight when thesun was shining, what might it not fall to in the darkness? Theterrible cold of the arctic regions might be nothing compared to thefrostiness of the dead moon in the shadow. Their fur garments, thick asthey were, might be no more protection than so much paper. And they hadno means of making a fire, nor anything to burn on one had they beencapable of kindling it, for Andy had used the last of his cartridges toblast with, and where everything was petrified there was no wood.
Then, too, their life-torches were giving out. The emanations of oxygenwere weaker, and they had to hold them almost under their noses tobreathe the vital vapor.
One day, or rather what corresponded to a day, for they had lost alltrack of time, Andy Sudds arose from the stone bench on which theirmeager meal had been served. He started from the restaurant where theyhad taken up their abode.
"Where are you going?" asked Jack.
"I'm going to make one last attempt to find the projectile before itgets too dark," answered the hunter. "We can go out, look around forseveral hours, and get back before darkness sets in. We might as welldo it as sit here doing nothing. Then, too, we can bring in some morewater. We'll need all we can store away."
"I'll go with you," volunteered Jack, and Mark, not wanting to be leftalone in the dead city, followed. Carrying their life-torches andwrapping their fur garments closely about them, for it had grown muchcolder, they sallied forth.
They found a thin film of ice on the black pool, showing that it wouldprobably freeze when it got cold enough, though the ordinarytemperature of thirty-two degrees had not affected it. They filledtheir water bottles, and then Andy proposed that they take a newpath--one they had not tried before.
They hardly knew where they were going, but ever as they tramped onthey cast anxious looks upward to see if they might descry theprojectile hovering over them. But they did not see it.
Jack had taken the lead, and was walking along, glancing idly about. Hecame to a place where two peaks were so close together that it was allhe could do to squeeze through. But the moment he had passed the defileand looked out on a broad, level field, he came to a sudden stop. Hiscompanions, who pressed after him, saw him rub his eyes and shake hishead, as if disbelieving the evidence of what lay before him. Then Jackmurmured: "It can't be true! It can't be true!"
"What?" called Mark.
"There! Those," answered his chum. "See, the field is covered withdiamonds! We have found the diamonds of the moon--the field of Reonaristhat the men of Mars discovered! There are the diamonds--millions ofthem!"
"Diamonds!" exclaimed Mark. He squeezed through the defile, and stoodbeside Jack. Before him in the fading light of the sun was a broadfield, girt around with towering cliffs, and the surface of the fieldwas covered with white stones.
Jack sprang forward and gathered up a double handful. He let them runthrough his fingers in a sparkling stream. Old Andy came up to the boys.
"They're only glass or crystals," he said.
"They are _not_ glass or crystals!" declared Mark, who had made a studyof gems. "I should say they were diamonds, probably meteoric diamonds,very rare and valuable. Why, there is the ransom of a thousand kingsspread out before us!"
He fell upon his knees and began to scoop up the gems. His chum wasmaking a little heap of the stones.
"The ransom of a thousand kings!" murmured Jack. "More diamonds than inall the world--and I'd give my share for a good ham sandwich!"
CHAPTER XXX
BACK TO EARTH--CONCLUSION
At any other time the discovery of such a vast store of wealth wouldhave set the wanderers half wild with joy. Now they only accepted thefact dully, for the perils of their situation overburdened them. AsJack had said, they needed food more than the gems, for at best thesupply they had blasted out could not last long, and when that was gonewhere were they to get more, for there were no more cartridges, and therending force of powder was needed to open the rocky meat.
"I knew we'd find the diamonds," murmured Jack, as he began to fill thepockets of his fur coat. "I'm right, after all, Mark, you see."
"Yes, but what good will it do us? What's the good of even carrying anyaway. We can never use them."
"That's so," agreed Jack, in a low voice. "I might as well leave themhere."
But somehow the desire to pick up gems which, when they were cut andpolished, would rival many of the famous diamonds of history was toostrong to be resisted. Though he was afraid he would never get back toearth to enjoy them, Jack could not help putting in his pockets agoodly supply of the largest of the precious stones. Andy did the same,and Mark, in spite of his gloomy feelings, stuffed his pockets. Theyworked with their torches held close to their faces, and in the searchfor the better stones they literally walked over millions of dollars'worth of the gems.
For there, stretched out before them, was an actual field of diamonds.As Mark had said, they were of meteoric origin, that is, a meteor hadburst over that
particular portion of the moon, and the chemical actionhad created the diamonds, which had fallen in a shower in the field.
"If you boys have all you want, then let's get back to the city,"suggested Andy. "No telling when it will be night now."
They followed his advice, and soon were going back by way of the blackpool. It seemed more lonesome than ever, after the excitement ofdiscovering the field of diamonds, and even Jack, glad as he was tohave his theory vindicated, got tired of referring to it. His triumphmeant little to him now.
They were at the entrance to the petrified city. As they were about togo in, ready to hide themselves in the deepest part of the restaurant,away from the terrible cold and appalling darkness they felt would soonbe upon them, Mark came to a sudden halt. He glanced quickly up intothe air and cried out: "Hark!"
"What's the matter?" asked Jack, as they stood in a listening attitude.
"I heard a noise," whispered Mark. "It sounded--I'm sure itsounded--like the crackling of the wireless motor waves of theprojectile. Listen!"
Faintly through the silence came a sound as if there was a discharge ofan electric current. It increased in volume, and there was a faintroaring in the atmosphere.
"It's her--it's the _Annihilator!_" shouted Jack, leaping about.
"Wait," counselled Andy, who dreaded the terrible disappointment shouldthe boys be mistaken. The sound came nearer. The crackling couldplainly be made out now. The sun was out of sight, but there was stillthe glow which follows sunset.
The boys were eagerly scanning the heavens, Their hearts beat high withhope. Suddenly, in the olive-tinted sky just above a range of ruggedpeaks, a black shape loomed. A black shape, as of a great cigar,pointed at both ends. It shot into full view.
"The projectile!" yelled Jack.
"The _Annihilator!_" gasped Mark.
"Thank Heaven, they have found us in time!" exclaimed Andy fervently,and the three stretched out their arms toward the craft from which theyhad been parted so long. It was as if they tried to pull it down tothem.
"Do they see us?"
"Will they pass us by?"
"Make a noise so they'll hear us!"
"Wave to them!"
"Oh, if they leave us now!"
Questions, ejaculations and entreaties came rapidly from the lips ofthe wanderers. They raised their voices in a shout. They leaped up anddown. They wildly waved their hands and life-torches.
Then, to their inexpressible joy, they saw the course of the projectilechange. It was headed toward them, and a few minutes later it settledslowly to the ground about half a mile away.
"Come on!" cried Jack! "We must hurry to them, or soon it will be toodark to see them, or for them to find us. It's our last chance; don'tlet's lose it!"
He sprang forward, the others after him, and together they ran towardthe projectile. They could see the two professors and Washington Whiteemerging from the steel car, waving their hands.
On rushed the lost wanderers, over the rough stones, skirting the greatcliffs, falling into small craters, crawling out again, just missingseveral times being precipitated into yawning caverns, and stumblingover petrified bodies that strewed the ground.
Ever did they hasten onward though, increasing their speed. They cameto a great crater that lay between them and the projectile, butfortunately there was across the middle of it a natural bridge ofstone. But it was narrow--scarcely wide enough for one at a time.
"We can never cross on that!" cried Mark, halting.
"We've got to!" shouted Jack, and he sprang fearlessly forward, fairlyrunning over the narrow path, which had a sheer descent of thousands offeet on either side.
Mark, though fearful that he would become dizzy and fall, followedAndy. They were soon across the narrow bridge, and speeding on towardthe _Annihilator_. Five minutes later they had reached it, and werebeing wildly welcomed by the two professors and Washington White, whohad advanced to meet them.
"I 'clar t' goodness-gladness!" exclaimed the colored man, "I amsuttinly constrained t' espress my approbation ob de deleterous mannerin which yo' all has come back t' dis continuous territory."
"Do you mean you're glad to see us, Wash?" asked Jack.
"Dat's what I done said," was the answer, with a cheerful grin, "an' Imight also remark dat dinner am serbed in de dinin' car."
"Hurrah!" cried Jack. "That's the best news I've heard in a week. Nomore blasted beef for mine! Give me ham and eggs!"
"But what happened to you? Where have you been? We have searched allover for you, and were just giving you up for dead, and going back tothe earth," said Professor Henderson. "We caught sight of you at thelast minute."
"Oh, you mustn't go back until you go to the field of diamonds!" criedJack, and then by turns he and Mark and Andy told of their terribleadventures while they were lost on the moon.
On their part Professors Roumann and Henderson stated how they hadwaited in vain for the return of the wanderers, and had then, bystrenuous work, managed to make the necessary repairs without themissing tool. Then they set out to discover the lost ones, butsucceeded only just in time, for it was now quite dusk.
"An' did yo' all really discober dem sparklers?" asked Washington, ashe served what the boys thought was the finest dinner they had evertasted.
"We sure did," replied Jack. "Here are a couple for that red necktie ofyours," and he passed over two big diamonds.
It did not take long to move the projectile to the field of thesparkling gems, and by means of a powerful search-light enough weresoon gathered up to satisfy even Washington White, who declared that hewould be the best decorated colored man in Bayside when they got back.The two professors made what observations they could in the petrifiedcity in the fast-gathering darkness, and then, having taken a petrifiedman into the projectile with them to deposit in a scientific museum inwhich Professor Roumann was interested, the _Annihilator_ was sealedshut.
And it was only just in time, for with the suddenness of an eclipseintense darkness settled down, and the temperature, as indicated by athermometer thrust outside, showed a drop of a hundred degrees.
"We never could have lived out there," said Jack.
"Well, we'll soon be back on earth," observed Mark, and a little laterthe Cardite motor was out in operation, and the journey back to thisworld begun.
Little of moment happened on the return trip. The boys went more intodetail about their wanderings, and told how they had managed to liveduring the time they were lost. The two professors and Washington spokeof their worry and anxiety, and their vain search for the wanderers.
As they were anxious to get back home, the motor was speeded to thelimit, and in much less time than they had made the trip to the moonthey had arrived in sight of the earth again. As they did not want tocreate too much excitement, they hovered about in the air over Baysideuntil dark, when they gently descended almost in the very spot fromwhich they had started.
"Well," remarked Jack, as he stepped out on the earth once more, "itwas quite an experience to go to the moon, and I suppose being lostthere wasn't the worst thing that could happen to us, but all the sameI'm glad to be back."
"So am I," declared Mark. "It was worth while going," and he felt ofhis pocketful of diamonds.
"We certainly made some very valuable scientific observations,"asserted Mr. Henderson, "and we will be able to prove that the moon wasonce inhabited."
Washington White was carefully lifting out his Shanghai rooster, whichwas uttering loud crows. As soon as he had set the fowl on the ground,the colored man started off.
"Where are you going?" asked Mark.
"I'm going t' a jewelery shop t' hab my diamonds made inter a stick-pinfo' my red necktie," was the answer.
"Oh, you'd better wait until morning," suggested Professor Henderson.
They gathered about the table in the cozy dining room of their home,while Washington got a meal ready. Every one was talking about what awonderful trip they had had.
"The only trouble is," said Jack, "t
hat we've been to about all theinteresting places in this universe now. I wonder where we can go next?"
"I'm going to bed right after supper," announced Mark. "Maybe I'lldiscover a new land in my dreams."
The moon voyagers had a great store of gems, and, as they did not wishto bring down values by disposing of them, they only sold a few, which,because of their great size and brilliancy, brought a large price.Several jewelers wanted to know where the diamonds came from, but thesecret was well kept. Most of the gems were used for scientificpurposes, but Mark and Jack gave some to certain of their friends.
The petrified man proved a great curiosity, and a history of it, in twolarge volumes, can be seen in the museum where the body is exhibited.Professor Henderson wrote the account, and also published quite anextensive history of the trip to the moon, which was considered byscientists and laymen to be a most remarkable journey.
But, though our friends had been to many strange places, it wasreserved for them to have yet still more wonderful adventures, thoughfor a time after returning from the moon they remained at home, the twoprofessors busy over their scientific work, and the boys engaged withtheir studies, while Andy occasionally went hunting, and Washington gotthe meals and, between times, fed his rooster and admired the diamondsin his red necktie. And now we will bid our friends good-by.
THE END
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends