Fifteen Hundred Miles An Hour

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Charles Dixon. Fifteen Hundred Miles An Hour

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I. WE PREPARE FOR OUR JOURNEY

CHAPTER II. WE LEAVE EARTH IN THE "SIRIUS."

CHAPTER III. OUR VOYAGE BEYOND THE CLOUDS

CHAPTER IV. AWFUL MOMENTS

CHAPTER V. THE GLORIES OF THE HEAVENS

CHAPTER VI. WE NEAR MARS

CHAPTER VII. OUR ARRIVAL AND SAFE DESCENT

CHAPTER VIII. A STRANGE WORLD

CHAPTER IX. THE MORROW – AND WHAT CAME OF IT!

CHAPTER X. CAPTIVITY

CHAPTER XI. LOVE AND JEALOUSY

CHAPTER XII. CONDEMNED TO DIE

CHAPTER XIII. THE CRAG REMAGALOTH

CHAPTER XIV. ACROSS THE DESERT CHADOS

CHAPTER XV. RIVALS MEET AGAIN

CHAPTER XVI. VOLINÈ

CHAPTER XVII. AT THE TEMPLE ON THE HILL VEROSI

CHAPTER XVIII. THE FIGHT FOR VOLINÈ

CHAPTER XIX. WEDDED!

CHAPTER XX. THE LAST WORDS FROM YONDER

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"I tell you, Temple, that the thing can be done! From experiments which I have carefully made, and from information which I have laboriously collected during the best part of a lifetime devoted to scientific research, I am in a position confidently to state that my project is removed for ever from the realm of possibility, and is now within measurable distance of becoming an accomplished fact. My plans may seem complicated to you, but to me they are simple in the extreme. You, my dear fellow, are better able to deal with intricate financial questions, discounts, stocks, and bank rates, rather than the delicate experiments of science. Believe me, I have here in this book every item of my scheme carefully worked out, every design outlined to its simplest detail – all I want is the necessary capital for its accomplishment. My young friend, Harry Graham, here – let me introduce him to you, Temple – whose interest in astronomy I have long been fostering, is willing and ready to superintend the mechanical portion of my undertaking. Our models have turned out satisfactory in every way – all we want now is money. That, friend Temple, you half-promised years ago. May I count upon your assistance still?"

"My dear Doctor, you may. If fifty thousand pounds, aye, or even a hundred thousand, will help you, I am willing to speculate to that amount; and, what is more, the novelty of your undertaking has so captivated me that I am anxious to form one of your party. Who knows, if your efforts are crowned with success, what grand financial harvests may be reaped!"

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As the Doctor spoke, the huge machine mounted upwards from its staging, lightly and buoyantly as a bird, into the midnight sky. All were exceedingly surprised at the extreme steadiness of the carriage, for it floated upwards and onwards without any disagreeable motion whatever. In fact, it was difficult to believe that the carriage was moving at all.

As soon as we got fairly under way the Doctor suggested that we should go out on the balcony and take a last look at many old familiar landmarks, and bid a long farewell to Yorkshire. We were travelling very slowly, about sixty miles per hour, and nearly four miles above the Earth. We soon crossed the fair vale of York, slumbering peacefully in the gloom, the lights of towns and railways being distinctly visible far below us. We passed over grimy Sheffield, with its gleaming furnaces belching fire and smoke into the night – its glowing coke-ovens looking like small volcanoes.

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