*CHAPTER XI.*
*'WELCOME TO MARS!'*
The minutes which followed Malanda's startling announcement were anxiousones indeed for those of the voyagers who had heard it. The greatmajority on board, however, were happily ignorant of what had happened,and knew nothing about it till subsequently.
Even Armeath and his companions could not afterwards tell much moreabout it than has been here set down, for the reason that Ivanta orderedthe conning-tower to be cleared of every one save two or three of hisofficers. So they had to march out with the others; and of what went oninside, or whether the aerostat was likely ever to struggle out of itsfearful position, they in the meanwhile knew nothing. For what seemed along, weary time they could only wait on in suspense while the issue wasbeing decided.
It was a good half-hour before the welcome news was brought to them thatthe king had succeeded in getting his ship free from the comet'ssinister influence; and then no further particulars were vouchsafed.How it had been done was again one of those secrets which Ivanta keptstrictly to himself. All that was made known was that the aerostat hadnow resumed her voyage, and that, as it happened, no harm had been done.
A few days later, Gerald was seated in one of the large conservatories,reading a book which he had borrowed. Both he and Jack could now readthe Martian language fairly well, and they found in the library on boarda new storehouse of wonders of the most fascinating description. Hearingfootsteps, he glanced up, and saw that Tom Clinch had come to seek him.
'Could I 'ave a wurd wi' you, Mr Gerald?' Clinch asked.
'Certainly, Tom. What's the trouble?'
'Well, Mr Gerald, it be like this. I've 'eerd--it's odd 'ow things doget about--as we was nearly run down t'other night by a comet or somesuch blamed foolishness.'
Gerald looked with surprise upon the weather-beaten features of thefaithful henchman, and with difficulty repressed a smile as he notedtheir woe-begone expression.
'I don't know how you managed to learn so much, Tom,' he answeredquietly; 'but something of the kind did occur, I believe. Still, thereis no occasion for you to take it so seriously. The danger is past; andthey tell me it's not likely to happen again during the rest of ourjourney.'
But Tom Clinch was not so easily comforted. He shook his head with adissatisfied grunt.
''Ow does they know?' he asked dubiously. 'They doan't keep a properlookout, Mr Gerald, that's what's the matter, else they 'd 'a sightedthis reckless galoot afore she got so near. They'd 'a seen as shewurn't under proper control, an' they should 'a sounded the siren. Whydoan't they 'ave somebody perched on the top, outside, in a little sorto' crow's-nest? They could 'ave a speakin'-tube to shout through if yelike.'
'I 'm afraid it wouldn't answer; it would be rather uncomfortable--and,um--well, a little cold for the man outside,' replied Gerald gravely,though his eyes were twinkling. 'But is that all you wish to say?'
'Why, no, sir. Me an' Bob Reid, we've talked it over, an' we's agreedt' offer t' run the look-out for 'em, turn an' turn about, if ye likes.We's old sailors, an' we knows the ropes, an' we 'd keep a proper watch.Seems t' me as the people aboord 'ere be mostly landlubbers, what ain'tgot no nautical knollidge like.'
Gerald listened with a sympathetic air, for though he was naturallyvastly amused, Tom looked so very much in earnest that he had not theheart to seem to ridicule his well-meant suggestion.
Promising, therefore, that he would make the generous offer known in theproper quarter, he dismissed the old sailor, just as his chum Jack cameupon the scene.
Gerald did not notice at the moment that Jack looked serious too, andproceeded to tell him, with a laugh, what Clinch had been saying.
'Fancy the two honest old worthies talking this over, and comingsedately to me with such an offer!' said he. 'What an idea--that theyshould have a lookout placed outside, where the temperature runs farbelow that of liquid air! Jupiter!'
Then he noticed, for the first time, that his chum was also lookingtroubled.
'Why, what's amiss?' he asked. 'You and Tom Clinch seem aliketo-day--you both remind me of the Knight of the Troubled Countenance.You look as if you wanted cheering up. You should read this book I 'vegot hold of; it would make you laugh.'
'What is it about?'
'It's written by some old Martian crank of an astronomer, and containshis speculations upon the subject of the Earth. They call us, you know,the evening star; for so our planet appears to them, just as Venus doesto us. Well, he is writing and speculating about their eveningstar--that is, about our world--and he declares his conviction that itcannot be inhabited by human beings like those living on Mars. Heargues that because the light from our Earth shines with a bluish tint,therefore, if there are people on it, they must have blue skins. Hebrings forward a lot of most convincing arguments to support thistheory, and winds up by declaring that if our world is really inhabited,it can only be by a race of ape-like creatures, with blue skins andbodies partly covered with green hair!'
'H'm! So much for some people's scientific theories. However, I 'vegot something else to talk to you about just now. While you 've beenreading and dreaming, and going about with your head in the clouds'----
'Above the clouds, Jack--far, far above the clouds! Be practical, now.Consider! Are we not far above the clouds?'
'Will you listen, you incorrigible dreamer?' exclaimed Jack impatiently.'I want to tell you that I am afraid there is some fresh trouble brewingin which those Zuanstrooms are mixed up. Two or three times lately Ihave come upon their youngster, Freddy, wandering about in melancholyfashion, and when I asked him why he was alone, he said, each time, thatthey had sent him out because the "ugly old man" had come there to talk,and he was in the way. Now, by "ugly old man" Freddy means the one youcalled the Ogre--Kazzaro. The question naturally suggests itself, whyshould there be secret conferences between that worthy and the DiamondKing?'
'Seems funny, doesn't it? Have you mentioned anything about it to ourguardian or Mr Monck?'
'Not yet. You see, I haven't anything definite to go upon. But I 'mgoing to keep my eyes open, and I mean, if I can, to find out what itreally is that is going on between the Zuanstrooms and the crowd they'vebecome so thick with.'
'Well, I'll help you to keep an eye on them too. Neither Kazzaro nor MrZuanstroom is any friend of ours; that we know. I do believe that ifthey could have their way they would throw us off the ship, and leave usto go whizzing about in space like a couple of little comets.'
However, time passed on without anything further occurring to strengthenJack's suspicions; and soon they were almost forgotten in the interestand excitement which sprang up and grew from day to day as they nearedthe end of the voyage.
The apparent size of Mars was visibly increasing each time they lookedat it, till at last it seemed to take up the whole of the firmament infront of them. It was a wonderful, and in many ways an awe-inspiring,sight. For, just as when they had been leaving the Earth it seemed tobe our globe which was travelling away from them--not they from theEarth--so now Mars appeared to be coming towards them, and at afrightful pace. Majestic, magnificent, inconceivably grand, it certainlywas; but there was something oppressive in its very grandeur, somethingawful in its swift, silent approach, something terrible in itsoverwhelming greatness.
Seas and continents began to show upon its surface, till the wonderingspectators could see the whole of one side laid out as on a giganticmap. And there, plain to the eye, were the so-called 'canals,' thosecurious constructions or formations which our earthly astronomers haveviewed through their telescopes and puzzled over for so many years, andwhich are supposed to be artificial canals upon a gigantic scale.
At last, the _Ivenia_ entered the planet's atmosphere, through whichthey had been viewing everything as through a faint-pinkish haze. Thena great change took place in the outward appearance of the aerostat.The upper covering was removed, the immense wings were spread, abeautifully carve
d and decorated 'figurehead,' like the head of acolossal bird, was run out at one end and a tail-like addition at theother.
Monck led Mr Armeath and his companions out on to the upper deck.
'You may now safely venture into the open air,' he observed; 'for,unknown to you, the air within the aerostat has been gradually changing,and becoming denser. We are all, therefore, now acclimatised, and youwill feel no ill effects.'
As they looked through their glasses, the two lads uttered exclamationsof astonishment and admiration.
Below them could be seen an extensive city, built beside an arm of thesea, which, instead of being blue, was of an ethereal, rosy tint. Therewere towering palaces and noble buildings, vast embankments andterraces, surrounded by beautiful gardens, amidst which could bedistinguished stately colonnades, winding streams, and glisteningfountains and cascades.
The _Ivenia_ swept downwards with a swift, gliding motion, in a seriesof wide circles, like some giant bird poised on outstretched wings.There was no vibration, no jar, no motion even of the wide-spreadingwings as she sank lightly and gracefully through the air.
And as she descended, the air below became filled with what at first hadthe appearance of a great flight of birds.
Gerald asked what they were, and Monck bade him look again through hisglasses. Then he saw that what he had mistaken for distant birds werein reality numbers of flying-machines mounting upwards to meet the_Ivenia_.
A little later these smaller air-craft were swarming round the greataerostat, the occupants uttering shouts and cries of joyous welcome totheir returning king. These flying-machines were of all shapes andkinds, and they thronged round Ivanta's superb 'chariot of the skies' asmight a swarm of steamers, yachts, and other craft round a mightywarship bearing our own king back to England's shores after a foreigntrip.
Finally, the wondrous structure landed easily and quietly upon theground in the midst of a vast crowd of people; and, as she came to rest,King Ivanta stepped out from the conning-tower and showed himself to theshouting throng.
Then, turning to Armeath and the others whom he had brought with him asguests, he said, with a charming mixture of royal dignity and kindlycondescension, 'Welcome, my friends! Welcome to our world! Welcome toMars!'