After checking our fuel supply we are surprised at the small amount which we have used getting here. At this rate, we should have plenty of fuel to permit us to make quite a number of trips to various territories of the Moon too far distant for hiking, and still have a sufficiency for the return trip home.
Before setting out on our hike to the mountains, Johnny is contacting the Earth to tell the people there of our findings. He had maintained radio contact with the Earth during our entire trip and had broken it only after we had landed; so they knew that we had arrived safely.
Now the Earth is on the air waves and Johnny has a big grin upon his face. He is telling us that the people on Earth are all very much excited over our success and there is great rejoicing everywhere. Our landing on the Moon is the number one story in the newspapers of all the lands. It is like a serial story to them, with everyone waiting eagerly for our next report.
The scientists and the government are pleased with our safe arrival here but now they want to know if we will be able to get our ship into the air again from here.
While Johnny retains contact with the Earth, Bob starts the ship's motors and lifts her gracefully into the air.
With great glee Johnny gives this report to his inquirers. Then he goes on to tell them about our picnic on the ground in the shade of our ship, what we have seen so far, and of our proposed venture into the mountains with the hope of exploring some of the craters visible to Earth.
In response to questioning, he reports our fuel supply, adding that we have no idea how long we will remain up here since we have now become adjusted to the atmosphere and believe we can live here as easily as on the Earth; we have plenty of food with us to last for a long time; and there are many places we want to visit. He adds that we know there are some people living close by for we have seen their city and if they should be friendly with us, we might learn far more about their Moon home than we had ever hoped to learn. But he assures his listeners that in time, we shall return home to Earth.
This report finished, Johnny breaks contact with the Earth and we start on our hike towards the mountains, each of us taking a canteen of water for drinking and quite a supply of concentrated food for we have no idea how long we will be gone. In his pocket Dr. Johnston has a very small instrument with which he can analyze, to a certain extent, any formations we might find.
As we cross the plateau towards the nearest crater wall, we note that the surface of the ground consists of sand, glistening white and very hot. Even though we have on heavy hiking boots we can feel the heat right through their soles.
After a couple of hours hiking across these hot sands, with intermittent stops for rest, and without having done any noticeable climbing, we reach the first crater, a shallow one only about thirty feet in depth and approximately a half mile across, much like a huge earthen salad bowl cut in the ground. The structure and rocky formation surrounding as well as within this crater appear much like lava, as if it had been made through volcanic eruption. Dr. Johnston who is an ardent rock hound along with his scientific profession, exclaims in joyous astonishment that this section of rocky formation is composed largely of beautiful gems and lava stone. Testing the ground with his little pocket instrument, he informs us that there are also deposits of many kinds of rich mineral ore in the sides of this crater.