"Well, it is that fiery planet just over the oak tree," directed Nita. It was correct and she was led to speak of anything she knew of Mars.
"I don't know much beside what I heard in a theatre-play called the Martians. They had a great map on the drop-curtain and I looked at the markings that were supposed to be on the planet. Then I heard once that Mars is a world like ours and has winter and summer. In winter it has vast fields of ice and in summer rivers and dark places that may be green hills and valleys. I guess it has inhabitants, too, but I don't know what scientists think about that."
"Nita is right as far as facts go, but one important item was omitted. Mars has practically no clouds, whereas the earth has an abundance of them. Therefore, it must be continually fine weather on Mars, for there cannot be any rain. Whether any people live to enjoy permanent fair weather, we do not know, because Mars is such a distance away that even with strongest telescopes we can only see different coloured markings on the surface of the planet. I sometimes think that Mars would have to have a wonderful irrigation system to succeed with vegetation if it is inhabited. As it could have no rain, it would have to conserve the melting snows of winter to water its valleys in summer."
"Hurrah! I've found my planet! You never will guess where it is located!" laughed Zan.
Several attempts were made to locate it, but to no avail.
"Yet it is the most prominent and to our eyes the largest in the sky," continued Zan, aggravatingly.
Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and others were all mentioned, but Zan shook her head at each guess. Finally the Guide said, "Give up." Zan laughed with delight at having cornered the teacher.
"Ha! The moon! It is just rising above that pine!"
They all laughed, and Zan was told to tell what she knew.
"Well, I know that the moon isn't made of green cheese, although there are some folks who still believe so. Then, too——" but Zan was interrupted by the others rolling on the grass and laughing.