The roaring grew louder. It was like the howling of a mighty mind. The projectile seemed to tremble.
Then there came a brilliant light, rivaling even that of the sun, in the rays of which they constantly were. The light streamed in through the plate–glass ports in the engine–room. It showed violet rays, purple, orange, green, yellow—all the colors of the rainbow.
"We'll be consumed in a moment!" murmured Mr. Roumann. "We are in the midst of the comet!"
Several seconds passed. There was no increase in temperature. After all, would the wonderful gas in the space between the two shells of the projectile absorb the terrific heat?
The light faded away. Only the glow of the sun remained. The Annihilator shot onward.
Mr. Roumann rushed to the pilot house. He uttered a cry.
"We have escaped the comet!" he called to the boys and Professor Henderson, who followed him. "We went right through a small section of the tail. And I was mistaken in thinking it was composed of flaming gases. It is only nebulous light. There is no harm in a comet, after all!"
"Dat's what I said all along," remarked Washington White, as he went back to his kitchen. "All a comet is good fer is t' bring bad luck. Look at mah ten dollars. I wish we'd batted dis one inter pieces!"