"The second moon!" he called to the boys. "We are but sixteen hundred miles away now."
"Get ready to land!" cried Jack. "All ashore that's going ashore!"
"Maybe we'll land in the water," spoke Mark.
"No, I can so regulate the projectile that such a thing won't happen," declared Mr. Roumann.
"I will send it ahead for a few seconds, and then see what happens."
They sped forward. Suddenly there loomed up before them a great mass. It seemed to be rushing to meet them. It looked something like the earth, as seen from a balloon at a great height.
"Mars!" cried Mr. Roumann. "There is the planet we aimed for! Mars at last!"
He reversed the motor. The motion of the projectile became less. Nearer and nearer it approached the wonderful planet on which all their thoughts were centered.
"But it isn't red!" objected Jack.
"Wait until night," said the German. "We are approaching it from the daylight side."