There was a rosy hue about the little mountain, and after a brief rest they headed for the spot.
"There's nothing here!" exclaimed Jack in disgust, as he and Mark, in a final spurt, reached the base of it. "Nothing but ordinary dirt."
Mark looked down. He dug his heel into the sod. Then he uttered a cry of triumph.
"Here it is! Here it is!" he cried. "It's under the grass! We've got to dig it up!"
He knelt down, and began to tear away the sod with his hands. Jack did the same, and when they had lifted aside the tangle of roots and grass, they saw beneath it a dull gleaming red substance, like clay.
"That's it! That's it!" shouted Mr. Roumann. "We've found it!"
He stooped over, and with his knife began digging some up.
"It's neither warm, nor does it give any light," said Mr. Henderson in disappointed tones.
"No; it requires special electrical treatment," replied Mr. Roumann. "I know how to do it, though. Now we shall all be millionaires! There is enough here to make us wealthy for life!"
He began filling his iron boxes, the rest helping him. They were engaged in getting out the Cardite, all working with feverish haste, when Jack, looking up, saw a Martian officer regarding the actions of the world–dwellers with his great, bulging eyes.