"I didn't 'cotch' it," answered Andy with a grin. "I killed it. I guess the chickens will be safe now, Wash. But I'm hungry. I've been hiding out there by the chicken coop all the afternoon. But what brings you boys back from college?"
"We came home because we are going to take a trip to Mars," explained Jack.
"Mars! Mars! Good land! Where'll you folks go next?" exclaimed Andy. "Wash, pass me some of that cold ham."
"You said you would tell us now how we were to get there, Mr. Roumann," said Jack, who was anxious, as was Mark, to hear the particulars.
"And so I will," replied the scientist. "You must know that I have long been interested in the planet Mars, for several reasons. Some reasons I will tell you now, and the others I will disclose at a future time."
"Mars, you know, is the fourth major planet, computing their positions in distance from the sun. First there is Mercury, then—"
"I know," interrupted Jack; "Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. I learned them at school."
"That's right," said Mr. Roumann. "But, while Mercury is only about thirty–six millions of miles from the sun at its nearest point, the closest it ever comes to the earth is fifty–seven millions of miles, while, as I told you, Mars is now but thirty–five millions of miles away, a difference in favor of Mars of twenty–two millions of miles, quite a distance when one has to travel it. Neptune, the farthest of the major planets, is two billion eight hundred millions of miles from the sun, and it is separated from this earth by—"
"By two billion seven hundred and eight million miles," said Mark quickly.
"How do you make that out?" asked Jack in some surprise.