“You’re certainly welcome, so far as I’m concerned, Taggert,” said Robert, agreeably. “Only you might have to share some scanty rations before we land.”
“Shan’t mind that,” was the reply. “Brought some myself to help out.”
He picked up a good-sized cubical package from where he had set it down a few minutes before.
“Bouillon cubes, malted milk tablets, and chocolate,” he explained, tapping the parcel.
“Fair enough,” said Robert.
“Boys,” interrupted the professor, “take a look at old Mother Earth now.”
With one accord they hurried to the windows to gaze upon the receding Earth, which for a minute they had almost forgotten.
The wavering altimeter indicated a height of more than 125,000 feet—almost twenty miles!
The semi-luminous Earth far below them now presented a dull, nebulous appearance, devoid of landmarks, except that far to the southeast a faint thread of lighter color wound its way irregularly across the country; this they judged to be the Ohio River. One other distinguishable mark was a small, dimly illuminated patch indicating the city near the laboratories.
“Good old Earth, good-bye,” said Taggert.