t to the north pole--to ascertain the former, he had only to
calculate the latter. This was easily done. To refer to his notes, to
check off the different rates of velocity at which they had readied the
different parallels, and to turn these rates into time, required only a
very few minutes careful calculation. The Projectile then was to reach
the point of neutral attraction at one o'clock in the morning of
December 8th. At the present time, it was five o'clock in the morning of
the 7th; therefore, if nothing unforeseen should occur in the meantime,
their great and final effort was to be made about twenty hours later.

The rockets, so often alluded to as an idea of Ardan's and already fully
described, had been originally provided to break the violence of the
Projectile's fall on the lunar surface; but now the dauntless travellers
were about to employ them for a purpose precisely the reverse. In any
case, having been put in proper order for immediate use, nothing more
now remained to be done till the moment should come for firing them off.

"Now then, friends," said M'Nicholl, rubbing his eyes but hardly able to
keep them open, "I'm not over fond of talking, but this time I think I
may offer a slight proposition."

"We shall be most happy to entertain it, my dear Captain," said
Barbican.

[Illustration: ARDAN GAZED ON THE PAIR.]

"I propose we lie down and take a good nap."

"Good gracious!" protested Ardan; "What next?"

"We have not had a blessed wink for forty hours," continued the Captain;
"a little sleep would recuperate us wonderfully."

"No sleep now!" exclaimed Ardan.

"Every man to his taste!" said M'Nicholl; "mine at present is certainly
to turn in!" and suiting the action to the word, he coiled himself on
the sofa, and in a few minutes his deep regular breathing showed his
slumber to be as tranquil as an infant's.

Barbican looked at him in a kindly way, but only for a very short time;
his eyes grew so filmy that he could not keep them open any longer. "The
Captain," he said, "may not be without his little faults, but for good
practical sense he is worth a ship-load like you and me, Ardan. By Jove,
I'm going to imitate him, and, friend Michael, you might do worse!"

In a short time he was as unconscious as the Captain.

Ardan gazed on the pair for a few minutes, and then began to feel quite
lonely. Even his animals were fast asleep. He tried to look out, but
observing without having anybody to lis