ch we were enclosed attracted us, and inside that
we could place ourselves in any position without falling. We could float
in the air. There was no up and no down, no top and no bottom for us.
Stepping outside the car, it would have been easy for us to spring away
from it and leave it forever.

One of the most startling experiences that I have ever had was one day
when we were navigating space about half way between the earth and Mars.
I had stepped outside the car with Lord Kelvin, both of us, of course,
wearing our air-tight suits. We were perfectly well aware what would be
the consequence of detaching ourselves from the car as we moved along.
We should still retain the forward motion of the car, and of course
accompany it in its flight. There would be no falling one way or the
other. The car would have a tendency to draw us back again by its
attraction, but this tendency would be very slight, and practically
inappreciable at a distance.

"I am going to step off," I suddenly said to Lord Kelvin. "Of course I
shall keep right along with the car, and step aboard again when I am
ready."

"Quite right on general principles, young man," replied the great
savant, "but beware in what manner you step off. Remember, if you give
your body an impulse sufficient to carry it away from the car to any
considerable distance, you will be unable to get back again, unless we
can catch you with a boathook or a fishline. Out there in empty space
you will have nothing to kick against, and you will be unable to propel
yourself in the direction of the car, and its attraction is so feeble
that we should probably arrive at Mars before it had drawn you back
again."

All this was, of course, perfectly self-evident, yet I believe that but
for the warning words of Lord Kelvin I should have been rash enough to
step out into empty space, with sufficient force to have separated
myself hopelessly from the electrical ship.

As it was, I took good care to retain a hold upon a projecting portion
of the car. Occasionally cautiously releasing my grip, I experienced for
a few minutes the delicious, indescribable pleasure of being a little
planet swinging through space, with nothing to hold me up and nothing to
interfere with my motion.

Mr. Edison, happening to come upon the deck of the ship at this time,
and seeing what we were about at once said:

"I must provide against this danger. If I do not, there is a chance that
we shall arrive at Mars wit