He pulled toward him the main starting lever of the Cardite motor,
while Professor Roumann opened the valve which admitted to the plates
and cylinders the mysterious force that was to send them on their way.
"Elevate the bow!" called Professor Henderson.
"Elevated it is," answered the German, as he turned a wheel which
directed the negative gravity force against the surface of the ground
and tilted up the nose of the _Annihilator_, as a skyrocket is slanted
in a trough before the fuse is ignited.
"Throw over the switch," directed Mr. Henderson, and the other
scientist, with a quick motion, snapped it into place, amid a shower of
vicious electric sparks that hissed as when hot iron is thrust into
water.
"Steer straight ahead!" called Professor Henderson to Mark and Jack,
who were in the pilot house. "We'll head for the moon later."
"Straight ahead it is," answered Jack.
There was a trembling to the great projectile. Up rose her sharp-
pointed bow. She swayed slightly in the air.
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