It was the first time since leaving the Earth that the travellers had experienced anything that could be called a jar or swerve; and they now stared at one another in startled surprise. What could it mean? Ivanta’s voice was heard issuing hurried orders, and his officers hastened to execute them. Malanda crossed the floor to handle a lever near to where Monck was standing. ’What is it, friend Malanda?’ asked the engineer, in an anxious undertone. ’We are caught in the attractive power of the comet,’ was the answer, ’and it is pulling us along after it. Unless we can manage to fight free, this ship will follow the comet through space as long as it may continue to rush about on its erratic journey, which would probably mean at least a thousand years!’ *CHAPTER XI.* *’WELCOME TO MARS!’* The minutes which followed Malanda’s startling announcement were anxious ones indeed for those of the voyagers who had heard it. The great majority on board, however, were happily ignorant of what had happened, and knew nothing about it till subsequently. Even Armeath and his companions could not afterwards tell much more about it than has been here set down, for the reason that Ivanta ordered the conning-tower to be cleared of every one save two or three of his officers. So they had to march out with the others; and of what went on inside, or whether the aerostat was likely ever to struggle out of its fearful position, they in the meanwhile knew nothing. For what seemed a long, weary time they could only wait on in suspense while the issue was being decided. It was a good half-hour before the welcome news was brought to them that the king had succeeded in getting his ship free from the comet’s sinister influence; and then no further particulars were vouchsafed. How it had been done was again one of those secrets which Ivanta kept strictly to himself. All that was made known was that the aerostat had now resumed her voyage, and that, as it happened, no harm had been done. A few days later, Gerald was seated in one of the large conservatories, reading a book which he had borrowed. Both he and Jack could now read the Martian language fairly well, and they found in the library on board a new storehouse of wonders of the most fascinating description. Hearing footsteps, he glanced up, and saw that Tom Clinch had come to seek him. ’Could I ’ave a wurd wi’ you, Mr Gerald?’ Clinch asked. ’Certainly, Tom. What’s the trouble?’ ’Well, Mr Gerald, it be like this. I’ve ’eerd—it’s odd ’ow things do get about—as we was nearly run down t’other night by a comet or some such blamed foolishness.’ Gerald looked with surprise upon the weather-beaten features of the faithful henchman, and with difficulty repressed a smile as he noted their woe-begone expression.