"That's where we're going, Wash," replied Jack, for it had been decided that the colored man could now be told of their destination. "Yo' means dat red star what shines in de sky?" "That's the one, Washington." "An' how far did yo' say it was from heah?" was the question directed at Mr. Henderson. "Well, it's about thirty-five millions of miles from the earth." "And is yo' all goin'?" "Yes, we expect to." "Is dis heah contraption yo' done been buildin'?" "Yes." "And is I gwine, too, perfesser?" "I calculated on taking you, Washington. You went north and south with me, and down into the center of the earth. I thought you'd like to go on this trip." Washington laid down the hammer he had come in to borrow to fix the chicken coop. He looked around on the circle of smiling faces. "I--I 'spects I'd bettah be lookin' fo' annudder place, perfesser," he said quietly. "Why, you aren't afraid to go to Mars, when you went with us in the Flying Mermaid down into the earth, are you?" asked Jack. "'Scuse me, Massa Jack," said the colored man solemnly, "dis trip am wuss dan any ob de udders. It suah am. Good land a' massy! T' t'ink ob being projected transmigatorially in de obverse tangent ob de parallelism circumdelegated on de inverse side ob a duodecimo. It's too altogether imparipinated fo' dis chile! I'se afraid dat's what I is! I'se too much afraid t' go," and Washington started to run from the shop, as if he feared that the big projectile would take after him. CHAPTER XI A STRANGE EXPLOSION "Here, come back, Washington," called Mr. Henderson. "No, sah! I ain't gwine t' entrust mahself 'n any sech t'ing as dat!" cried Washington. "I ain't gwine t' be shot up froo de sky. Why, good land a' massy! 'Sposin' we was t' hit a star, or land on de moon? I'd look purty, wouldn't I, hangin' on one ob de moon's horns? How's I eber gwinee git down? I axes yo' dat. How's I gwine f git down?" "Well," said Professor Henderson with a laugh, "if you did get caught on one of the horns of the moon, Washington, I guess it would be a pretty hard matter to get down." "Dat's what I done said," insisted the colored man. "You could slide down a moonbeam," said Jack with a laugh. "Yes, an' mebby git hit by a comet or be kamked sensible by a piece ob star," objected Washington, as if Jack's plan was a feasible one. "No, sah, I ain't gwine along nohow. Dis ole earth am good enough fo' me. I don't want to die an' go floatin' through space. When I dies I wants t' be buried decent-like. I ain't gwine wid yo' at all." It began to look as if Washington's revolt was a settled fact. Yet they depended on him to go. However, Professor Henderson solved the problem for him. "Who will cook my meals for me, if you don't go, Washington?" he asked solemnly. "Is you really goin', perfesser?" "I certainly am." "An' yo' t'ink it's safe?"