At last all was in readiness.  The cylinder had been placed in the tube from which it was to be shot gently forth by compressed air, so that it would fall into the upward spouting column of water.  The charge of compressed air was put in and the electric wires arranged.

“Are we all ready?” asked Mr. Henderson.

“I think so,” said Jack, in what sounded like a whisper, but which was loud, only the noise of the water muffled it.

“Then we had better enter the cylinder,” spoke the inventor.  “Take a last look at the Flying Mermaid, boys, for you will never see again the ship that has borne us many thousand miles.  She served us well, and might again, but for the freak of nature that has placed us in this position.”

For the first time the adventurers realized that they must abandon the craft in which they had reached the new world.  So it was with no little feeling of sadness that they climbed up the ladder that had been arranged and slid down into the cylinder.  One by one they took their places in the padded berths arranged for them.  It was a snug fit, for the professor knew if there was too much room he and the others might be so tossed about as to be killed.

Mr. Henderson was the last to enter.  Standing at the manhole he took a final look at his pet creation, the Mermaid.  Through the opened windows the colored lights came, shifting here and there.  Outside the terrible column of water was roaring as if anxious to devour them.

“Good-bye, Mermaid!” said the professor softly.

Then he closed down the manhole cover and tightened the screws that held it in place.  He touched a button that turned on the electric lights and the interior of the cylinder was illuminated with a soft glow.

“Are you all ready?” he asked.

“Jest as much as I ever will be,” replied Washington, who, as the crisis approached, seemed more light-hearted than any of the others.

“Then here we go!” exclaimed Mr. Henderson.

His fingers touched the button that connected with the electric machine, which operated the compressed air.

There sounded a muffled report.  Then it seemed to those in the cylinder that the end of the world had come.  They shot upward and outward, through the top of the conning tower which had been removed.  The cylinder, launched straight at the column of water struck it squarely and, an instant later was caught in the grasp of the giant force and hurled toward the upper world.

Up and up and up the mass of metal with its human freight went.  Now it was spinning like a top, again it shot toward the earth’s crust like an arrow from the archer’s bow.

It was moving with the velocity of a meteor, yet because of being surrounded with water, and traveling with the same velocity as the column, there was no friction.  Had there been, the heat generated would have melted the case in an instant.

For the first few seconds those in the cylinder were dazed by the sudden rush.  Then as it became greater and greater there came a curious dull feeling, and, one after another lost consciousness.  The terror of the water column, and the frightful speed, had made them senseless.
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