We must, therefore, have been in motion more than twenty minutes.

Consequently, unless our initial velocity has been very much diminished by the friction, we must have long before this completely cleared the fifty miles of atmosphere enveloping the earth." "Correct," said the Captain, cool as a cucumber, because once more in complete possession of all his senses; "but how much do you think the initial velocity to have been diminished by the friction ?" "By a third, according to my calculations," replied Barbican, "which I think are right.

Supposing our initial velocity, therefore, to have been 12,000 yards per second, by the time we quitted the atmosphere it must have been reduced to 8,000 yards per second.

At that rate, we must have gone by this time--" "Then, Mac, my boy, you've lost your two bets!" interrupted Ardan.

"The Columbiad has not burst, four thousand dollars; the Projectile has risen at least six miles, five thousand dollars; come, Captain, bleed!" "Let me first be sure we're right," said the Captain, quietly.