The mixtures having been already carefully deposited in each barrel, nothing further need be done than to take away the metallic plugs which had been screwed into the bottom of the Projectile, and replace them by the rockets, every one of which was found to fit its grooved chamber with rigid exactness.
This evidently should have been all done before the disc had been finally laid on its springs.

But as this had to be lifted up again in order to reach the bottom of the Projectile, more work was to be done than was strictly necessary.

Though the labor was not very hard, considering that gravity had as yet scarcely made itself felt, M'Nicholl and Ardan were not sorry to have their little joke at Barbican's expense.

The Frenchman began humming "_Aliquandoque bonus dormitat Homerus,_" to a tune from _Orphee aux Enfers_, and the Captain said something about the Philadelphia Highway Commissioners who pave a street one day, and tear it up the next to lay the gas pipes.

But his friends' humor was all lost on Barbican, who was so wrapped up in his work that he probably never heard a word they said.
Towards three o'clock every preparation was made, every possible precaution taken, and now our bold adventurers had nothing more to do than watch and wait.
The Projectile was certainly approaching the Moon.