"Roy Rockwood - Lost on the Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rockwood Roy)

“Sit down,” begged Mark.

“I'll not!” retorted Jack. “I'm going to prove to you that I'm right.”

“How are you going to do it?”

“I'm going to get Professor Henderson and Professor Roumann to translate this article for you, and then you
can ask them what Reonaris is. Guess that'll convince you; won't it?”

“Maybe; but why don't you ask Andy Sudds or Washington White to give their opinion?”

“Don't get funny,” advised the other lad sharply, and then, seeing that his chum was smiling, Jack laughed,
cooled down a bit, looked at the paper which he had crumpled in his hand, and said:

“I guess I was getting a little too excited. But I'm sure I'm right. Here's the paper I brought from Mars to prove
it, and the only thing there's any doubt about is whether or not Reonaris means diamonds. I'll ask——”

At that moment the door of the library, in which Jack and Mark were seated, was cautiously opened, and a
black, woolly head was thrust in. Then two widely−opened eyes gazed at the boys.

“What's the matter, Washington?” asked Jack, with a laugh.

“'Scuse me, Massa Jack,” answered the colored man, “but did I done heah you' to promulgate some
conversationess regarding de transmigatorability ob diamonds?”

“Do you mean, were we talking about diamonds?” inquired Mark.

“Dat's what I done said, Massa Mark.”

“No, you didn't say it, but you meant it, I guess,” went on Jack. “Yes, we were talking about diamonds,
Washington. I know a place that's full of them.”

“Where?” inquired the colored man, thrusting his head farther into the room, and opening his eyes to their
fullest extent. “Ef it ain't violatin' no confidences, Massa Jack, would yo' jest kindly mention it to yo's truly,”
and Professor Henderson's faithful servant, who had followed him into many dangers, looked at the two boys,
who, of late years, had shared the labors of the well−known scientist. “Where am dose diamonds, Massa
Jack?”

“On the moon,” was the answer.

“On de moon? Ha! Ha! Dat's a joke!” And Washington began to laugh. “On de moon! Ha! Ho!”

“Well, you can read it for yourself,” went on the lad, tossing the paper over to the colored man. The latter
picked it up, gazed at it, first from one side, and then from the other. Next he turned it upside down, but, as
this did not make the article any clearer, he turned the paper back again. Then he remarked, with a puzzled air:

“Well, I neber could read without mah glasses, Massa Jack, so I guess I'll hab t' let it go until annoder time.
Diamonds on de moon, eh? Dat's wonderful! I wonder what dey'll be doin' next? But I'se got t' go. Diamonds
on de moon, eh? Diamonds on de moon!”