car is just starting, and to try to stop it now would be useless!"
Dr. Giles, with a cry of joy, looked up at the clock. It was indeed too late, for the hour hand was just pointing to eleven.
Turning to the government official with great politeness, Dr. Giles explained the state of affairs.
"You come just five minutes too late," he said. "Had you arrived but a few moments sooner, I might have been able to prevent the car from starting; but it is now beyond mortal power to stop it. It has started on its trip through the earth, and cannot possibly be stopped until it reaches the other side."
And with great courtesy he bowed his unwelcome visitor out of the room.
While these events were transpiring, immense crowds had gathered, in every city of the world, around special appliances that had been erected for rendering visible the course of the car during its passage through the earth. The news had already spread that at the last moment a passenger had been found to undertake the journey, and hence public interest was excited to the highest pitch.
