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Final Details
Theimportantquestionofprovisionsstillremained;itbeingnecessarytoprovideagainstthepossibilityoftheirfindingthemoonabsolutelybarren.Barbicanemanagedsosuccessfully,thathesuppliedthemwithsufficientrationsforayear.Theseconsistedofpreservedmeatsandvegetables,reducedbystronghydraulicpressuretothesmallestpossibledimensions.Theywerealsosuppliedwithbrandy,andtookwaterenoughfortwomonths,beingconfident,fromastronomicalobservations,thattherewasnolackofwateronthemoon’ssurface.Astoprovisions,doubtlesstheinhabitantsoftheearthwouldfindnourishmentsomewhereinthemoon.Ardanneverquestionedthis;indeed,hadhedoneso,hewouldneverhaveundertakenthejourney.
"Besides,"hesaidonedaytohisfriends,"weshallnotbecompletelyabandonedbyourterrestrialfriends;theywilltakecarenottoforgetus."
"No,indeed!"repliedJ.T.Maston.
"Nothingwouldbesimpler,"repliedArdan;"theColumbiadwillbealwaysthere.Well!wheneverthemoonisinafavorableconditionastothezenith,ifnottotheperigee,thatistosayaboutonceayear,couldyounotsendusashellpackedwithprovisions,whichwemightexpectonsomeappointedday?"
"Hurrah!hurrah!"criedJ.T.
