What is a vanishing-machine?Two fifteen-year-old boys in rural Holland find out when they come across an abandoned machine that can make things invisible. They first use it for mischief on the farm, then complications ensue when the machine's American inventor, two bumbling detectives, and the eccentric master criminal who stole it turn up.The Vanishing-Machine is a humorous science-fiction novel originally published in the Netherlands in 1917 and translated into English for the first time. This edition includes translation notes, map, new and vintage illustrations, and historical background.