CHAPTER VI
_An Engineer's Mettle_
In the morning the earthmen were called together. They came with smilingfaces, which slowly changed to apprehension.
There were many suggestions in as many minutes, but none that gave apossibility of accomplishing the impossible. They had to stretch thefuel--_without visible means of stretching it_!
The women believed the meeting was a routine course in mechanics, andwent on enjoying their entertainment. The men explained they werebothered by a knotty question about the machinery to account for theirworried concentration. It would have been a terrible handicap if thewomen discovered the truth.
Three lix passed with little change. The fuel had been cut down for awhile, but the ship didn't hold its course. Every tube had been fired tohold the direct route for Jupiter. They were constantly cutting into themeager supply that remained--_and had to overcome the deficiency_!
Due to the slight conservation of fuel the ship had been operating farbelow efficiency, and the cold of space began to seep through the walls.This affected the dome people more than the earthmen, and they sufferedtorture. Any change in temperature was unknown to them, they werechilled at a few degrees below normal heat.
Suddenly, during dinner on the third evening, Peter Yarbro jumped upfrom the table. The other men fastened eager eyes on his face, while thewomen watched in amazement.
He started to speak, then remembered the women, sat down quietly. "I--Ithink I've found the answer--to our _problem_! If you will join me inthe hold, when we finish eating, I would like to talk it over with you."
Mrs. Yarbro was even more amazed. "Peter! I'm surprised at you. Jumpingup from the table so excited, just because you happened to think of theanswer to a _problem_! You ought to be ashamed."
In spite of his worries Dick lowered his head to hide the smile. If onlyPeter's wife knew what that problem was, she might not think it sostrange.
Hardly a man touched his food, and as soon as they were out of earshotof the women, he spoke what was in his mind. The crew heard him at thetable and many of them gathered to listen. For the first time in theirlives they were worried. Their lives depended on the earthmen beforethey even _reached_ their planet.
Yarbro hesitated. "I'm not so sure now, that I _have_ found the answer.When it came to me, I thought it was simple, but now it seems more likea dream.
"Since knowing that the fuel was low I've racked my brain for somethingthat might be used--and it had to be on the ship. Every _other_ man waslooking for a mechanical answer, and my efforts would be of little use.So I've searched for a chemical.
"_Water_ is the only liquid in any quantity. I discarded it so manytimes that it left a headache, but my search always came back to thesame place. It's the only thing we've got.
"All other liquids are in too small amounts, even if they could be used,and the ship is equipped only for chemical fuel--_in liquid form_!
"At dinner when I became so excited, I thought that water would do thetrick. Now I don't know. It has oxygen in large amounts, which isvitally needed, but that's the only advantage.
"Even if we dared try, it might injure the tubes. Still I believe it'sthe only chance of salvation. It's the one substance on board, in anylarge quantity. What do you think?"
There wasn't a sound as the minutes passed. Each man searchedfrantically for the slightest hope; searched for the _one_ chance in athousand!
Dick finally broke the silence. "What is _your_ plan, Peter? You musthave thought of something?"
"No, that's just the trouble. I thought that water might mix with thefuel, even fire with it. It was only a brain storm I'm afraid."
After a moment Dick spoke again. "It _can't_ be! Since there is no othersubstance--_we must use water_! There has to be a way--and _we've got tofind it_! We might as well use up the water and die of thirst, as todrift around in space until we starve to death, or die in the dive atJupiter."
Twice Mrs. Martin came down the ramp to take her husband to bed, butDick sent her away. The men would stay there until they had found asolution--_they had to_! The fuel was fast disappearing!
* * * * *
Morquil still sat in the background. The other men from Jupiter had goneto their quarters. He could offer no suggestion, but listened carefullyto every word they spoke. Finally he stood up.
"I hope that you can forgive me. In the last three lixs I have regrettedthat I ever saw your earth. It were better that my people die, than forus to carry people from a happy planet to die in space--because of ourstupidity. We are no better than children without cares or worries. Themen of the crew realized the risk, before they left the domes--but it isnot your fault!"
"Aw, sit down you big-headed numbskull!" McCarthy's voice boomed out."We don't blame _you_! We'll find some way to run this crate, and getthere in one piece. You just made us go to work before we expected. Why!A problem like this is _simple_ on earth--they'd solve it in _no_ time!You just go to bed and stop worrying. We'll have everything fixed bymorning."
Morquil's expression changed slightly, and he almost smiled. He startedfor the ramp as if taking the words literally, but half way up he facedthe little gathering again. "Thank you, John. But I haven't forgottenthat you were a famous liar in your home town--and you haven't lost yourability. Thank you anyway, you're very kind."
When McCarthy turned toward the others, he looked rather sheepish. Butthe forced smiles he received made him feel a lot better.
Hours passed, while each man told everything he had known about water.At last Dick stood up. "We've covered every possible reaction, and manythat are seemingly impossible, but have overlooked one very vital pointthat will either help or hinder greatly.
"The fuel is subjected to terrific pressure. Naturally, any water thatwas used would receive the same treatment. In the compression chamberthe pressure rises very fast, which must develop high temperature. Theresult is that we would not have water--_we'd have steam_! It would bealmost _dry steam_!
"Water in the liquid form couldn't discharge oxygen fast enough toaffect the fuel, but as steam it might. There is a good chance thatsteam may even _increase_ the explosive power to a point that we can'teven imagine. There's only one way to find out--_try it_!
"Every man here will admit that John has the most practical mechanicalbrain. It will be his job to find a means of injecting the water in theproper amounts. The rest of us can try to find any kinks in the systemthat he suggests. He knows every piece of equipment on board, and canpick whatever is best suited for the purpose."
As Dick sat down, John got to his feet. "This is one time that I'm aheadof you. While you've been talking I've been planning a way to do justthat. There's an extra firing tube that can hold the pressure we want.
"Fuel for all the blasts is compressed in one chamber, then dischargedthrough any desired tube. If we put the water under the pressure, withthe hydraulic system, and let it seep into the chamber at a setrate--_it might work_! Valves can control the steam perfectly, andregulate the flow to whatever is desired.
"The tube will have to be shut off from the fuel tank every few hours,to be filled. Preheating the water will develop steam pressure, and itwon't draw enough from the hydraulic system to affect the operation ofthe blasts.
"What do you say, shall we try it? It means shutting off all but theemergency tube for several hours, and it will be _cold_!"
* * * * *
Within five minutes they were hauling the heavy tube from the storageroom. In an hour everything was ready to assemble, and each man knewexactly what work he was to do. A pipe line was run from the watertanks, to fill the steam chamber in position.
Dick was building an electric heating unit to encase the entire tube,which could be regulated for any desired temperature.
Half of the rest period had passed when the chamber was finished andthey were ready to cut an opening in the compression unit. Perspirationpoured down the body of every man, but not f
rom the exertion. Eachminute that passed ate deeper into the fuel. If water couldn't replacethe liquid, they were helpless.
They wanted to install the tube, while the women were asleep. The shipwould be too cold for comfort for a long time after the blasts could bestarted again. When the heating units in the hull were shut off it wouldbecome freezing inside.
Men raced through the ship, stopping at their staterooms on the way.Dick dropped three extra covers over Dolores without disturbing her,then slipped into the heaviest clothing that he owned.
Each man was occupied in his own room, in the same way. Heavy coats weretaken to the men at the controls while the remainder of the crew weresent to a room with an emergency heating unit.
In fifteen minutes they were back at the compression chamber, and at thetouch of a button the blasts were silenced from the control room.
By the time an opening was cut in the heavy tanks, the cold had begun tocreep into the ship. The men worked desperately, and for a whileperspiration dampened their clothing. Then the chill crept deeper--andthey shivered. Their fingers grew numb, and they had to warm them overa small electric unit, but the opening slowly enlarged beneath theirtorches.
When the tube was fitted into the hole, and the metal began to flowaround the edges, even the torches seemed to throw little heat. Dickknew his nose was frosted, and warned the others not to touch their noseor ears. According to John's watch it required three hours to fit thetube in place.
When they rang for the power to be turned on, they waited in vain. Whenminutes passed without reaction, they glanced at each other inconsternation. Brown and Martin raced up the ramp while the otherswaited. Within a few minutes the tubes began to fire and warmth slowlydrove back the numbing cold.
Water pipes had burst, and they hurried to stop the leaks. The maintanks were uninjured, as the cold hadn't penetrated the big supplies instorage.
Dick suddenly realized that Brown and Martin hadn't returned. When hereached the upper deck all of the women were gathered near the roomwhere the crew had been left. The thermometer was only fifty degrees,even then, and they shivered in heavy coats.
Every dome man was stretched out on the floor! As Dick stepped within,his heart almost stopped beating--but they were only unconscious! Hisbreath escaped in a long sigh, after holding it for almost a minute.
Brown and Martin were trying to revive the prone forms. The control menlay beside the others, brought there by the two earthmen. The eyes offirst one then another, slowly opened, and they looked around inamazement. Cold affected them like an anaesthetic, causing completeunconsciousness.
When the ship reached normal warmth, they felt as good as ever. Ithadn't been cold enough to freeze them, in their section, and not a manwas injured. When they understood what happened, the men hurried back tothe controls.
* * * * *
The heavy coils were soon fastened around the tube, and it was filledthrough a valve on the upper side. A gauge was set to register thepressure of the vapor within. They decided to raise steam pressureenough to equal the compression of the fuel.
It required fifteen minutes for the water to reach the boiling point,while they nervously held their watches. They could keep track ofminutes and hours, although there was no longer day and night in theirlives. According to their figures, they now ate dinner at three o'clockin the morning, and went to bed in the early afternoon.
They held their breath when the steam valve was opened. It moved slowlyunder Dick's fingers, while a thousand questions raced through everymind.
"Would it silence the blasts? Would it put them out of commissionpermanently? Was that moment, and the turning of that valve, the end ofexistence for them all?"
Dick glanced at the gauge on the tube, then jerked the valve shut. Thepressure was still far below that of the fuel. He turned the heatingunit on full, and watched the gauge climb higher. They didn't understandthe numerals of the domed cities, but knew the pressure was gettingterrifically high.
When he opened the valve again, the steam gauge _did not rise_! It heldalmost steady. The hiss of escaping steam, sounded through the heavymetal faintly.
The tubes began to fire spasmodically! Dick bit his lips, as he openedthe valve a little wider. John McCarthy wiped the sweat from hisforehead, as every face turned white as chalk.
_They fired evenly again!!!_ The steam was working through themixture--_discharging through the blasts_!
* * * * *
They felt their bodies sway under the effects of acceleration andexultance filled them. There was _some_ reaction, at least!
Morquil appeared on the ramp, his face lighted by a smile. "_What haveyou done?_ The ship is traveling at _almost twice the speed that it wasbefore_! Is it all right?"
Dick sat down hard. Not a man in the crowd was able to answer. Successhad left them speechless. Barrow was the first to recover his voice.
"Are you _sure_?"
"Yes, Dick! We took three separate observations, and each showed thesame result--almost _double_ normal speed! Does it mean what you wanted?_Can we reach the domes?_"
"I hope so, Morquil. If the steam has made _that_ much difference, we'llget there without trouble. The water must be conserved as much aspossible--and hope that it lasts. Whether it increases the power of thefuel, or simply creates an additional body to drive against, is notimportant. _We're getting there!_"
Wanted—7 Fearless Engineers! Page 6