The girl obediently snapped the switch on the device that hung at her chest, and spoke briefly into it. "Hello, Earth! Paulette speaking. We are about to hear the report on the metal found in the digging on Pluto. Dr. Perkins, our chemist, will speak first...."
Perkins' report was brief. "I have made spectroscopic tests on the metal brought from the digging, and which is used by the inhabitants of the interior of Pluto. It registers as certainly beryllium."
Paulette was about to speak again, when McCausland held up his hand. "I would like to hear from Professor Reuter," he said. "He conducted the chemical and physical analyses of the metal after Dr. Perkins had finished his spectroscopic tests."
Professor Reuter's oily voice boomed out. "I regret to say that although this metal responds to the spectroscopic tests for beryllium, it will not do for our purpose. It is, in fact, an isotope of beryllium, a metal which resembles it spectroscopically but not physically. The weight is wrong; the metal is much too heavy and will not do for making armor for space ships."
"But—but—" babbled Adam. "I didn't weigh it, of course, but it seemed very light to me."
"And to me also," remarked Dr. Perkins. There was a frown of puzzlement if not of suspicion between his brows.
"Miss de Vries, you will not make a record of this useless argument," snapped McCausland. "Professor Reuter will explain—"
"I will explain that the sample in its original form was full of air particles, like a fine sponge," remarked the professor easily, but with his mouth working. "The Plutonians evidently have some process of lightening in this fashion."
"Isn't there any way of treating it?"