As the film progressed, Cal took the proper tools from the boiling water, and placed them on a sterilized carrier.
Then as Tinker instructed him through a system of mirrors, Cal lifted the scalpel and made his first incision.
With increasing skill, Cal applied retractors and hemostats and tweezers. Tinker kept up a running fire of comment, and the motion picture on the screen progressed as he did, with appropriate close-ups to show the condition of the wound during each step. Cal came upon the fractured bone as it said he should, and then though the fracture was not just as that in the picture, Cal plied his instruments carefully and lifted the crushed bone away from the spinal cord. With a wide-field microscope, Cal inspected the cord.
"Can't tell, Tinker. I don't know anything about it."
"And I can't see it too well. Look, Cal. Don't touch it. It may be only bruised. Run the projector over to the replacing-operation and put the stuff back according to directions. If the cord is damaged, they can repair it at the Association. You'll be responsible for getting me there, anyway."
"All right," said Cal.
With tiny splints, Cal fastened the splintered bone back into place. It was as painstaking a job as putting a fine watch back together again, and as tedious as breaking the worst code in history. But Cal succeeded finally, and the final wrappings were placed by hands that were beginning to shake.
The plane from Northern Landing located them from Cal's master oscillator and came in for a landing. The official in the plane wasted no time. He ordered two of his helpers to install Tinker—stretcher and all—in his flier and they all took off after leaving a guard at Murdoch's Hoard.