“And you and I don’t get a look in?” went on Buck, still absently.
“I’m used to it,” answered Bob. “My long suit is missin’ big stories.”
“And I’ve made a good start,” added Buck ruefully. “But,” and suddenly the old twitch of his lips came back, “I’ll stick around as long as I can.”
The two reporters met the inspection party at the rear of the enclosed car where the extra gasoline and ether tanks under the companionway leading to the tail truss were being examined. Then all descended to the lower deck and entered the sixteen by eight foot engine room. Through the center of this, in bearings, ran the big propeller shaft and next to the rear wall stood the powerful, unique engines that were to make success or failure of the perilous project. Fuel and lubricator gauges and indicators, shaft revolution recorders, an electric generator, a signal board duplicating the one in the pilot room above, racks of electric hand lights, tools and oil cans, the compressed air pipes on the ceiling, fixed, green-shaded lights over the two circular engines, switch boards for the compartment, port and starboard signal lights and the forward search lights, acetylene gas tanks and the heavy emergency clutch levers seemed to fill the compartment.
Yet, Ned led the fascinated visitors through this seeming confusion and for fifteen minutes attempted to make clear the mechanical complexity of the hitherto unheard of ether gas turbine double engine. When he tried to make clear how gasoline and sulphuric ether were to be combined to make a new explosive fuel of infinitely greater power than gasoline alone, and how this enabled them to economize in the amount of gasoline carried, the editor surrendered.
“I’m glad to sign that contract,” he exclaimed with relieved expression, “so long as I am the party of the first part that merely pays and you are the party of the second part that works this thing.”
“And you’ll use it yourself,” was the boy’s confident answer, “before another year passes.”
There was a look into the now vacant store room just forward of the engine compartment and the perspiring party made its way down the landing ladder. Ned spoke to his journalist guest.
“Mr. Stewart,” the editor immediately announced. “You are under Mr. Napier’s orders until you receive other instructions.”