"Just that. You see," finished the doctor, "if that side is never turned toward the sun, then it must be covered with ice, which would reflect the star—"
"Ah!" exclaimed Smith with satisfaction. "I wasn't so crazy after all! My notion was that the whole blamed thing is covered with ice!"
It looked reasonable. Certainly the entire sphere had a somewhat watery appearance. It prompted the geologist to say:
"Kinney—if that reflection is really due to ice, then there must be plenty of water vapor in the air. And if that's the case—"
"Not only is life entirely possible," stated the doctor quietly, "but I'll bet you this sky-car against an abandoned soap-stone mine that we find humans, or near-human beings there when we land tomorrow!"
II
SPEAKING OF VENUS
The architect was still dressed in the fashionably cut suit of men's clothes she had worn while in the car. Van Emmon thought of this when he said, somewhat awkwardly:
"Well, I'm going to fix something to eat. It'll be ready in half an hour, Miss—er—Jackson."