"With what?" exclaimed Roger.
"Don't be cynical!" cried Elsa. "We sat up half the night working out a wonderful scheme for you. We—"
"Yes," Ernest interrupted eagerly, "we all went over the situation and we've made up our minds to a mode of action. You are such an impractical old chump, Rog! It's ridiculous for you to waste your time trying to make an engine out of a junk pile while the main idea of your invention, the real selling part, is neglected." He stopped to butter a biscuit.
Roger sipped his coffee and waited for Ernest to continue. "Now then, Elsa has a little money, enough to take me to Washington and back. It's her idea that I take that and go to see the Smithsonian people. There's not the slightest sense in your going. You're no salesman and I am. You remember it was I who landed Austin in the first place."
"I remember," said Roger quietly.
There was a long silence. Roger thought of the tiny food supply and of the months of experimentation that must go on before the Sun Plant would show efficiency.
"I hate to see Elsa putting money into this thing," he said slowly, "but at most I can always take a job and pay her back."
"Of course you can!" exclaimed Elsa.
"I know I can get money from the Smithsonian," said Ernest, "and we'll repay her at once."