"Jim nodded warily. 'That's it, sir.'
"'It didn't occur to you, son, that while that might be all right for the hull and the Jumping equipment, you just don't change the size of a rocket motor to change its power rating? Don't you realize that if I turned on my landing rockets right now, I'd probably blow us all to Kingdom Come?'
"Jim thought for a minute. 'I nark it now, sir,' he said slowly. 'And the hull probably isn't right too, I'm afraid.'
"'You're probably right, son,' I answered him. 'Don't you think you had just better put things right back the way they were before?'
"I added hastily, 'Not forgetting to get rid of the extra air you giffled in.'
"'No, sir. I can't do that!' The boy's forehead was all wrinkled with his effort at thinking. 'Dad says that when you start in to giffling, you've got to carry through what you start.'
"'But it's my life you're giffling around with,' I protested. 'You don't have to worry. You can stay alive in the vacuum of space, or jump around without a ship, but I can't. Just leave me alone, why don't you? Just show me the way to go home and then leave me alone, like a good boy.'
"Jim shook his head. 'I'm just going to have to get help, sir,' he said.
"Mike and Aloysius both looked scared. 'Jim, why don't you just do like Captain Hannah says,' asked one of them.