"Forms of life would have a tendency to run to size here," Professor Jameson remarked. "Creatures on this planet must of necessity be uncommonly strong, too."
They came to refer to the giant world as Ajiat, expressing the mental thought of the spoken word they had known in their organic lifetimes back on Zor. The word referred to anything huge or colossal.
With specially designed apparatus they carried for just such emergencies, the machine men quickly located and commenced mining the various ores and minerals they required in repairing the ship. When helium was discovered in large quantities, the professor was seized with an inspiration.
"Let us discover more about this world now that we are on it. From on high, we can look over a great deal of the surrounding country."
"But how shall we get up there?"
"The helium," Professor Jameson voiced his hidden thought. "We can make a balloon and rise on its lifting power."
For observation purposes, a metal globe was quickly fashioned, the basket of the balloon made of light metal framework and covered with wood from the surrounding forest. Firmly anchored to the ground with metal hawsers, the globe was filled with helium. The basket carried four machine men with their equipment. With him, Professor Jameson took 6W-438, 12W-62 and 29G-75.
"From what we know of the atmosphere, the amount of helium in the globe should carry us four miles or higher."
"The birds will probably attack you," warned 119M-5.
"We expect as much. It is why we have three power guns installed."