The first man nudged him. “Wake up,” he said. “Here’s a astronomical picture about the stars. Wake up. It’ll be good. ‘The Burning of Rome’s’ next.”
“I ain’t asleep.” Tubby whispered back. “I’m thinking.”
The wonders of celestial space were unfolding before Tubby’s eyes. But he hardly saw them. He was thinking of what Jake had said—those tremendous figures Jake had reeled off to him. What was it he had said? One hundred and eighty-six thousand miles in a second. There were sixty seconds in a minute, and sixty minutes in an hour! That would be—
“’Taint so,” he muttered to himself doggedly.
He felt a light touch on his arm and looked up to see a little man standing beside him in the aisle. In the dim light Tubby could not see the little man very well; but he could see that he did not know him.
The little man bent down toward Tubby’s ear.
“I want to talk to you,” he whispered.
“What about?” said Tubby.
The little man shook his head. “I can’t talk in here. Come outside for a moment.”
Tubby hesitated.