"I'm sure we needn't be too concerned about that in view of the attitude the natives have taken. Try it."
"I wonder what radiation they are talking about?" said Devon.
"Maybe the microwave set that Calvert has got on life test upstairs. It's so full of bugs that radiation has been leaking all over for the last two weeks. Everybody's kicking about it. If that's what's keeping this gadget here, we'd better get a proper antenna and spray the place with radiation."
"You're thinking the same thing I am!" said Devon. "If we could copy this machine loaded with the techniques of maybe a thousand years from now — what a position we'd be in to open our own business! Hook it up to a shopful of tools and feed in rough blueprints and watch it turn out miracles — like a weather forecaster and a new type color television. We can't let this get away from us!"
"The levitation and tractor fields." said Kennely thoughtfully. "That would explain why it quit working as soon as we came near. Automatic safeguards for the operator."
They noticed now for the first time that they were looking at some kind of a projection of the strangers out of time, rather than at the men themselves. The projection seemed to include the image of some kind of technical plant which the engineers supposed was the equipment involved in transport through time and space.
The figures began to move around before the complex panels.
Kennely said, "Come on. Let's get this Alladin's Lamp opened up."
As they began ripping the crate apart, Tarman gave one last despairing cry. "Stop it, you fiends!"
The engineers continued. They observed that the multitude of silver threads all disappeared through cracks in the crate and disappeared within the black mass of the machine within.