“I’ll feel around a little first,” Garry answered. “I may put my hand right on it.”
With one hand holding onto the metal stripping, Garry fanned his free arm back and forth along the floor. All he felt was cold smooth metal—at first.
Then, suddenly, he felt something soft to his touch. A chill raced up his backbone, ending in a prickle at the top of his head. He swallowed, then courageously began feeling around again on the object, trying to identify it. His hand touched flesh, warm flesh, and he could trace the outline of five fingers. He felt that chill again, but he fought to keep his nerves under control.
“Hey, What’s going on?” Patch called. “Have you found something?”
Garry pulled himself back up to the platform and hung onto the rail, shaking.
“Garry,” Patch said, “you’re white as you can be!”
“I found something all right, Patch. There’s a person down there,” Garry whispered.
13. ABANDON SHIP!
Leaving a bewildered and frightened Patch behind him, Garry left the platform and began pulling himself as rapidly as possible along the webbing of the tube toward the ship’s stern. Reaching the observatory bubble, he went in.