They told Mac about the existing crisis. He wanted to do something to help, but Captain Eaton insisted that he go to the dormitory to rest. Garry and Patch went with Captain Eaton to the observatory to recheck and see how much time the Carefree had left.
After another period of figuring and using his instruments, the skipper turned to the boys. “I wish I had better news, but it looks as if we have less time than I had thought at first.”
The boys returned with Captain Eaton to the flier. Isaac had taken over helping Ben, since he knew more about this kind of thing than Mr. Klecker.
Captain Eaton stood at the door of the air lock. “How are you coming in there?” he asked.
Ben gave him a report of their progress. The captain’s face was lined and grave. “You may have to do better than that if we’re going to get out of this alive,” he said. “The moon is very close.”
Captain Eaton and the boys spent the time that followed in the observatory dome, watching the steadily growing disk of the moon. It was like a mocking face in the sky, luring the travelers to destruction.
No telescope was needed, for the big, rocky satellite of earth appeared to take up the whole heavens. Garry and Patch studied the knife-edged mountaintops, the dry, gray wildernesses that were once thought to be seas, and the mysterious bowl-like craters. Where would the Carefree plunge to her death on the fierce moonscape, Garry wondered. And would he and the others still be aboard her when she crashed? Garry shuddered at the thought. As Captain Eaton had said, Luna was now so frightfully close.
The captain made a final check of his instruments. Then he turned abruptly, heading for the door. The boys followed him out.
In the flier, moments later, the captain said, “Ben, we’re in our last hour. How do things look in here?”
Garry could see Ben’s grimy, tired face turned toward Captain Eaton.