now?"
"We picked up twelve hundred from the town sewage plant. What with usingthe solar furnace as a radiator, we can make do."
"Oh, God, I suppose this means water rationing again."
"You're probably right, at least until the next rocket lands in a coupleof weeks."
* * * * *
PROSPECTOR FEARED LOST ON MOON
IPP Williamson Town, Moon, Sept. 21st. Scientific survey director McIlroy released a statement today that Howard Evans, a prospector is missing and presumed lost. Evans, who was apparently exploring the Moon in search of minerals was due two days ago, but it was presumed that he was merely temporarily delayed.
Evans began his exploration on August 25th, and was known to be carrying several days reserve of oxygen and supplies. Director McIlroy has expressed a hope that Evans will be found before his oxygen runs out.
Search parties have started from Williamson Town, but telescopic search from Palomar and the new satellite observatory are hindered by the fact that Evans is lost on the part of the Moon which is now dark. Little hope is held for radio contact with the missing man as it is believed he was carrying only short-range, intercommunications equipment. Nevertheless, receivers are ...
Captain Nickel Jones was also expressing a hope: "Anyway, Mac," he wassaying to McIlroy, "a Welshman knows when his luck's run out. And nevera word did he say."
"Like as not, you're right," McIlroy replied, "but if I know Evans, he'dnever say a word about any forebodings."
"Well, happen I might have a bit of Welsh second sight about me, and ittells me that Evans will be found."
McIlroy chuckled for the first time in several days. "So that's thereason you didn't take off when you were scheduled," he said.
"Well, yes," Jones answered. "I thought that it might happen that arocket would be needed in the search."
The light from Earth lighted the Moon as the Moon had never lightedEarth. The great blue globe of Earth, the only thing larger than thestars, wheeled silently in the sky. As it turned, the shadow of sunsetcrept across the face that could be seen from the Moon. From full Earth,as you might say, it moved toward last quarter.
The rising sun shone into Director McIlroy's office. The hot lightformed a circle on the wall opposite the window, and the light becamemore intense as the sun slowly pulled over the horizon. Mrs. Garthwalked into the director's office, and saw the director sleeping withhis head cradled in his arms on the desk. She walked softly to thewindow and adjusted the shade to darken the office. She stood looking atMcIlroy for a moment, and when he moved slightly in his sleep, shewalked softly out of the office.
A few minutes later she was back with a cup of coffee. She placed it infront of the director, and shook his shoulder gently.
"Wake up, Mr. McIlroy," she said, "you told me to wake you at sunrise,and there it is, and here's Mr. Phelps."
McIlroy woke up slowly. He leaned back in his chair and stretched. Hisneck was stiff from sleeping in such an awkward position.
"'Morning, Mr. Phelps," he said.
"Good morning," Phelps answered, dropping tiredly into a chair.
"Have some coffee, Mr. Phelps," said Mrs. Garth, handing him a cup.
"Any news?" asked McIlroy.
"About Evans?" Phelps shook his head slowly. "Palomar called in a fewminutes back. Nothing to report and the sun was rising there. Australiawill be in position pretty soon. Several observatories there. ThenCapetown. There are lots of observatories in Europe, but most of themare clouded over. Anyway the satellite observatory will be in positionby the time Europe is."
McIlroy was fully awake. He glanced at Phelps and wondered how long ithad been since he had slept last. More than that, McIlroy wondered whythis banker, who had never met Evans, was losing so much sleep aboutfinding him. It began to dawn on McIlroy that nearly the wholepopulation of Williamson Town was involved, one way or another, in thesearch.
The director turned to ask Phelps about this fact, but the banker wasslumped in his chair, fast asleep with his coffee untouched.
It was three hours later that McIlroy woke Phelps.
"They've found the tractor," McIlroy said.
"Good," Phelps mumbled, and then as comprehension came; "That's fine!That's just line! Is Evans--?"
"Can't tell yet. They spotted the tractor from the satelliteobservatory. Captain Jones took off a few minutes ago, and he'll reportback as soon as he lands. Hadn't you better get some sleep?"
* * * * *
Evans was carrying a block of ice into the tractor when he saw therocket coming in for a landing. He dropped the block and stood waiting.When the dust settled from around the tail of the rocket, he started torun forward. The air lock opened, and Evans recognized the vacuum suitedfigure of Nickel Jones.
"Evans, man!" said Jones' voice in the intercom. "Alive you are!"
"A Welshman takes a lot of killing," Evans answered.
* * * * *
Later, in Evans' tractor, he was telling his story:
"... And I don't know how long I sat there after I found the water." Helooked at the Goldburgian device he had made out of wire and tubing."Finally I built this thing. These caves were made of lava. They musthave been formed by steam some time, because there's a floor of ice inall of 'em.
"The idea didn't come all at once, it took a long time for me toremember that water is made out of oxygen and hydrogen. When Iremembered that, of course, I remembered that it can be separated withelectricity. So I built this thing.
"It runs an electric current through water, lets the oxygen loose in theroom, and pipes the hydrogen outside. It doesn't work automatically, ofcourse, so I run it about an hour a day. My oxygen level gauge shows howlong."
"You're a genius, man!" Jones exclaimed.
"No," Evans answered, "a Welshman, nothing more."
"Well, then," said Jones, "are you ready to start back?"
"Back?"
"Well, it was to rescue you that I came."
"I don't need rescuing, man," Evans said.
Jones stared at him blankly.
"You might let me have some food," Evans continued. "I'm getting shortof that. And you might have someone send out a mechanic with parts tofix my tractor. Then maybe you'll let me use your radio to file myclaim."
"Claim?"
"Sure, man, I've thousands of tons of water here. It's the richest mineon the Moon!"
THE END
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